Kurt-Lee Arendse wins big at Bulls awards evening

Springbok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse was the big winner at the annual players awards of the Bulls, held in Pretoria on Tuesday night.

Only hours after being named in the 2023 Springbok Rugby World Cup squad Arendse walked away with five awards at the Bulls’ prize-giving ceremony, including that of Player of the Year.

Winners

Other winners included new Bok prop Gerhard Steenekamp and scrumhalf Embrose Papier.

The 27-year-old Arendse was named both the Players Player of the Year and the Fans Player of the Year winner via a majority count of the votes cast through the Bulls App, while he was also crowned as the overall Player of the Year for the 2022/23 season.

Arendse also claimed Champions Cup Backline Player of the Year and Champions Cup Player of the Year awards, pipping Wandisile Simelane and Papier for the Backline Player award with Johan Grobbelaar and Elrigh Louw finishing second and third respectively in the Player of the Year category of the 2022/23 campaign in Europe.

Captain Nortje

The Forward Player of the Year award for the Bulls’ European voyage went to Grobbelaar, who accumulated 156 minutes of play from three matches played, making 28 tackles and scoring a try (against Exeter Chiefs). The hooker also walked away with the award for the most improved player.

Ruan Nortje, who led the club for much of the 2022/23 season, was honoured as the United Rugby Championship Forward Player of the Year after the 25-year-old had an impressive campaign.

David Kriel was named United Rugby Championship Backline Player of the Year Award, while Steenekamp was named United Rugby Championship Player of the Year for his consistent season.

Full the full list of award winners click here.

Main award winners

Currie Cup
Forward Player of the Year: Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Backline Player of the Year: Embrose Papier
Player of the Year: Embrose Papier

Champions Cup
Forward Player of the Year: Johan Grobbelaar
Backline Player of the Year: Kurt-Lee Arendse
Player of the Year: Kurt-Lee Arendse

United Rugby Championship
Forward Player of the Year: Ruan Nortje
Backline Player of the Year: David Kriel
Player of the Year: Gerhard Steenekamp

Special awards
Employee of the Year: Renique Pepper
Most improved senior player of the year: Johan Grobbelaar
Most improved junior player of the year: Mawande Mdande
Fans player of the year: Kurt-Lee Arendse
Players Player of the Year: Kurt-Lee Arendse
Player of the Year: Kurt-Lee Arendse