New Sanlam Boland Cavaliers signing Juan Mostert is hoping to bring some Italian flair to his new side as the preparations for the Wellington outfit’s return to the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division.
The flyhalf, who played for the Bulls and Maties, joined the Cavas from the Italian side, Rovigo Delta. Mostert featured in all three of the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers’ warm-up fixtures ahead of the opening Carling Currie Cup fixture against the Toyota Cheetahs on 27 July 2025.
Mostert spent four months at the Italian Serie A club after parting ways with the Bulls, whom he joined in 2022 and represented in a handful of Carling Currie Cup and United Rugby Championship (URC) matches.
Even though his time at Rovigo was short, the former South African Schools ace helped his club win the Serie A Elite title and described it as “one of the highlights of my career” on his Instagram account.
Mossie, as he is known to his family, friends, and teammates, wants to bring some of that success to the Boland after accepting an offer from his former Maties and now Cavas coach, Hawies Fourie.
He is also excited about being reunited with old Maties and Western Province School teammate Marcqwien Titus, who also joined the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers [from Griquas] last month.
He says of them teaming up and, like they did at Craven Week, creating a boatload of tries: “It was really good to see him again, I must say he has also grown tremendously as a player and I am very excited to get the chance to play with him again.”
He revealed a bit more about his time in Italy.
“I truly learned a lot. And just the fact that I got to experience a different culture and how they do things, and getting to know the people. That was extremely nice, and the rugby is good. They play a quality game, and I have no complaints from my time there.”
But why leave when things were going so well at Rovigo?
“I have known coach Hawies since my time at Maties,” Mostert explains. “When he offered me this opportunity, and from what I heard of the changes here at Boland, I immediately bought into it.
“It is a union that is growing pretty fast after winning the Currie Cup First Division two years in a row and qualifying for the Currie Cup Premier Division this year.
“As a player, I always look at where I am going to be in a couple of years and if I am going to grow as a player and a person. Then, seeing how Boland is growing, made me decide to take up this challenge, because I feel I can grow here, as a rugby player and as an individual.
“I have no regrets about my decision to sign up, and I have been here for the last four weeks in training, and I am enjoying it immensely. Great culture, good people.”
Being reunited with Fourie has brought about some excitement for Mossie after getting a taste of the Cavas’ mentor’s coaching style as a Maties player in 2018.
Now, after four seasons of professional rugby, Mostert says he is a player that Fourie can rely on as the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers set themselves the goal of reaching the Currie Cup Premier Division playoffs: “I always like coached Hawies’ coaching style. He enjoys playing the type of game that I love – attacking rugby.
“I can see he has mapped out a clear goal for us as a squad and has a very clear plan. That, to me, is nice when you work with a coaching group that sets clear standards for us as players. You instantly know where you stand as a player.”
The once-raved-about pivot, which former Bulls coach Jake White said could be the next Die Lem (Henry Honiball), also has no regrets about not getting more game time during his time in Pretoria.
“I went there just after my first full Varsity Cup season in 2021. The first time I was part of a fully professional setup,” Mossie said.
“I learned a lot as a player from experienced guys like [Springboks] Morne Steyn and Johan Goosen. I did not play a lot of games, but after two years, I could go and look back at how I have grown as a player and how much I learned. There are a lot of positives from my time there, although game time was a bit limited.”
He is also under no illusion that getting to wear the ten jumper for the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers is not a given, as excellent players like James Tedder and 2024 Currie Cup First Division Player of the year, Ashlon Davids, will be competing for regular starting berths.
“When you are in a team where there are lots of guys competing for a spot, it can only be good. That motivates you to become better, and that is what I like about it since I joined the team. Everyone keeps each other accountable, and the vibe is lekker. It is just nice to be there among a bunch of guys with no egos.”