As early as primary school level, he earned provincial colours by representing the Boland Cavaliers at the 2010 Under-13 Craven Week tournament held in Graaff-Reinet.
[2] In 2011, he enrolled at Hoerskool Swartland, which is the Alma mater of current Springbok and 2019 World Rugby player of the Year, Pieter-Steph Du Toit.
[4] In 2014, despite still being in the Under-17 age bracket, he was included in the Blue Bulls squad for the Under-18 Craven Week, South Africa's premier rugby union tournament at high school level.
[10] Papier had a similar season in 2015; he started all three of the Blue Bulls' matches at the Craven Week in Stellenbosch, scoring a try in their 40–12 victory over his home province Boland.
[21] The result meant South Africa secured a semi-final place as the best runner-up in the competition, but Papier suffered an ankle injury during a training session, which ended his involvement in the tournament.