Eben Etzebeth has been named SA Rugby Player of the Year. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile/Gallo Images
Springbok stalwart Eben Etzebeth has been named South Africa’s Rugby Player of the Year for 2022.
The 31-year-old pipped Bok colleagues Siya Kolisi, Lukhanyo Am, Frans Malherbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse for the top award.
Rookie Bok wing Canan Moodie, meanwhile, has been named Young Player of the Year, while Nadine Roos picked up the Women’s Player of the Year award.
Etzebeth played his 100th Springboks Test during 2022.
Moodie, who celebrated his Bok debut last year with a superb try against Australia in Sydney while still an Under-20 player, was nominated alongside Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jaden Hendrikse, Evan Roos and Henco van Wyk.
Roos highlighted her versatility in 2022 as she shone for both the national XVs and Sevens teams in two Rugby World Cup tournaments, and she was rewarded for her brilliant form by being included in the World Rugby Dream Team after the RWC Sevens in Cape Town in September.
Hard-working forward JC Pretorius won the award for Springbok Sevens Player of the Year, while Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who led the SA Under-20s to a clean sweep of four wins in the Six Nations U20 Summer Series in Italy, was named Junior Springbok Player of the Year.
The Stormers, who won the inaugural United Rugby Championship, were voted as the Team of the Year, with John Dobson duly taking the award for Coach of the Year (Evan Roos was named URC Player of the Season last year June).
The Pumas’ triumph in the Currie Cup was reflected in the award for Premier Division Player of the Year, which was won by Sebastian de Klerk, who scored eight tries from outside centre during the season as the Lowvelders won the title from fourth spot on the log.
SA Rugby Player of the Year: Eben Etzebeth
Finalists: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe
SA Rugby Young Player of the Year: Canan Moodie (Springboks / Bulls)
Finalists: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Junior Springboks / South Africa ‘A’ / Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse (Springboks / Sharks), Evan Roos (Springboks / Stormers), Henco van Wyk (South Africa ‘A’ / Lions)
Springbok Women’s Player of the Year: Nadine Roos
Finalists: Lusanda Dumke, Aseza Hele, Zintle Mpupha, Aphiwe Ngwevu
Springbok Sevens Player of the Year: JC Pretorius
Finalists: Selvyn Davids, Zain Davids
Junior Springbok Player of the Year: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Finalists: Suleiman Hartzenberg, Ruan Venter
Team of the Year: Stormers
Finalists: Pumas, Springboks
Coach of the Year: John Dobson (Stormers)
Finalists: Jacques Nienaber (Springboks), Jimmy Stonehouse (Pumas)
Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year: Sebastian de Klerk (Pumas)
Finalists: Willie Engelbrecht (Pumas), Devon Williams (Pumas)
Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year: Jaywinn Juries (Griffons)
Finalists: Jaiden Baron (Boland Kavaliers), Duan Pretorius (Griffons)
Provincial Women’s Player of the Year: Lusanda Dumke (Border Ladies)
Referee of the Year: Aimee Barrett-Theron
URC Player of the Season (announced last year): Evan Roos (Stormers)
Finalists: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Marcell Coetzee (Bulls), Warrick Gelant (Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks)
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