Jake White backs Wilco Louw to be SA’s URC player of the year

Without snubbing his star No 8, Cameron Hanekom, who has also been nominated, Bulls coach Jake White hopes his front-row man Wilco Louw wins this year’s South African URC Player of the Season award.

The Pretoria pair are joined by Stormers flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu as the three players nominated for United Rugby Championship honours after votes from the four franchises and members of the media closed last week. The winner will be announced next Thursday as part of the annual URC Awards.

While White has previously said the Bulls could not be known only for their forward strength, it was their scrums and mauls that have led to their dominance this URC season, driving their second-place finish in the league phase and being directly responsible for their history-making tour in Europe.

It was also their scrum turnover that led to a last-minute match-winning penalty kick that ended Leinster’s 12-game winning streak. Louw only played 52 minutes in that match and was not there at the death, but his example has spearheaded the Bulls’ success in the set-piece.

Bulls coach sings Louw’s praises

White sang Louw’s praises during a field session as the Bulls prepare for their quarter-final against Edinburgh on Saturday (kick-off 1.30pm).

“I’m obviously biased, but I just think that what he’s done for our team just by putting him there has allowed us to play the way we do,” the Bulls coach said.

“When did you ever get a tighthead prop who’s been nominated for a prize in South Africa. I genuinely hope that he wins it because everyone spoke about what the premium is on tightheads.

“You look at the Stormers when they dominated this competition. They had [Frans] Malherbe and Steven [Kitshoff] and it just showed the value of having those kinds of players in your front row.”

White said Hanekom and Feinberg-Mngomezulu had played very well. But Louw stood out in set-piece dominance, which controlled games.

“I think anyone who understands rugby… Doc Craven always said, when they asked him, ‘What is the most important position on the field?’ He said tighthead prop. When they asked him the second-most important, he said the reserve tighthead prop.”

Louw controls momentum, demoralises opponents

Louw only has one try to his name across his 15 URC and four Champions Cup and Challenge Cup fixtures this season. He has also never scored a try in 16 Tests for the Springboks.

But that means nothing after winning possession and penalties with set-piece dominance, and demoralising opposition.

“It just again stresses the importance of having a tighthead prop that can even be nominated,” White added. “I remember in my time, Os du Randt was nominated rugby player of the year. But I can’t remember too many rugby props being on shortlists for any players of the tournament.”