Stellenbosch teenager Quwan Plaatjies earns Mark Williams comparison after debut hat-trick

Stellenbosch FC head coach Gavin Hunt has likened 20-year-old forward Quwan Plaatjies to former Bafana Bafana striker Mark Williams after his stunning senior debut against Marumo Gallants.

Plaatjies scored three times in Cape Town on Friday to secure Stellenbosch FC’s first win of the season, making an immediate impact after almost two years of waiting for his opportunity in the senior team.

Hunt said Plaatjies should not necessarily be viewed as a conventional striker, but as a natural goalscorer whose main contribution comes in front of goal.

“I saw him last season. He’s not a striker. This boy, he’s a goal scorer. Now there’s a big difference for me. He’s like, if I’m going to say this, It’s going to be all over the media, like, Mark Williams,” Hunt told the media.

Williams, a legendary Bafana Bafana forward, was known for his ability to find the net even when he was not heavily involved in the build-up to matches. Hunt believes Plaatjies has similar qualities.

“The build-ups, you don’t get him involved, but he can score goals. I saw him in pre-season. I thought, my God, and the name when I saw his name as well, I went, my God, hope he’s not a road runner…

“But he’s a goal scorer, he’s a natural goalscorer, and that’s hard to find, and there’s a difference between a striker and a goal scorer – a striker holds it up and he can run, and press, and this guy scores goals.

“In training, he scores goals every day, and he went in pres-eason. He was scoring goals, and I thought, yeah, tonight’s the night at home. I wouldn’t play him too much away yet. It’s a bit early for that.”

Plaatjies has developed through Stellenbosch FC’s reserve structure and played an important role as the club won the DStv Diski Challenge in the 2023/24 season.

He also attracted attention during the NEXTGen tournament in the United Kingdom, where he scored an impressive goal against Everton. That performance raised expectations that he would soon move into the first team.

However, despite the excitement surrounding him after the trip to the UK, Plaatjies did not make his senior breakthrough during the following campaign. Instead, he continued to feature in the reserve league.

His chance finally arrived on Friday, nearly two years after his appearance in the United Kingdom, and he responded by scoring a hat-trick on his Stellenbosch FC debut.

Hunt’s comments suggest the coaching staff have been monitoring Plaatjies’ finishing ability for some time, particularly during pre-season and daily training sessions. The manager also indicated that he would be cautious about exposing the young forward to too much football away from home at this early stage.