IN PHOTOS: White River Rugby Club crowns an excellent year

White River Rugby Club officially brought their year to a fitting end with a great celebration of their season.

During the year-end function, the club’s very best from the 2024 season were recognised for their efforts in making it one of the club’s most successful in recent memory.

The club’s first team won the 2024 Ehlanzeni Premier League for the 12th time since 2007, further showcasing their dominance on the Lowveld rugby scene. The second team finished second in their division of the league.

Both of the club’s teams were knocked out in the provincial semi-finals though, coming up against seriously good Witbank Rugby Club sides whose first team ultimately won the provincial title.

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But White River’s success this season shouldn’t be measured solely on their performance as a club, but rather by the achievements of their players, too.

After the success of the teams this season, the club had eight players selected for the Ehlanzeni District team that won the Mpumalanga interdistrict league for the second year in a row. Further to this, White River had a total of nine representatives in the provincial Pumas Amateur team.

All in all, it was a season to remember for the club. This meant a fitting send-off had to be held, and they ensured this was done.

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The club’s year-end function was held at the club on Friday, under a ‘Peaky Blinders’ theme.
Jaco Marneweck was the master of ceremonies for the evening, highlighting and emphasising the club’s success in 2024.

“To be where we are today, with the season we’ve had, considering where we were at the start of the year, is incredible,” he said during his speech. “We are immensely proud of the great season that White River have had this year.”

Many of the club’s best players and award recipients were away in Bloemfontein playing for the Pumas Amateur team against the Cheetahs Amateurs, and therefore unable to receive their prizes in person. The most-decorated player of the evening was by far Prince Ndlovu.

He received four awards – most-improved player of the year, most points for the year, players’ player of the year, and the first team backline player of the year. The club’s first team was also named the team of the year.

The full list of prizes handed out, is:
• 3rd Team Back of the Year – Luhan Pienaar
• 3rd Team Forward of the Year – Heinrich Neethling
• 2nd Team Back of the Year – Jacques Botha
• 2nd Team Forward of the Year – Siyanda Eba
• 1st Team Back of the Year – Prince Ndlovu
• 1st Team Forward of the Year – Stephan Hartman
• Most Committed Player – Stephan Hartman
• Junior Player of the Year – Damian Richarte
• Most-improved Player of the Year – Prince Ndlovu
• Most Points – Prince Ndlovu
• Honorary Award – Wilmaure Louw
• Team of the Year – 1st team
• Junior Backline Player of the Year – Luhan Pienaar
• Senior Player of the Year – Stephan van der Bank
• Players’ Player of the Year – Prince Ndlovu
Committee Awards
• Committee Honorary Award – Chris Labuschagne
• Spirit of the Year – Deon Redelinghuys
• Outstanding Leadership of the Year – Christiaan Ohlsen
• Overachiever of the Year – Christiaan Ohlsen
• Team player of the Year – Thomas Barnard
• Behind-the-scenes Hero – Jay Kieser