Libbok and Roos get top awards

AWARDS: Manie Libbok and Evan Roos took the top honours at the Western Province Rugby awards ceremony on Tuesday.

Flyhalf Libbok was named Stormers Player of the Year and Roos the Stormers Players’ Player of the year at the awards evening at Kelvin Grove.

Both players have been called up to the Springbok training squad this week, along with Breakthrough Player of the Year Sacha Mngomezulu and five more of their Stormers teammates.

The awards ceremony marked the end of the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) club rugby season and featured a host of awards for the various leagues and levels of the game.

Libbok and Roos were pivotal to the Stormers’ claiming the inaugural United Rugby Championship title, with Libbok ending the campaign as the top points-scorer and Roos voted the Players’ Player of the tournament as well. The 20-year-old Mngomezulu made his Stormers debut in the quarterfinal against Edinburgh and featured in the matchday squad for all three play-off matches at Cape Town Stadium.

Libbok kicked a crucial drop-goal and Roos scored a try in the Grand Final, to cap off a season which saw both make important contributions regularly as the Stormers took the title.

Western Province captain Nama Xaba was named Player of the Year for the Currie Cup campaign, while hooker Lukhanyo Vokozela was named the WP U20 Player of the Year and No.8 Keke Morabe the WP U21 Player of the Year.

The WP Women’s Player of the Year went to loose forward Sinazo Mcatshulwa, with Aimee Barrett-Theron recognised as the Referee of the Year.

Helderberg RFC hooker Jacques van Zyl walked off with the Club Rugby Player of the Year award while Zachary Porthen of Wynberg Boys High School and Logan Welmann from Macassar High School were the School’s Player of the Year and Girls’ School’s Player of the Year.

Damian Willemse received the Needs-matched Award, for the player who puts the team ahead of himself and does the things that people don’t see, while Ernst van Rhyn took the Beyond Rugby Award for leadership on the field, off the field, outreach and representation of the Stormers brand.

Stalwarts Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff, Brok Harris, Deon Fourie and Juan de Jongh were all honoured with special caps for making over 100 appearances for the Stormers over the years.

💯 Just a few DHL Stormers centurions. #iamastormer pic.twitter.com/jv1rS6nr1v

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 26, 2022

Stormers head coach John Dobson said it was great to recognise the stand-out performers at all levels of the game.

“We have an incredible rugby system and it was wonderful to see guys like Manie and Evan recognised for their important contributions to the Stormers successful campaign, along with all of the other winners.

“The strength of our clubs, schools, women’s rugby and referees is a major point of pride and this whole environment plays a big role in the performance of our Stormers.

“It was fantastic to celebrate what has been achieved in the last year and we are looking forward to building on this in the future,” he said.

Western Province Rugby awards winners:

WP U20 Player of the Year: Lukhanyo Vokozela
WP U21 Player of the Year: Keke Morabe
Breakthrough Player of the Year: Sacha Mngomezulu
WP Girls’ School’s Player of the Year: Logan Welmann
WP School’s Player of the Year: Zachary Porthen
Club Rugby Player of the Year: Jacques van Zyl
Club Rugby Sevens Player of the Year: Ashton Hendricks
Referee of the Year: Aimee Barrett-Theron
WP Women’s Player of the Year: Sinazo Mcatshulwa
WP Player of the Year: Nama Xaba
Needs-matched Award: Damian Willemse
Beyond Rugby Award: Ernst van Rhyn
Stormers Player of the Year: Manie Libbok
Stormers Players’ Player of the Year: Evan Roos