RWC-winners lead Awards nominations for 2023

Five members of the Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok squad in France – Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe and Damian Willemse – were nominated for the coveted SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year Award for 2023, with Etzebeth up to defend the title he won last season.

SA Rugby announced the nominees – as voted for by members of the media and key stakeholders within the governing body – in nine categories on Tuesday. The winners will be named early next year, along with the annual OUTsurance Referee of the Year and the Provincial Women’s Player of the Year.

Etzebeth will face stern competition from Kolisi and Du Toit, the winners of the Player of the Year Awards in 2021 and 2019 respectively, as well as Bok scrum anchor Malherbe and Willemse, a previous nominee in the category for Young Player of the Year (U23) and winner of the Youth Weeks Player of the Year Award in 2016.

Nadine Roos will also defend her title as Springbok Women’s Player of the Year, against former winners Aseza Hele and Babalwa Latsha, as well as Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Rights Mkhari.

Four of the five nominees for the Young Player of the Year Award were also on the shortlist last year, when Canan Moodie beat off the challenges of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jaden Hendrikse and Evan Roos. This year, Ruan Venter has also been nominated.

Ricardo Duarttee, who was named Rookie of the Year Award at the annual HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Awards, is up against Christie Grobbelaar and Shilton van Wyk for the Springbok Sevens Men’s Player of the Year Award.

And the three nominees for the Junior Springbok Player of the Year Award are team captain Paul de Villiers, who led the SA U20s to a bronze medal at the World Rugby U20 Championship, as well as Corne Beets and Damian Markus.

The categories for Coach and Team of the Year are straight shootouts between Jacques Nienaber and the Springboks, John Dobson and the DHL Stormers, and Hawies Fourie and the Toyota Cheetahs.

On the Currie Cup front, the Toyota Cheetahs’ Ruan Pienaar is up against two Airlink Pumas players in Devon Williams and Tinus de Beer for the Premier Division award, while the Boland duo of Cameron Hufke and Darian Hock are up against Keagan Fortune of the Valke for the First Division Award.

“We had a wonderful year culminating in the Rugby World Cup victory, and I would like to congratulate all the nominees not only for their performances during the year, but also for their contribution to the local rugby landscape,” said Mr Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby.

“All the names on the list of nominees can look back at the year and be proud of their performances. Rugby is a team game, and I’m sure all of them will agree that nothing is possible without the player next to you, but they stood out and deserve these nominations.

“All of our national teams were in action this year, with varying degrees of success, but every single player put their country first whenever and wherever they took the field, and I would like to thank them for that.

“A special word of thanks and congratulations to Jacques, Siya and the Springboks though – you were great ambassadors for South Africa and by defending the Webb Ellis Cup in France, you have ensured that the name of the Bok team of 2023 will forever be written in the annals of our game as one of the greatest.

“Locally, the DHL Stormers hosted their second consecutive Vodacom URC final, the Toyota Cheetahs dethroned the Airlink Pumas in the Currie Cup Premier Division, the Boland Kavaliers and Valke stood out in the First Division and Mzansi Challenge, and the Bulls Daisies were unbeaten in the season to secure the Women’s Premier Division title.

“I would like to sincerely thank every player, coach, administrator, referee, sponsor and all other significant role players for playing their part in making the 2023 season one for the ages.”

The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Eben Etzebeth
Siya Kolisi
Frans Malherbe
Damian Willemse

Springbok Women’s Player of the Year
Aseza Hele
Libbie Janse van Rensburg
Babalwa Latsha
Rights Mkhari
Nadine Roos

SA Rugby Young Player of the Year
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)
Jaden Hendrikse (Springboks / Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Canan Moodie (Springboks / Vodacom Bulls)
Evan Roos (Springboks / DHL Stormers)
Ruan Venter (Emirates Lions)

Springbok Sevens Men’s Player of the Year
Ricardo Duarttee
Christie Grobbelaar
Shilton van Wyk

Junior Springbok Player of the Year
Corne Beets
Paul de Villiers
Damian Markus

Team of the Year
Toyota Cheetahs (Currie Cup)
Springboks
DHL Stormers (Vodacom URC)

Coach of the Year
John Dobson (DHL Stormers)
Hawies Fourie (Toyota Cheetahs)
Jacques Nienaber (Springboks)

Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
Tinus de Beer (Airlink Pumas)
Ruan Pienaar (Toyota Cheetahs)
Devon Williams (Airlink Pumas)

Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Keagan Fortune (Valke)
Darian Hock (Boland Kavaliers)
Cameron Hufke (Boland Kavaliers)

