Springbok Rugby Stars Compete for Coveted Awards

Five members of the Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok squad in France, namely Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, and Damian Willemse, find themselves in contention for the highly sought-after SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year Award for the year 2023.

The nominees, announced by SA Rugby towards the end of last year, were chosen through a voting process involving members of the media and key stakeholders within the governing body.

Etzebeth Aims to Defend Title

Eben Etzebeth, last season’s recipient of the top SA Rugby award, is set to defend his title.

All eyes are on him to once again secure the main prize, although stiff competition is expected from Kolisi and Du Toit, who claimed the Player of the Year Awards in 2021 and 2019, respectively.

The lineup also includes Bok scrum anchor Malherbe and Willemse, a previous nominee in the Young Player of the Year category and winner of the Youth Weeks Player of the Year Award in 2016.

Nadine Roos Faces Tough Competition

In the Springbok Women’s Player of the Year category, Nadine Roos defends her title against former winners Aseza Hele and Babalwa Latsha, along with contenders Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Rights Mkhari.

Young Player of the Year Nominees

The Young Player of the Year Award sees four familiar faces from the previous year’s shortlist, with Ruan Venter joining the lineup.

The category, won by Canan Moodie last year, includes Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jaden Hendrikse, and Evan Roos.

Complete List of Nominees

The SA Rugby award nominees, spanning various categories, are led by Eben Etzebeth.

The list includes standout players, sevens stars, promising juniors, and successful teams.

Anticipation Builds for Award Announcement

The winners across all categories are expected to be announced before the end of January.

The excitement among fans and the rugby community is palpable as they eagerly await the unveiling of the victors in this prestigious competition.