Having grown up on the East Rand of Gauteng, Kabous Bezuidenhout attended Kempton Park High School and immediately stood out as the leading light of the institution’s rugby programme. A tighthead prop from the get-go, Bezuidenhout first earned provincial selection when he turned out for the Valke’s Club XV at the IPT U16 Interprovincial Tournament. In less than a year, Kabous was called up to the Valke’s U18 Academy Week team, followed by appearances at the landmark tournament in schoolboy rugby, the U18 Craven Week. Incredibly, the anchor of the scrum was called up to the U19 Currie Cup team whilst still at school, before spending a year in Pretoria at Harlequins Rugby Club.

The intense physicality of the Carlton League senior ranks saw the youngster earn his stripes as a confrontational front ranker, leading to a senior professional debut for the Valke in the 2021 Currie Cup 1^st Division at just 19 years of age. Kabous made the number 3 jersey his own, playing a prominent role in the team’s progression to the semi-final of the competition. With the Golden Lions taking notice of the imposing Bezuidenhout, he was immediately drafted into the franchise’s Currie Cup U20 team, whilst also training with the Currie Cup squad. An uncut diamond with incomparable potential, Kabous is a name to remember.