SA Rugby Player of the Year winners (since 1992):
1992: Tiaan Strauss
1993: Gavin Johnson
1994: Chester Williams
1995: Ruben Kruger
1996: André Joubert
1997: Os du Randt
1998: Gary Teichmann
1999: André Venter
2000: Breyton Paulse
2001: André Vos
2002: Joe van Niekerk
2003: Ashwin Willemse
2004: Schalk Burger
2005: Bryan Habana
2006: Fourie du Preez
2007: Bryan Habana
2008: Jean de Villiers
2009: Fourie du Preez
2010: Gurthrö Steenkamp
2011: Schalk Burger
2012: Bryan Habana
2013: Jean de Villiers
2014: Duane Vermeulen
2015: Lood de Jager
2016: Pieter-Steph du Toit
2017: Malcolm Marx
2018: Pieter-Steph du Toit
2019: Pieter-Steph du Toit
2020: Duane Vermeulen
2021: Siya Kolisi
2022: Eben Etzebeth

SA Rugby Awards Pieter-Steph du Toit Eben Etzebeth Siya Kolisi Frans Malherbe Damian Willemse Libbie Janse van Rensburg Aseza Hele Nadine Roos Rights Mkhari Babalwa Latsha Canan Moodie Springboks Springbok Women Springbok Sevens Blitzboks Junior Springboks Springbok Women's Sevens Jacques Nienaber John Dobson DHL Stormers Hawies Fourie Toyota Cheetahs

Nominees revealed for SA Rugby Awards 2024...

World Rugby’s Men’s 15s Player of the Year for 2024, Springbok flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, is one of five nominees for...

Vodacom URC resumes with gripping local derbies...

The Vodacom United Rugby Championship returns with a bang this weekend after back-to-back rounds of Investec Champions C...

Another tough weekend for SA teams in Europe...

The Emirates Lions scored a sole victory for the South African francises in the two European competions this weekend, wi...

SA teams look for improvement on Super Saturday...

While the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Toyota Cheetahs will look to build on their encouraging starts to the Investec Champi...

Match official appointments to 15 December 2024...

Match official appointments for the next few days have been made, with Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup rug...

Arries to use Bok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ opportunity

As Alichia Arries jogged off the field at Stade Ernest-Wallon in Toulouse in May last year following the Springbok Women’s Sevens win over Spain in the HSBC France Sevens, the possibilities were endless.

South African sides excite on local soil

A successful conversion by big Willem Alberts summed up the Vodacom United Rugby Championship weekend from a local perspective as the three South African sides playing at home ran amok against their visitors from Italy, Ireland and Wales.

Selvyn Davids to lead Blitzboks on Dubai mission

Experienced playmaker Selvyn Davids will lead the Springbok Sevens team for the 2024 HSBC SVNS series, starting in Dubai next weekend, where he will be joined by two uncapped players in the first of the eight tournaments of the revamped season.

Four uncapped players for Bok Women’s 7s in Dubai

Springbok Women’s Sevens head coach Renfred Dazel has included four players without any HSBC SVNS experience in his squad of 13 players to travel to the series opener in Dubai on Monday.

Ngcobo to miss Blitzboks’ trip to Dubai

Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo will not travel with the team to Dubai for the 2024 HSBC SVNS opener due to medical reasons, with assistant coach Philip Snyman taking over the main coaching responsibilities.

Bok heroes become foes as focus shifts to Europe

Springbok fans may find it difficult to see their beloved heroes as anything other than that, but some shifting sands and a refocus on the club and franchise game in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup will see Bok teammates become foes in the coming months.

Blitzboks eager to right the wrongs from last season

There are familiar comforts in Dubai for the Springbok Sevens team, with the knowledge that a good track record and some passionate support await them at The Sevens Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.

Springbok Women's Sevens need to make it count

The Springbok Women’s Sevens are under no illusions about the realities of playing in the HSBC SVNS – they are literally taking on the world for survival, according to one of the team’s forwards, Asisipho Plaatjies.

“Big moment player” Mkhari ready for Dubai stage

Few would argue the impact Rights Mkhari has had on teams she has been involved with – whether it was in fifteens for the Springbok Women or the Bulls Daisies, or in the abbreviated game with the Springbok Women's Sevens, the soft-spoken Limpopo-raised player has gained the respect of all.

Glasgow out to make statement against champions

Musgrave Park was sold out several days ahead of time as Munster’s secondary ground in Cork prepares for Friday night’s blockbusting showdown between the Vodacom United Rugby Championship title holders and the team currently topping the standings, the Glasgow Warriors.