Lions' honours go to Whiteley

 

The Senior Awards were dominated by the forwards with Armand van der Merwe walking away with the Most Improved Player of the Year award. 

 

Loose forward Jaco Kriel was named the Forward Player of the Year, the Players’ Player of the Year and was also awarded the Supporters’ Player of the Year Award.

 

Over 650 votes were cast via social media for the Supporters’ Player of the Year award, with Kriel receiving 36% of the votes.

 

Lionel Mapoe walked away with the Senior Backline Player of the Year, while flyhalf Jaco van der Walt won most improved Backline Player.

 

Finally, captain Warren Whiteley was named the 2014 Player of the Year.

 

The GLRU celebrated the Springbok capping of three players in 2014, namely Warren Whiteley, Julian Redelinghuys and Marnitz Boshoff.

 

The Lions also bid farewell to Deon van Rensburg and Michael Bondesio with both players retiring at the ages of 32 and 29 respectively.

 

Whiteley, Albertus Smith, Ruhan Nel and Mark Richards all represented South Africa in Sevens in 2014, with Whiteley and Smith both having been a part of the gold medal-winning Commonwealth Games side.

 

The GLRU’s SA Uunder-20 representatives for 2014 included Cyle Brink, Thabo Mabuza, Ramone Samuels, Malcolm Marx, Jaco van der Walt and Victor Sekekete.

 

All of these national representatives were honoured at the awards ceremony.

 

Meanwhile, in the Under-19 age group, Marnus Erasmus walked away with the U19 Forward of the Year award, while Godfrey Ramaboea was named the U19 Backline Player of the Year. Gerdus van der Walt was the recipient of the 2014 U19 Player of the Year award.

 

In the Under-21 age group, Malcolm Marx was named the U21 Forward Player of the Year. Harold Vorster was selected as both the U21 Backline Player of the Year and the 2014 U21 Player of the Year.

 

U19 Forward Player of the Year: Marnus Erasmus

 

U19 Backline Player of the Year: Godfrey Ramaboea

 

U19 Player of the Year: Gerdus van der Walt

 

U21 Forward Player of the Year: Malcolm Marx

 

U21 Backline Player of the Year: Harold Vorster

 

U21 Player of the Year: Harold Vorster

 

Senior Forward Player of the Year: Jaco Kriel

 

Senior Most Improved Forward Player of the Year: Armand van der Merwe

 

Senior Backline Player of the Year: Lionel Mapoe

 

Senior Most Improved Backline Player of the Year: Jaco van der Walt

 

Supporters’ Player of the Year: Jaco Kriel

 

Senior Players’ Player of the Year: Jaco Kriel

 

Senior Player of the Year: Warren Whiteley

 

Referee of the Year: Lesego Legoete