Who are the likely SA URC Player of the Season contenders?
With the URC winding down an SA URC Player of the Season will be named over the coming month.
Bulls prop Wilco Louw has been in immense form this season and will likely be one of the front runners for the SA URC Player of the Season award. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The 2024-25 United Rugby Championship (URC) season is winding to its conclusion, with the playoffs set to be battled out, and the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers all in the running for the title.
A large number of players have impressed for all of South Africa's franchises over their respective campaigns, even for the struggling Lions, and an SA URC Player of the Season will be announced in the coming month.
Here are our top nominees for the award, one from each union, and one honourable mention, who will likely be in the running to pick up the prestigious title.
Bulls
Wilco Louw
The heavyweight Bulls front ranker has arguably been the most destructive scrummager in the URC this season. Louw has powered an imperious Bulls pack that has smashed all before them on their way to second on the URC log and a home playoff.
He has played in 16 of the Bulls 18 pool games this season, starting 15 of them, and he will be hoping to add another three starts to that tally and lead the Bulls to the final and hopefully the title by the end of the campaign. His form should see him stay firmly in the Bok fold that he returned to last year after a few years out.
Honourable mention: Cameron Hanekom
It has been another barnstorming season for the young looseforward, after his breakout campaign last season, and if his form is anything to go by, he should be getting plenty of chances to add to the one Springbok cap he picked up last year.
Stormers
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
The incredible impact that rising star Feinberg-Mngomezulu has had on the Stormers is shown by him arguably being their best player this season, despite the fact that he missed over half of it due to injury. He missed the start before returning in December, where he suffered three injuries in three games, before being out for another spell.
Since making his return in March he has been incredible, picking up two man-of-the-match awards, scored a hattrick against Connacht, and has made the Stormers no10 jersey his own, which will especially please Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.
Honourable mention: Evan Roos
It has been another top season for the Stormers loooseforward, but one feels his Bok chances may be running out. Since he blew the lights out in the inaugural URC season, he has been in the national fold but unable to establish himself. He needs to take this momentum into the coming international season.
Sharks
Vincent Tshituka
This could end up being his best professional season if utility forward Tshituka can make a sensational step up to the Springboks. He mightily impressed at the Lions before making the switch to the Sharks in 2022, where he has been a strong presence in their setup.
This season has seen Tshituka go to the next level, covering lock regularly, impressing at his usual position as flank, and has taken over the captaincy reins when injuries of resting protocols have kept the regular leaders out. His call-up to the second Bok alignment camp is in recognition of that effort, and having finally received his SA ID he now has a chance to make a big step up.
Honourable mention: Ethan Hooker
The young gun has impressed again, as he did in a breakout campaign for the Sharks last season. His form saw him in the Springbok mix, although he didn't make his debut, but another strong campaign, backed up by him showing some good utility value this season, may be what is needed to get him in the door for his debut.
Lions
Morne van den Berg
It has been a great season personally during a difficult campaign for his team for the Lions scrumhalf and he will hope that his efforts have not gone unnoticed. Van Den Berg has had to be a solid stable feature during a tough time for halfbacks at the union.
He has had to play with four different flyhalves regularly over the campaign, after Sanele Nohamba left, he has had to play alongside Kade Wolhuter, Sam Francis and Gianni Lombard. But despite all the turmoil he has consistently impressed, and hopefully he can add to his two Bok caps later this year.
Honourable mention: Edwill van der Merwe
The departing Lions winger will leave a gaping hole in the team that will be incredibly hard to close. Since arriving from the Stormers in 2021 he has been arguably the Lions most consistent performer, and after another top season leaves for the Sharks on a high. He will also hope to add to his one Bok cap.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
‘Warrior' Henco Venter departing Glasgow reluctantly after two stellar seasons for the Scottish URC champions
Glasgow Warriors' Henco Venter will reluctantly leave the club after not receiving a contract extension ahead of the next season. Image: Backpagepix South African Henco Venter, who has been a standout acquisition for the defending United Rugby Championship (URC) winners, the Glasgow Warriors, for the last couple of seasons, might play his final game for the team this coming weekend. They face Leinster in Dublin in the semi-finals on Saturday afternoon and depending on the result, it could be the swansong for the Free State native. He recently returned to the side following a ban and immediately made his impact felt, playing 72-odd minutes against the Stormers in the URC quarters. He terrorised his compatriots and spearheaded the Glasgow defence and breakdown play to help them to a comfortable 36-18 victory. He's been a thorn in the side of the Stormers, especially in the tournament, and seemed to always lift his game when facing the men from the Cape. In last season's final against the Bulls, Venter also made a telling impact to help his side lift the URC title against the odds at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Now, he is on the cusp of exiting the side that became his second home since leaving South Africa, and ahead of a move to French Pro D2 club Brive, he is poised to put his best foot forward. According to Venter, after a directive from higher-ups in Scottish rugby, the Warriors must focus on young talent and not foreign soldiers from next season. Despite being forced to leave, Venter told BBC Sport he loved his time in Glasgow and would've liked to extend his stay after two seasons there. 'It's a tricky question,' he said after being quizzed about leaving. 'It's also from above and all the stuff going on in Scotland regarding foreign players. That's basically one of the main reasons. I love this place, and I'd love to stay, but... (let's) leave it there. 'They want more Scottish players, and I understand that is their plan going forward and I respect that. I am not Scottish, so it's a privilege to be here and give back to the club and the country. If they make their plans and have a will to make Scottish rugby better, I hope they succeed in it.' The 33-year-old played for the Cheetahs before venturing overseas to Japan for a season. He returned and played for the Sharks in an unsuccessful spell before signing for Glasgow. Last season, he was one of the standout campaigners during their title-winning run. He has been more than a handy replacement when the Scotland players have been in camp during the Six Nations and that experience is what they will likely miss going forward. Venter, however, is looking forward to playing another big role this weekend when they take on Leinster in the semi-finals. He is also hopeful there will be a title-defending match after this weekend's duel at the Aviva Stadium.
