Five Boks pitted against each other for player of the year award

November 28, 2023 115

Five Springboks, who were part of the Rugby World Cup winning squad, have been nominated for the 2023 SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year Award.

Two-time World Cup winning captain, Siya Kolisi, has been nominated for the coveted award alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe and Damian Willemse

SA Rugby announced the nominees, which were voted for by members of the media and key stakeholders within the governing body, on Tuesday.

Etzebeth ‘Elizabedi’ will be defending the title that he won last season.

In the Womens category, 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.

In the Young Player of the Year Award, Canan Moodie will fight it off with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jaden Hendrikse, Evan Roos and Ruan Venter for the accolade.

Ricardo Duarttee, who was named Rookie of the Year Award at the annual HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Awards, will be 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 as well as Corne Beets and Damian Markus.

The categories for coach includes Jacques Nienaber, John Dobson and Hawies Fourie with the Team of the Year nominees being the Springboks, the DHL Stormers and the Toyota Cheetahs.

In the Currie Cup, the Toyota Cheetahs’ Ruan Pienaar will be up against Airlink Pumas players Devon Williams and Tinus de Beer for the Premier Division award.

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.

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,” said Mark Alexander, the President of SA Rugby.

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.

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)

Written by: Nonhlanhla Harris

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