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Counties Manukau’s rising rugby star Keran van Staden is proving that young athletes in the region can chase their sporting dreams without sacrificing education or personal development.
Since debuting for the Steelers in 2023, the young tighthead prop has quickly become one of the most promising talents in the region. His latest season with the Steelers earned him the Player of the Year Award for the side and secured a place in the Chiefs Wider Training Squad for the 2026 Super Rugby season.
While making his mark on the field, van Staden has also been building for his future off it,
thanks to the Kieran Read Scholarship jointly offered by Counties Manukau Rugby and AUT
Business School.
The scholarship, awarded to a high potential Steelers Academy athlete, is designed to support young athletes in pursuing higher education while continuing to grow their rugby careers.
After joining the Steelers Academy in 2022, van Staden embraced the opportunity the
scholarship provided, completing a Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing with a minor in International Business through AUT’s Faculty of Business, Economics and Law.
Van Staden said he has always been passionate about hospitality.
“With my degree, I want to keep working in marketing, helping my parents at LaValla Estate, supporting Union partners, and putting my skills to use for local businesses alongside rugby.
“I don’t want to stop learning now that rugby has become my full-time job.”
Understanding the uncertainty of professional sport, van Staden said education was essential for young athletes.
“It’s easy to go pro early and forget your sporting career might only last 10 to 15 years. Having something to fall back on, a trade, a degree, anything, means you’re not starting from scratch later in life.”
Counties Manukau Rugby chief executive Chad Shepherd said van Staden’s dedication both on and off the field reflects the values the Union is proud to foster.
“Keran is an outstanding young man and a great representative of what our region stands for,” Shepherd said.
“We’re incredibly proud of his achievements and equally proud to provide opportunities like the Kieran Read Scholarship that support our players’ growth on the field and their development as people off it.”
He acknowledged the vital role of the Steelers Academy sponsors. “Their generous support
enables initiatives like this. They recognise the importance of developing not just quality rugby players, but quality people, and their investment helps set our young athletes up for long-term success.”
Van Staden said the scholarship has helped him develop not only as a player but as a person.
“I want to thank Counties Manukau Rugby and AUT for giving me this opportunity.
“It’s helped me grow on and off the field, and I hope my story inspires other young athletes to pursue education alongside their rugby dreams.”
With a rapidly rising rugby career and a strong academic foundation behind him, van Staden is setting a powerful example for the next generation, showing that with support, drive, and balance, young athletes can thrive in both sport and study.
