Awards: Vodacom URC recognises the league's finest

As the Vodacom United Rugby Championship edges closer to crowning its 2023/24 champion, the winners of the annual URC Awards will be announced over the coming weeks.

The annual Vodacom URC Awards recognise excellence both on and off the field, rewarding players, coaches, and clubs for their outstanding work throughout the season and for their contribution to the success of the league. A total of 11 individual prizes are up for grabs, along with a place in the Elite XV.

While some of the awards are determined by URC StatMaster data provided by Oval Insights, others will be voted for by a panel of media representatives while Try of the Season powered by URC.tv, will be settled by a fans vote.

A new award for this season is the Elixirr Innovation Award, which will reward a club’s innovation in growing the love of the game.

The BKT Coach of the Season will be voted for by the coaches with the captains and vice-captains of each team deciding the winner of the coveted Players' Player of the Season award.

Winners will be revealed via online announcements during the Vodacom URC play-offs.

Semi-finals week will see the Elite XV unveiled, as well as the Try of the Season announced along with the identity of the Next-Gen Player of the Season and the Elixirr Innovation Award.

The Vodacom URC Player of the Season, BKT Coach of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season round off the awards in the build-up to the Grand Final.

Here is a full list of the awards on offer, the winning criteria and when the winners will be announced.

Tackle Machine
Criteria: Players who have made 150 or more tackles during the regular season will be eligible for the award, with the individual who boasts the highest accuracy taking home the prize.
Winner announced: Tuesday 11 June

Turnover King
Criteria: This award will be heading home with the player who has won the most turnovers during the regular season, with jackal turnovers used as the tie-breaker.
Winner announced: Tuesday 11 June

Gilbert Golden Boot
Criteria: The Gilbert Golden Boot is awarded in recognition of the most accurate place-kicker, with all kickers who have attempted a minimum of 30 ranked by their success percentage.
Winner announced: Tuesday 11 June

OFX Top Try Scorer
Criteria: Awarded to the player who has scored the most tries during the regular season.
Winner announced: Wednesday June 12

Ironman
Criteria: Given to the player who has racked up the most minutes in the regular season.
Winner announced: Wednesday June 12

Next-Gen Player of the Season
Criteria: This award is open to players who were aged under 23 at the beginning of the 2023/24 season, and had earned no more than five international caps by the end of the 2022/23 season (incorporating the fact that it was a Rugby World Cup year).
Determined by a media vote and the nine-appearance threshold also applies here. This award is to recognise young up-and-coming talent.
Winner announced: Thursday June 13

Try of the Season powered by URC.tv
Criteria: A shortlist of six of the top tries of the season will be put out to a fans vote on social media. The try which receives the most votes from the fans will be the winner.
Winners announced: Thursday June 13

Elite XV
Criteria: Determined by a media vote, players must have made at least nine appearances to be considered, with the media panel provided a shortlist of 10 per position by URC StatMaster.
The player with the most votes in each position earns a place in the team.
Winners announced: Friday June 14

Elixirr Innovation Award
Criteria: Determined by a Panel appointed by Elixirr, a club will be rewarded for innovation by growing the game through digital fan engagement, match day experience, and social purpose.
Clubs who break the mold and demonstrate driving a real by increasing following and revenue will be considered.
Winners announced: Friday June 14

Vodacom URC Player of the Season
Criteria: Awarded to a player from one of the four South African franchises. This will form as part of the annual SA Rugby Awards and will be determined by votes from the South African media, the four South African franchise coaches, and the Springboks head coach.
Winner announced: Tuesday June 18

BKT Coach of the Season
Criteria: The Vodacom URC’s top coach will be voted for by the competition’s head coaches.
Winner announced: Wednesday June 19

Players’ Player of the Season
Criteria: This prestigious award will be voted on by the Captain and Vice-Captain of all 16 teams, with all nominees again required to have made a minimum of nine appearances.
Winner announced: Thursday June 20

URC Award Winners 2022-23
Tackle Machine: John Hodnett (Munster)
Turnover King: Thomas Young (Cardiff Rugby)
Gilbert Golden Boot: Johan Goosen (Vodacom Bulls)
Top Try Scorer: Tom Stewart (Ulster)
Ironman: Quan Horn (Emirates Lions)
Next-Gen Player of the Season: Tom Stewart (Ulster)
Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season: Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers)
BKT Coach of the Season: Franco Smith (Glasgow Warriors)
Players’ Player of the Season: Dan Sheehan (Leinster)

