Five key members of the Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok squad have been nominated for the prestigious 2023 SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year award. The nominees, determined through votes from media members and key stakeholders within the governing body, include Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, and Damian Willemse.
Player of the Year Contenders
Previous award winners, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Siya Kolisi, stand among the contenders for the Men’s Player of the Year accolade. The winners will be announced early next year, along with other categories such as Referee of the Year and Provincial Women’s Player of the Year.
“Etzebeth won last season’s award, while Du Toit (2019) and Kolisi (2021) are also former winners.”
Springbok Women’s Player of the Year
Nadine Roos, the current titleholder, will defend her Springbok Women’s Player of the Year title. She faces strong competition from former winners Aseza Hele and Babalwa Latsha, along with contenders Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Rights Mkhari.
Young Player of the Year
Two standout performers from the Bok World Cup, Canan Moodie and Jaden Hendrikse, are nominated for the Young Player of the Year category. They will contend with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Evan Roos, and Ruan Venter for the prestigious honor.
Coach of the Year
Bok coach Jacques Nienaber is in the running for the Coach of the Year award, competing against John Dobson (Stormers) and Hawies Fourie (Cheetahs). The winners will be recognized for their contributions to South African rugby in the 2023 season.
“All the names on the list of nominees can look back at the year and be proud of their performances.”
List of Nominees for respective categories
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 (Stormers)
Jaden Hendrikse (Springboks/Sharks)
Canan Moodie (Springboks/Vodacom Bulls)
Evan Roos (Springboks/Stormers)
Ruan Venter (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
Cheetahs (Currie Cup)
Springboks
Stormers (URC)
Coach of the Year
John Dobson (Stormers)
Hawies Fourie (Cheetahs)
Jacques Nienaber (Springboks)
Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
Tinus de Beer (Pumas)
Ruan Pienaar (Cheetahs)
Devon Williams (Pumas)
Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Keagan Fortune (Valke)
Darian Hock (Boland Kavaliers)
Cameron Hufke (Boland Kavaliers)
Acknowledging a Remarkable Year
SA Rugby president, Mark Alexander, commended all the nominees for their outstanding performances during the year and their contributions to the local rugby landscape. He expressed gratitude to everyone involved in making the 2023 season memorable, acknowledging the success of national teams and the achievements of local teams in various competitions.
“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.”
The anticipation builds as the rugby community awaits the announcement of the winners in various categories, recognizing the outstanding contributions and achievements in South African rugby during the remarkable 2023 season.
