Having grown up on the hard fields of the Northern Free State, Kevin Strydom first represented his province at the tender age of 12, going on to repeat the feat at the U13 Craven Week of the following year. Strydom decided to remain in the region and attended Goudveld High School, showing his pedigree by once again turning out for the Griffons at the U16 Grant Khomo Week. Perhaps the most impressive feature of Kevin’s game was not only the physicality that he brought to the collision, but his deceivingly lethal turn of pace. His inclusion in the Griffons U17 Sevens squad came as little surprise, and his class was on full display when Strydom was called up to a South African U17 Sevens Invitational squad to tour Dubai.

Seamlessly transitioning between lock and back rower, Kevin’s sizeable frame is not only an asset in destructive ball-carrying displays, but also on the other side of the ball as a ferocious defender. One of the standout tight forwards at the U18 Academy Week of 2019, the lineout jumper was in considerable demand from various clubs, leading him to welcome a new challenge by signing with Aurillac as an Espoir. Despite the Covid-enforced restrictions of 2020, Strydom has thrived in the professional setup at the Stade Jean Alric, embracing the brutal nature of the French game and adding considerable muscle mass.