Elite XV: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), 14 Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), 13 Sione Tuipolutu (Glasgow Warriors), 12 Daniel du Plessis (DHL Stormers), 11 Simone Gesi (Zebre Parma), 10 Ross Byrne (Leinster), 9 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks); 1 Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers/Ulster), 2 Dan Sheehan (Leinster), 3 Finlay Bealham (Connacht), 4 Niall Murray (Connacht), 5 Federico Ruzza (Benetton), 6 Vaea Fifita (Scarlets), 7 Scott Penny (Leinster), 8 Gavin Coombes (Munster).

Vodacom United Rugby Championship Vodacom URC Awards URC

Coastal teams impress at U16 Girls Week...

Eastern Province, Western Province, the Sharks and SWD were among the big winners in the first round of the U16 Girls We...

EPCR pool draws completed for 2024/25 season...

The Road to Cardiff got underway today (Tuesday 2 July) as the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Pool Draws ...

Eastern Cape sides lay down early marker at U18 Gi...

Eastern Province and Border claimed big wins in the first round of the U18 Girls Week staged at Jeppe High School in Joh...

Boland consolidate top spot with third straight wi...

Sanlam Boland Kavaliers gained a third straight win and their first at home of the campaign when they defeated rivals Ph...

Kavaliers, Eagles cross swords in third-round acti...

Carling Currie Cup First Division leaders, the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, are playing at home in an exciting clash with Ph...

Irish duo sound ominous Vodacom URC warnings

In all but one instance the teams in their last chance saloon managed to keep their Vodacom United Rugby Championship hopes alive in round 16, thus ensuring that with two rounds to go there are still 10 teams in the hunt.

Bulls Daisies take control of the Premier Division

The Bulls Daisies were made to work hard for their top-of-the-table victory over the Sanlam Boland Dames in Pretoria on Saturday, but the bonus point win cemented their spot at the top of the Women’s Premier Division log, while the Border Ladies moved up to fourth with a tight win over DHL Western Province in East London.

Top teams triumph in SA Cup

The penultimate round of the SA Cup brought forth a series of high-calibre matches, with the top four teams all keeping their final hopes alive with the conclusion of the group stage in sight.

Springbok Women made to sweat for African title

The Springbok Women successfully defended their title as African champions, but they were made to work very hard for a 46-17 victory over a never-say-die Madagascar side at Stade Makis in Antananarivo on Sunday afternoon.

Junior Boks show great character against Argentina

Junior Springbok flyhalf Philip-Albert van Niekerk kicked a last-minute penalty goal to seal a remarkable 30-28 victory for the SA U20s after a sensational start and a strong second half in their final U20 Rugby Championship clash against Argentina in the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Austalia on Sunday.

Boks touched hearts on and off the field in 'Tana'

The Springbok Women’s triumphant return from Madagascar this week highlighted the success the team has created on the rugby field, but they also made a difference off the field.

Match official appointments to 19 May 2024

Match official appointments for the next few days have been made, with the penultimate round of the Vodacom URC and the last round of the SA Cup before next weekend’s final taking centre stage in South Africa.

Crunch time for Vodacom URC quarter-final hopefuls

Three of the four South African franchises will have everything to play for on Saturday when they take the field in the penultimate pool round of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship where their eyes will be set firmly on keeping alive their playoff aspirations.

Top three in big fight for SA Cup final spot

The SA Cup will reach a decisive juncture this weekend – with Friday’s two clashes in Bloemfontein and Nelspruit crucial in determining the two finalists – as the last round of group matches unfold.

Three SA teams keep their playoff aspirations alive

The three South African teams in the running for playoff places in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship stuck to their guns and delivered the desired results in the penultimate round of pool matches, which witnessed a success rate of three out of four on the domestic front.

Irish duo sound ominous Vodacom URC warnings

Boks touched hearts on and off the field in 'Tana'

The Springbok Women’s triumphant return from Madagascar this week highlighted the success the team has created on the rugby field, but they also made a difference off the field.