The SA Rugby Awards are fast approaching, and the race for the prestigious Men’s Player of the Year award is one of the hardest to predict. Five players from the victorious Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks squad – Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nche, Damian de Allende, and Cheslin Kolbe – have been nominated for the 2024 award, with du Toit emerging as the frontrunner.
The nominees were selected by media and key stakeholders and announced late last year, with the winners to be revealed on Thursday, 13 March. Du Toit will face tough competition from Etzebeth, who has won the award for the last two years, alongside Nche, Kolbe, and De Allende.
In the Women’s Player of the Year category, Nadine Roos is nominated alongside former winner Aseza Hele, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Chumisa Qawe, and Vainah Ubisi.
The Young Player of the Year category features Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who was also shortlisted last year, competing against Cameron Hanekom, Jordon Hendrikse, Quan Horn, and Henco van Wyk.
Here are the full nominees for the 2024 SA Rugby Awards:
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 / Stormers)
- Cameron Hanekom (Springboks / Bulls)
- Jordon Hendrikse (Springboks / Sharks)
- Quan Horn (Springboks / Lions)
- Henco van Wyk (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
- Sharks
- Springboks
- Springbok Sevens
Coach of the Year
- Rassie Erasmus (Springboks)
- Philip Snyman (Springbok Sevens)
- Jake White (Bulls)
Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
- Renzo du Plessis (Lions)
- Clinton Swart (Pumas)
- Vincent Tshituka (Sharks XV)
Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
- Jayden Bantom (Eastern Province)
- Ashlon Davids (Boland Kavaliers)
- Thurlow Marsh (Boland Kavaliers)
Other awards to be presented include Referee of the Year, Provincial Women’s Player of the Year, and Associate Member of the Year.
