Veteran Eben Etzebeth could become the first Springbok to win three SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year awards in a row after he was nominated for the top gong in 2024.
Etzebeth has been a consistent performer for South Africa and earlier in the year he became the most capped Springbok in history, taking the title from fellow former second-row Victor Matfield.
Joining the towering lock is recently crowned World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit, who is already a two-time winner of the award. Unsung hero Damian de Allende gets a deserved nomination after a good season as does Cheslin Kolbe who, like Du Toit and Etzebeth, were nominated for the World Rugby award.
Many felt Ox Nche deserved at least a nomination from World Rugby and he gets recognition for his great season as he is in the race for SA Rugby’s top prize.
Young stars and coaches nominated
Emerging stars were also acknowledged with prodigy Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu headlining the Young Player of the Year nominees. The electric Stormer is joined by Jordan Hendrikse of the Sharks, rampant Bull Cameron Hanekom and Lions centre Henco van Wyk.
Dr Rassie Erasmus earned a nomination for Coach of the Year after a stunning season with the Springboks and is joined by Olympic Medal-winning coach Phillip Snyman and Bulls boss Jake White.
Both the Springboks and Blitzboks are in the race for the Team of the Year with Challenge Cup winners Sharks also in the mix.
There were several other nominees for a variety of other awards announced with Aseza Hele, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Nadine Roos, Chumisa Qawe and Vainah Ubisi all vying for the Women’s Player of the Year award.
Recounting a successful year for many teams in the country, President of SA Rugby Mark Alexander praised everyone across the board for their efforts.
“While the past year was not without its challenges, we saw again over most weekends how deeply ingrained rugby is in the South African psyche, and these nominations celebrate the best of the best in our teams in Green and Gold and on the domestic front,” he said.
“Rugby is a team sport and every player that has represented the Boks has played his part in our successes, but the five players who are nominated this year have been at the core of the side that have won back-to-back Rugby World Cups and two Rugby Championship titles, while they have finished the year as the top-ranked team in the world for a second consecutive year.
“We had a great year with the Boks doing us proud yet again, but so too our other national teams, with the Springbok Women lifting their game and the Blitzboks bringing home an Olympic medal yet again, finishing off a tough season on a high note.
“I would like to congratulate all the players who made the shortlists for their nominations after a wonderful year of rugby, and I would like to thank all our players, coaches, administrators, referees and sponsors – from international down to grassroots levels – as well as everyone else who works hard at promoting and organising our game for their roles in a very successful 2023 season.”
READ MORE: Planet Rugby Awards: Springboks, Ox Nche, Joe Marler, Toulouse and Glasgow Warriors
Nominees
SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year
Damian De Allende
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Eben Etzebeth
Cheslin Kolbe
Ox Nche
SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year
Aseza Hele
Libbie Janse van Rensburg
Chumisa Qawe
Nadine Roos
Vainah Ubisi
SA Rugby Young Player of the Year
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Springboks / DHL Stormers)
Cameron Hanekom (Springboks / Vodacom Bulls)
Jordan Hendrikse (Springboks / Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Quan Horn (Springboks / Emirates Lions)
Henco van Wyk (Emirates Lions)
Springbok Sevens Men’s Player of the Year
Selvyn Davids
Zain Davids
Ryan Oosthuizen
Junior Springbok Player of the Year
Bathobele Hlekani
Jurenzo Julius
JF van Heerden
Team of the Year
Hollywoodbets Sharks
Springboks
Springbok Sevens
Coach of the Year
Rassie Erasmus (Springboks)
Philip Snyman (Springbok Sevens)
Jake White (Vodacom Bulls)
Carling Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
Renzo du Plessis (Fidelity ADT Lions)
Clinton Swart (Airlink Pumas)
Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks XV)
Carling Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Jayden Bantom (Eastern Province)
Ashlon Davids (Sanlam Boland Kavaliers)
Thurlow Marsh (Sanlam Boland Kavaliers)
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/springboks-eben-etzebeth-could-write-his-own-history-as-sa-rugby-reveals-awards-nominees-for-2024
