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Krappie, Asenathi earn top awards at the Lions

NEWS: Springboks Morne van den Berg and Asenathi Ntlabakanye were the big winners at the Lions Players awards hosted at Ellis Park on Tuesday night.

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Ntlabakanye’s career is currently in the balance as he faces two formal doping charges.

The scrumhalf walked away with the International Backline Player of the 2024/25 season and topped it off with the main award of the evening, the prestigious Player of the Year for the 2024/25 season.

“Such an honour for me to be recognised for these awards,” the nuggety halfback said.

“A huge credit to my teammates at the Lions and the incredible coaching staff who allow us to express ourselves on the field. The mindset in our environment is ‘team first’, which is why I believe that these accolades mean nothing without the team behind me.”

Ntlabakanye, who is back training with the Lions, claimed the International Forward Player of the Year for his standout performances in the previous season, as well as the coveted Players’ Player of the Year – an award voted for by his fellow teammates.

Also acknowledged on the evening was winger Kelly Mpeku, who walked away with the Currie Cup Player of the Year. Mpeku, who is a product of the franchise’s successful junior system, has made a name for himself in the senior rugby ranks.

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In other awards, Junior Springbok Haashim Pead was crowned the Junior Player of the Year, with fellow international representatives Siba Mahashe and schoolboy sensation Alzeadon Felix notching up the Under-21 Forward of the Year and Under-19 Backline Player of the Year respectively.

The Lions face the Griquas in the Currie Cup final at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Full list of 2024/25 winners:

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Under -19

Back of the Year: Alzeadon Felix

Forward of the Year: Luke Cannon

Under-21

Back of the Year: Jason Hugo

Forward of the Year: Sibabalwe Mahashe

Junior Player of the Year: Haashim Pead

Senior Awards (Domestic)

Back of the Year: Gianni Lombard

Forward of the Year: SJ Kotze

Breakthrough Player of the Year: SJ Kotze

Player of the Year (Currie Cup): Kelly Mpeku

Senior Awards (International)

International Backline Player of the Year: Morne van den Berg

International Forward of the Year: Asenathi Ntlabakanye

International Breakthrough Player of the Year: RF Schoeman

Players’ Player of the Year: Asenathi Ntlabakanye

Player of the Year: Morne van den Berg

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