Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith has added his name to the United Rugby Championship Awards roll of honour by collecting the Gilbert Golden Boot prize for the 2023/24 season.

The fact that Smith was not the Bulls’ first-choice flyhalf for most of the season and usually appeared on the field late in games as a replacement for Johan Goosen, makes this performance that much more special.

Smith is amongst two other winners, Alessandro Izekor who takes this season’s Tackle Machine and Jamie Ritchie who is the season’s Turnover King.

The trio become the first award winners of the 2023/24 season. Other awards such as the Top Try Scorer, Ironman, Try of the Season, Next-Gen Player of the Season, Elite XV, URC Player of the Season, Coach of the Season, and the Player’s Player of the Season, will all be announced later week ahead of the Grand Final.

The Gilbert Golden Boot is awarded in recognition of the most accurate place-kicker, with all kickers who have attempted a minimum of 30 ranked by their success percentage.

Smith wins the award with 30 successful kicks, and an accuracy of 90%.

Ulster’s John Cooney wasn’t far behind him with 49 kicks and an accuracy of 88%, with Leinster’ Ross Byrne coming in third with an accuracy of 87% from his 31 successful kicks.

– Alessandro Izekor from Benetton takes home the prize of Tackle Machine, having made 188 tackles at a success rate of 98%.

– Jamie Ritchie  from Edinburgh Rugby won the title as Turnover King with 22 turnovers during the regular season.

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