SA URC Player of the Season nominees revealed

One Stormers man and two Bulls players are in the running to be named 2024/25 South African United Rugby Championship Player of the Season.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu of the Stormers and the Bulls duo of Cameron Hanekom and Wilco Louw have been rewarded for their consistent good form throughout the season by grabbing the three nominations for the award.

Voting closed on Friday with the coaching teams of the Springboks and the four South African franchises (Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers), as well as members of the media, casting their votes for players from the four SA URC teams.

A total of 17 players from all four SA franchises received votes, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Hanekom and Louw – all three of whom attended the Boks’ alignment camp in Cape Town last week – garnering the most support.

Consistent performances

Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who play No 10, has been central to the Stormers’ attacking threat this season, and he’s joint-fifth on the list for most points scored at the conclusion of the league phase of the competition.

Hanekom, who plays eighthman, has been in great form with ball in hand and on defence for the Bulls. He has beaten more defenders, won more turnovers and made more tackles than any of his teammates, and is fifth on the overall list for offloads.

Tighthead prop Louw, who returned to the Bok team last year for the first time since 2021, has been the anchor of the Bulls’ scrum, which has been the best in the league this season.

The winner will be announced on Thursday, 5 June, as part of the annual URC Awards, where a number of other South African players are still in the running for individual accolades.

URC quarter-finals

In the URC quarter-finals this weekend, the Stormers face Glasgow Warriors in Scotland at 8.35pm on Friday, while on Saturday the Bulls welcome Edinburgh to Loftus (1.30pm) and the Sharks entertain Munster in Durban, at 6.30pm.

The other quarter-final is between Leinster and Scarlets in Dublin in on Saturday at 4pm.