The Western Province Rugby Union honoured their top achievers for this past season, and unsurprisingly, the Stormers duo of Evan Roos and Manie Libbok walked away with the top awards.
There are some parallels between Roos and Libbok. Both were under-utilised at the Sharks, both came to the Stormers seeking more game time, both played a major part in the Stormers’ URC triumph, and both are overlooked by the Springbok selectors.
Knocking on Springbok door
While Evan Roos spent some time in the Bok group and even made it out onto the park in the Wales Series in July, Libbok has only recently been invited to the party.
The Boks have some issues when it comes to flyhalves at the moment. They’ve been forced to look beyond the fourth-choice pivot that is Johan Goosen, as the Bulls man is also out injured. The Springboks are in Stellenbosch this week where they are fine-tuning and work-shopping before they name the squad on Friday.
In a statement released by the Stormers, it spoke of how big a part the flyhalf and utility back played during the 2021/22 URC campaign.
“Libbok and Roos were pivotal to the DHL Stormers’ claiming the inaugural Vodacom 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,” said the statement.
“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 DHL Stormers took the title.”
Sacha Mngomezulu, the future
The young Sacha Mngomezulu also earned himself a massive accolade at the awards ceremony last night. The 20-year-old former Bishops man found himself in the Stormers group in the latter part of the URC campaign, as injuries plagued the group.
Mngomezulu made his debut in the quarterfinal against Edinburgh and featured in the matchday squad for all three play-off matches at DHL Stadium. His solid performances for the Stormers in those high-stakes matches earned him the Breakthrough player of the year award.
Here is the full list of winners
DHL WP U20 Player of the Year
Lukhanyo Vokozela
DHL WP U21 Player of the Year
Keke Morabe
Breakthrough Player of the Year
Sacha Mngomezulu
DHL WP Girls’ School’s Player of the Year
Logan Welmann
DHL 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
DHL WP Women’s Player of the Year
Sinazo Mcatshulwa
DHL WP Player of the Year
Nama Xaba
BrightRock Needs-matched Award
Damian Willemse
Beyond Rugby Award powered by SunBet
Ernst van Rhyn
DHL Stormers Player of the Year
Manie Libbok
DHL Stormers Players’ Player of the Year
Evan Roos
