Libbok, Roos the big winners at WP, Stormers awards evening

Rising stars of South African rugby, Manie Libbok and Evan Roos, took the top honours at the Western Province Rugby awards evening on Tuesday.

Flyhalf Libbok was named Stormers Player of the Year and Roos the Stormers Players’ Player of the Year at the awards evening at Kelvin Grove.

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Both players have been called up to the Springbok training squad this week, along with Breakthrough Player of the Year, Sacha Mngomezulu, and five more of their Stormers teammates.

The awards evening marked the end of the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) club rugby season and featured a host of awards for the various leagues and levels of the game.

Libbok and Roos

Libbok and Roos were pivotal to the Stormers’ claiming the inaugural United Rugby Championship title, with Libbok ending the campaign as the top points-scorer and Roos voted the Players’ Player of the tournament as well.

The 20-year-old Mngomezulu made his Stormers debut in the quarterfinal against Edinburgh and featured in the matchday squad for all three play-off matches.

Libbok kicked a crucial drop-goal and Roos scored a try in the Grand Final, to cap off a season which saw both make important contributions regularly as the Stormers took the title.

Referee of the Year

Western Province captain Nama Xaba was named Player of the Year for the Currie Cup campaign, while hooker Lukhanyo Vokozela was named the WP U20 Player of the Year and No 8 Keke Morabe the WP U21 Player of the Year.

The WP Women’s Player of the Year went to loose forward Sinazo Mcatshulwa, with Aimee Barrett-Theron recognised as the Referee of the Year.

Helderberg hooker Jacques van Zyl walked off with the Club Rugby Player of the Year award while Zachary Porthen of Wynberg Boys High School and Logan Welmann from Macassar High School were the School’s Player of the Year and Girls’ School’s Player of the Year.

Damian Willemse received the BrightRock Needs-matched Award, for the player who puts the team ahead of himself and does the things that people don’t see, while Ernst van Rhyn took the Beyond Rugby Award powered by SunBet for leadership on the field, off the field, outreach and representation of the Stormers brand.

Stalwarts Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff, Brok Harris, Deon Fourie and Juan de Jongh were all honoured with special caps for making over 100 appearances for the DHL Stormers over the years.

Winners

WP U20 Player of the Year: Lukhanyo Vokozela
WP U21 Player of the Year: Keke Morabe
Breakthrough Player of the year: Sacha Mngomezulu
WP Girls’ School’s Player of the Year: Logan Welmann
WP School’s Player of the Year: Zachary Porthen
Club Rugby Player of the Year: Jacques van Zyl
Club Rugby Sevens Player of the Year: Ashton Hendricks
Referee of the Year: Aimee Barrett-Theron
WP Women’s Player of the Year: Sinazo Mcatshulwa
WP Player of the Year: Nama Xaba
BrightRock Needs-matched Award: Damian Willemse
Beyond Rugby Award powered by SunBet: Ernst van Rhyn
Stormers Player of the Year: Manie Libbok
Stormers Players’ Player of the Year: Evan Roos