Katlego Sekhu

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth became only the second player to win back-to-back SA Rugby’s Player of the Year awards when he was recognised at the SA Rugby Awards 2023 in Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
Springbok wing Canan Moodie also did the double by walking away with the Young Player of the Year Award, while Libbie Janse van Rensburg cleaned up in the women’s categories by being named Springbok Women and Provincial Player of the Year for 2023.
The other finalists were Pieter-Steph du Toit, the first player to win back-to-back awards in 2018 and 2019, as well as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, and Damian Willemse.
Janse van Rensburg, the highest international points’ scorer in the history of South African rugby, featured for the Springbok Women in both 15s and sevens last year and spearheaded the Bulls Daisies’ challenge to win the Women’s Premier Division.
The other nominees were former winners Nadine Roos (2022), Aseza Hele (2019), and Babalwa Latsha (2017), as well as Rights Mkhari, herself an international in 15s and sevens rugby.
Following their triumph in France, Jacques Nienaber and the Springboks won the awards for Coach and Team of the Year, while Ricardo Duartee was named Springbok Men’s Sevens Player of the Year, and Corne Beets was named Junior Springbok Player of the Year.
In a new category, voted for by supporters on social media, Cheslin Kolbe won the SuperSport Fans’ Moment of the Year award for his charge-down of a Thomas Ramos conversion in the RWC quarter-final, a match the Boks won 29-28 against the hosts in Paris.
Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers, Vodacom URC Fans’ Player of the Season), Ruan Pienaar (Toyota Cheetahs, Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year), and Cameron Hufke (Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year) also walked away with awards on the night for their performances at the franchise and provincial level.
The award for Associate Member of the Year was reintroduced in 2023, and the SA Deaf Rugby Association (SADRA) were named the deserved winners. South Africa finished fourth in the World Deaf Rugby Championship in Argentina, and after an internal audit, SADRA was judged to be well-governed and growing their footprint in South Africa.



