DHL Western Province’s 2022 U21 Player of the Year and newly-capped DHL Stormers loose forward Keke Morabe will power into the Currie Cup eager to take the next big step in his rugby journey.

Morabe capped a memorable 2022 by being crowned DHL WP’s U21 Player of the Year, having made his senior debut in last year’s Currie Cup before helping the youth team progress to the semifinals of SA Rugby’s U21 Cup.

The 21-year-old is among a plethora of talented youngsters champing at the bit to get back in action for DHL Western Province.

“I gained a little experience from it and I want to grow from it,” Morabe said on his debut Currie Cup season. “I am looking forward to getting more experience and bettering myself as a player. I want to play this second tournament with more confidence and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to showcase my talent.”

Born in QwaQwa and raised in Welkom, Morabe represented the Griffons U18 side for two years in 2018 and 2019. His barnstorming performances earned him selections as the only Griffons player in the SA Schools side in both years.

After school, he signed for DHL Western Province and Morabe’s potential was on show when he made his DHL Stormers debut off the bench in the coastal derby against the Cell C Sharks in Durban.

“I was nervous beforehand,” he said of making his DHL Stormers bow. “When I first heard the news, I was really looking forward to it. It felt like all the hard work I had been putting in was paying off, like I was taking another step towards my goals.”

The loose forward depth at DHL Western Province is stacked, but Morabe welcomes the competition and the opportunity to learn from some grizzled veterans.

“I would say the competition is quite fierce but it’s actually really appreciated because I am getting a chance to learn from a number of great players,” he said.

“Being young, playing with incredibly experienced players is great. At the end of the day, we’re all gunning for the same thing.”

Going into his second Currie Cup campaign, Morabe is keeping his eyes on the prize as DHL Western Province target a first title since 2017.

“The goal is definitely to win the cup,” he says.

“I want to use my talents and strengths, my strong sense of motivation, my resilience and my ability to learn from my setbacks to contribute to the team and win the title.”