Boland sign former Bulls wing Jade Stighling from Major Rugby League in the USA

The experienced winger Jade Stighling has signed for the Boland Cavaliers after a two-year stint with the Seattle Seawolves in the USA’s Major League Rugby tournament.

The Johannesburg-born Stighling has played for both the Bulls and the Pumas but has never quite cracked the big time. He is a sturdily built wing at 1.84m and 93kg and will be hoping a period with the on-the-rise Cavaliers can give his career a boost.

The 32-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Wellington team, who enjoyed a strong Currie Cup Premier Division season in 2025, finishing in the top four after qualifying via the SA Cup.

Boland coach Hawies Fourie believes the well-travelled Stighling is the type of player who can make a significant impact on his team.

“Jade is a well-rounded player. He has no weaknesses in his skill set,” Fourie said. “He is good in the air, a good finisher, very fast, and a hard-working guy, as well as a good team man. He is the kind of player we are looking for.

“He will add a lot of value because he is an experienced player and has a good attitude. He also has a good influence on the guys around him. He will have picked up a lot of knowledge from the foreigners in Major League Rugby in the States.”

Boland are an ambitious side and have powerful backing — in October 2023, they announced a partnership with the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) and a consortium comprising companies controlled by South African billionaires Patrice Motsepe and Johann Rupert.

The partnership sees the Motsepe consortium and SAS own 74% of the Boland rugby professional arm, with the Boland Rugby Union retaining 26%.