The South African
8 hours ago
- The South African
Springboks (IN): Plethora of top stars returning to SA
Several top Springboks will be returning to South Africa next season. The Springboks boast world class players playing all over the world. From the United Kingdon (UK) to Japan and Europe, top Bok splay key roles for their respective overseas-based franchises. Thankfully, some of the top Boks are set to return to South Africa soon. POLLARD HEADLINES LIST OF SENSATIONAL BOK RETURNS Handre Pollard will be returning to Loftus to represent the Bulls next season. Moreover, the Springbok pivot is one of several big-name players set to join the Pretoria-based outfit next season. The other former Bulls and Springboks star set to return to Loftus is Jan Serfontein. Furthermore, Pollard move will be one of the most lucrative deals in SA Rugby. He is set to become one of the top-earning players in South Africa. MARVIN ORIE SET FOR MARQUE RETURN TO SA Former Springboks lock, Marvin Orie is also set to join up with Jake White's Bulls. According to Rapport, the Bulls are poised to bring lock Marvin Orie back to Pretoria as part of a sweeping recruitment drive ahead of the 2025 Currie Cup. So, he will join a plethora of capped Springboks at the Bulls. This includes the likes of Gerhard Steenakamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Marcel Coetzee, Cameron Hanekom, Canan Moodie and Willie le Roux. ELECTRIC SCRUMHALF SHOCKS WITH STORMERS DEAL Cobus Reinach is one of the fastest scrumhalves in World Rugby. The electrifying and speedy scrummy will be playing for the Stormers next season. The double Rugby World Cup winner has signed for John Dobsons Cape-based outfit. He will start playing for them at the start of the 2025/26 season
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Siya Kolisi praises Sharks' new-found fighting spirit ahead of massive URC semi-final
Siya Kolisi of the Sharks feels that the win is all that matters as they chase an upset win over the Bulls in the URC semi-final at Loftus on Saturday. Photo: Backpagepix Image: BackpagePix Sharks loose-forward Siya Kolisi feels their recent ability to get over the line in close matches without playing Champagne rugby, and to finish strongly, is a sign of the growing maturity and fighting spirit among the franchise's players. The Durban side edged a number of tight encounters on their march to Saturday's United Rugby Championship semi-final against the Bulls at Loftus, built largely on strong second-half performances. This was perhaps most clearly demonstrated in their nail-biting victory over Munster at the Shark Tank last weekend. The Sharks needed a dramatic penalty shoot-out to overcome the Irish side, with the match tied at 24-24 after extra-time. The nature of those results has prompted criticism of the Sharks' style of play in some quarters, with inevitable comparisons drawn to the more clinical Bulls. Kolisi, however, prefers to focus on the resolve and resilience within the team — qualities also evident in narrow away victories over Edinburgh and Ulster in the pool stages. 'What we learnt about ourselves as a team is that we can fight, especially in games like that, where in previous years we would have lost those matches,' the Springbok captain said at a media conference on Tuesday. 'There's growth in the team, growth in the squad as well — guys coming in when others are unavailable and standing up to the challenge. 'I remember in the game here at home against the Bulls, there were a lot of guys who couldn't play, and those who stepped in fought hard. That's what we do. 'At the end of the day, people will say what they want about how you played, but the result is what matters. Of course, you want to play well and improve, but we were able to fight at Edinburgh, and again at Ulster, and that's what counts. It's hard to win away, and we managed to do it even when we weren't at our best.'
