SA Rugby Awards 2008

Springbok centre Jean de Villiers was named SA Rugby Player of the Year and Players` Player of the Year at rugby`s annual awards banquet sponsored by Absa, Sasol and Vodacom which took place at a glittering ceremony at Vodaworld, Midrand on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Vodacom Western Province player was the clear winner in a poll of South African rugby journalists for the SA Rugby Player of the Year title ahead of four players from the Sharks Bismarck du Plessis, Adrian Jacobs, Ryan Kankowski and Beast Mtawarira.

De Villiers completed a memorable double as he was also awarded the prestigious Players` Player of the Year Award, voted for by members of the South African Rugby Players` Association (SARPA) the first man to complete the double since Ashwin Willemse won both in the 2003 season.

Ryan Kankowski`s outstanding year was recognised with four nominations although he had to settle for just one award as the Sharks No 8 was chosen Vodacom Super 14 Player of the Year. He was also nominated for Sasol Young Player of the Year and Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year as well as for the main award.

His back-row colleague Jean Deysel also had his devastating form in the Sharks run to the title recognised when he was named Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year.

And completing the Sharks joy was the award of two of the three new categories introduced this year. John Plumtree was chosen as Absa Coach of the Year after helping the Sharks end their 12-year wait for a title with victory on the Absa Currie Cup final, while the Sharks Super 14 was named as Vodacom Team of the Year after returning to the play-offs for a second successive year,

Other big winners on the night were Vodacom Free State Cheetahs centre Robert Ebersohn who was named Sasol Young Player of the Year from a strong field as well as the Sasol Under-20 Player of the Year.

Kennedy Tsimba was named as Absa Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year, six years after he was named as the Premier Division Player of the Year after his return to fitness in the Griffons? impressive surge to the First Division title.

Flyhalf Burton Francis of the Vodacom Blue Bulls was chosen as the Vodacom Cup Player of the Year while Ricky Januarie`s score against the All Blacks in Dunedin was named as SuperSport Try of the Year.

In women`s rugby, Lorinda Brown of Eastern Province capped a fine year in which she played for the national sevens and 15-a-side teams and was part of an inter-provincial title-winning side by being named as Women`s Player of the Year.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Springboks
• Peter de Villers
• Jean de Villiers
• Ryan Kankowski
• Sharks
• Burton Francis
• SA Rugby
• Johan Muller
• Jean Deysel
• Ricky Januarie
• Lorinda Brown
• Mark Lawrence

[hmmm098]

He never did anything in the Lions series and consistently looks average, how did he get this award ? It's like Francois Steyns on the IRB player of the year list, how on earth lol he's been terrible !

[Romenya]

in case you didn't noticed it in the title these were the 2008 rugby awards.. meaning whomever you're referring to got an award for their performance in 2008. the lions series took place in 2009!

[springbok321]

awsome video

in my opinion jean de villiars is probably the most consistant rugby player in the world. probably a contender for irb world player or the year every year.

[bethulie13]

Lekker lekker, thanks for the video. OP DIE BOKKE!!!

[scrubmacdub]

consistent injuries prevent him being very consistent