Springbok lock Lood de Jager was on Thursday evening named the SA Rugby Player of the Year for last season.
This was an acknowledgement of his stellar performances in the green and gold during a tough international season.
Other winners include the Bulls duo of Jesse Kriel and Warrick Gelant, as well as Jaco Kriel of the Emirates Lions.
The 23-year-old De Jager is the youngest winner of the most prestigious award in South African rugby since Bryan Habana walked away with the spoils in 2005, aged 22.
The Cheetahs lock edged out fellow nominees for the top award, Damian de Allende, Eben Etzebeth, Schalk Burger and Jaco Kriel.
Jaco Kriel, however, was rewarded for a sublime season by walking away with two accolades – the prestigious Players’ Player of the Year Award, presented by MyPlayers, and the Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year Award, after he led the Golden Lions to the crown.
The Golden Lions were deservedly named the Team of the Year, while Johan Ackermann walked away with the Coach of the Year award for the second consecutive season, capping a fine 2015 for the Johannesburg-based union.
De Allende, who just lost out to De Jager for the top award following an extensive voting process from the media and public, was named the Super Rugby Player of the Year after delivering consistently strong performances for the Stormers.
Jesse Kriel, who partnered De Allende in a potent midfield combination in the latter stages of the Rugby World Cup, was named Young Player of the Year.
Gelant, one of the Junior Springboks’ stars last season, walked away with spoils as SA Under-20 Player of the Year.
Werner Kok, World Rugby’s Sevens Player of the Year, was a unanimous decision as Springbok Sevens Player of the Year, with Veroeshka Grain earning the Women’s Achiever Award and Rasta Rasivhenge winning the Referee Award.
The other award winners were Marnus Schoeman of the Steval Pumas (Vodacom Cup Player of the Year), Leopards fullback Rhyno Smith (Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year), Johan Deysel of NWU-Pukke (Try of the Year), Ernst van Rhyn of Western Province (Craven Week Player of the Year) and Leon du Plessis of Rustenburg Impala (Club Player of the Year).
De Jager thanked his family, friends, coaches and team-mates for their support and said he hoped to make them proud again this year.
“Personally, I had an unbelievable year with the Springboks, although it was a bit up and down for the team,” said De Jager.
“But a lot of younger players gained invaluable experience and this bodes well for the future of the South African game, we just have to now go out and use it in 2016. I’m excited for a big season ahead, with a lot of challenges, and I’m sure we can all make a difference this year.”
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