As the Vodacom United Rugby Championship edges closer to crowning its inaugural champions, the winners of the URC Awards will be announced over the coming weeks.
A total of 10 individual prizes are up for grabs, along with places in the end-of-season Dream Team.
MORE: SA Rugby mag’s Team of the Season
While some of the awards are determined by URC StatMaster data provided by Oval Insights, others will be voted on by a panel of media representatives from all five territories involved in the competition. Players’ Player of the Season and Loch Lomond Coach of the Season are voted for by the coach and captain and vice-captain of each team, respectively.
The winners will be revealed via online announcements during the URC playoffs, with three prizes set to be dished out in the buildup to the Final Eight.
In the semi-finals week, Top Try-scorer, Ironman, Dream Team along with the identity of this season’s Next-Gen Star will be unveiled, as well as Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season.
The Players’ Player of the Season and Loch Lomond Coach of the Season round off the awards season in the buildup to the Grand Final.
Here is a full list of the awards on offer, the winning criteria and when the victors 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, 31 May
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, 31 May
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: Wednesday, 1 June
Top Try-scorer
Criteria: Awarded to the player who has scored the most tries during the regular season.
Winner announced: Monday, 6 June
Ironman
Criteria: The Ironman award is given to the player who has racked up the most minutes in the regular season.
Winner announced: Monday, 6 June
Dream Team
Criteria: The Dream Team will be determined by a media vote. Players must have made 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: Tuesday, 7 June
Next-Gen Star of the Season
Criteria: This award is open to players who were aged under 23 at the beginning of the season and had earned no more than five international caps at that point. It is another that will be 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: Wednesday, 8 June
Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season
Criteria: The prize for the Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season will be voted for by rugby fans around the world. Click here to vote.
Winner announced: Thursday, 9 June
Loch Lomond Coach of the Season
Criteria: The prize for the Vodacom URC’s top coach will be voted for by all 16 of the competition’s head coaches.
Winner announced: Tuesday, 14 June
Players’ Player of the Season
Criteria: This prestigious award will be voted on by captains and vice-captains of each URC club, with all nominees again required to have made a minimum of nine appearances.
Winner announced: Wednesday, 15 June
Photo: Ben Evans/Huw Evans/Shutterstock/BackpagePix
