Cash and Sacha crowned URC's best

NEWS: The United Rugby Championship’s Coach of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season have officially been revealed.

They come in the form of Ivan ‘Cash’ van Rooyen and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

They are the latest award winners from the 2025/26 campaign as we celebrate the league’s best in class ahead of the semifinals.

Coach of the Season – Ivan van Rooyen (Lions)

The stats speak for themselves when it comes to the job Ivan van Rooyen has done at the Lions this season.

He has overseen a major step up in his team’s performances, and that has resulted in him being chosen by his peers as Coach of the Season.

The 44-year-old South African finished in top spot following a poll of the head coaches and Directors of Rugby in the competition.

It’s a reward which acknowledges the strides the Lions have made under him.

Last season, they finished 11th in the URC on 40 points, with eight victories from their 18 matches.

This term, they claimed 10 wins and a draw to rack up 54 points and come seventh, thereby qualifying for the play-offs for the first time and securing Champions Cup rugby.

They also scored the second-most points (532) and the third-most tries (73) in the league, demonstrating their attacking potency.

Plus, in a real landmark achievement, they won the South African Shield for delivering the best results overall in the domestic derbies, with four victories out of six, including notable triumphs away to the Bulls and the Sharks.

So, just what does Van Rooyen put the obvious advances his team has made down to?

“It’s probably just consistency, an alignment in what we want to do, what does it look like and what does it take,” he said.

“The more clear you are about what you want to do and your identity, the easier it is.

“A lot of the time, you want to look at the outcome, but you must look at the process and what made the difference or what had the effect.

“I think the coaches and the players are really aligned about what we want and what we need. The players have also got more experience now.”

He added: “I am extremely proud of the hard work and effort that has been put in by everyone.”

In explaining their choice of Van Rooyen for the award, fellow coaches pointed to his team performing above expectations, the great achievement of winning the South African Shield and the entertaining brand of rugby they play.

Players’ Player of the Season – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers)

You only have to listen to the praise heaped on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu by his fellow players to know what a very special talent he is.

The Stormers flyhalf has been chosen as the URC Players’ Player of the Season in a poll of the captains and vice-captains from the 16 teams.

In outlining their motivations for selecting him, they talked about his X-Factor moments, his game-changing ability, his all-round threat and how beautiful he is to watch.

The 24-year-old Springboks star has certainly had some season.

He was the top points scorer in the regular URC campaign with 158, while he was also second for goal kicking (113), third for defenders beaten (54) and in the top six for tries scored (9), clean breaks (20), and metres gained (762).

Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson says: “I think he is a generational player. We are going to enjoy him for a while to come.

“He has grown up very quickly from being the X-Factor, playing off the cuff guy to taking the responsibility of driving the team.

“When he first came along, it was almost like a party impact, to do something crazy. Now he has got to drive the team forward before his own stuff, and he has definitely matured. He is the most vocal guy on the field.

“You think it’s all this natural ability, but his work ethic and his detail is magnificent. He spends a lot of time previewing the opposition, looking at what their triggers are.”

URC Awards Winners 2025-26

Golden Boot: Chris Smith (Lions)
Tackle Machine: Ben Carter (Dragons RFC)
Ironman: Quan Horn (Lions)
Top Try Scorer: Evan Roos (Stormers)
Playmaker: Jack Walsh (Ospreys)
Next-Gen Player of the Season: Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby)

Elite XV: Ntuthuko Mchunu, Stormers (Loosehead Prop), Johann Grobbelaar, Bulls (Hooker), Thomas Clarkson, Leinster Rugby (Tighthead Prop), Darragh Murray, Connacht Rugby (Lock / Second Row (4)), Cobus Wiese, Bulls (Lock / Second Row (5)), Cian Prendergast, Connacht Rugby (Flanker (6)), Ruan Venter, Lions (Flanker (7)), Evan Roos, Stormers (Number 8), Embrose Papier, Bulls (Scrumhalf), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stormers (Flyhalf), Kyle Rowe, Glasgow Warriors (Left Wing (No.11)), Stuart McCloskey, Ulster Rugby (Inside Centre), Stafford McDowall, Glasgow Warriors (Outside Centre), Werner Kok, Ulster Rugby (Right Wing (No.14)), Quan Horn, Lions (Fullback)

Try of the Season: Angus Bell (Ulster Rugby)
South African URC Player of the Season: Embrose Papier (Bulls)
Innovation Award: Bulls
Coach of the Season: Ivan van Rooyen (Lions)
Players’ Player of the Season: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers)