Johannesburg – As the Rugby awards are set for another kick, the Springboks are back in the nomination shelves as, the club scooped five nominations for 2021 awards.
South Africa’s Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Makazole Mapimpi will go up against each other for the coveted award after earning the most votes in the annual nomination process.
Kolisi, is the only Boks player to feature in all 13 Tests this year, played a typical captain’s innings, while Etzebeth, the most experienced member of the current Springbok squad and was one of the most consistent players this season.
✅ The nominees are in for the 2021 #SARugbyAwards – check out who made the list: https://t.co/3ZLrK3PcDS pic.twitter.com/VjFyC4XOw8
— Springboks (@Springboks) December 10, 2021
Am and De Allende, who have now started together as Bok centre partners in 22 Tests, formed a lethal midfield combination, often opening up space on the outside for Mapimpi to score, with the Bok speedster scoring six tries this year.
After a good year in which they won the Lions series, beat the All Blacks and won two of their three Tests in November, the Springboks and their head coach, Jacques Nienaber, are also up for awards and will square off against the Blitzboks and Neil Powell, as well as the Currie Cup-winning Vodacom Bulls and Jake White for the Team and Coach of the Year awards.
An award for the Player of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship will be made at the conclusion of the competition next year.
Full Rugby Awards nominees:
SA Rugby Player of the Year
Lukhanyo Am
Damian de Allende
Eben Etzebeth
Siya Kolisi
Makazole Mapimpi
SA Rugby Young Player of the Year
Aphelele Fassi (Springboks/Sharks)
Jaden Hendrikse (Springboks/Sharks)
Jordan Hendrikse (Junior Springboks/Lions)
Elrigh Louw (Bulls)
Evan Roos (Stormers/Western Province)
Team of the Year
Vodacom Bulls
Springboks
Springbok Sevens
Coach of the Year
Jacques Nienaber (Springboks)
Neil Powell (Springbok Sevens)
Jake White (Bulls)
Junior Springbok Player of the Year
Jordan Hendrikse
Henco van Wyk
Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Springbok Sevens Player of the Year
Ronald Brown
Selvyn Davids
Siviwe Soyizwapi
Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
Johan Goosen (Bulls)
Elrigh Louw (Bulls)
Evan Roos (Western Province)
Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Dylan Maart (Boland Kavaliers)
Anrich Richter (Valke)
Danrich Visagie (Leopards)
Test Try of the Year
Cobus Reinach – Springboks vs Georgia
Makazole Mapimpi – Springboks vs British & Irish Lions
Cheslin Kolbe – Springboks vs British & Irish Lions
Sizophila Solontsi – Springbok Women vs Kenya
Aphelele Fassi – Springboks vs Argentina
Damian de Allende – Springboks vs New Zealand
Malcolm Marx – Springboks vs Wales
Makazole Mapimpi – Springboks vs Scotland
Zintle Mpupha – Springbok Women vs Wales
Libbie Janse van Rensburg – Springbok Women vs Wales
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