Players praise Bulls pair
16 Oct 2009
Fourie du Preez, Morné Steyn, Heinrich Brüssow, Sarel Pretorius and Stefan Terblanche have been nominated for the coveted SA Players’ Player of the Year award.
Nominations for this prestigious accolade are made by the 452 members of Sarpa which include all the Springboks and professional players of the 14 provincial unions. In 2008, the award was won by Jean de Villiers, who also walked away with the SA Player of the Year prize.
CEO of Sarpa Piet Heymans said selection for the Players’ Player of the Year will differ from previous years in that there will be two rounds of casting votes.
‘Whereas in the past the player who had received the most nominations from the members of Sarpa automatically received the award, this year all the members have been requested to vote again for these five nominees only in a second round of voting, which closes on midnight, Sunday October 18,’ he said.
‘The nominations are a true and fair reflection of the performances in the Currie Cup as well as at international level. To be nominated by a player you have played against is a great honour and confirms that such a player is respected by his peers. I am sure that whatever the result, any one of these nominees will be a worthy winner of the Sarpa Players’ Player of the Year award.’
The winner will be announced at Saru’s annual award banquet on 2 November.
95 Comments
16 Oct 2009, 09:53 am
the ratel dragon again!
16 Oct 2009, 09:56 am
No Luke?
16 Oct 2009, 10:01 am
Where are the nominees for the other categories? CC player of the year has 3 Province blokes and 2 from other teams. And team of the year includes Province (apparently for their CC success) but no Sharks.
Eh?
How the vuck does that work? The way this WP media cabal pulls the strings is a very unfunny joke.
16 Oct 2009, 10:01 am
Let’s just hope no South African gets the IRB player of the year award. Not that a few of them don’t deserve it, it’s just that it seems to carry a terrible curse along with it – I can’t remember when last the winner carried on with the form that won him the award.
16 Oct 2009, 10:03 am
#3 katman:
I agree, it does seem to stink a bit, doesn’t it?
16 Oct 2009, 10:05 am
#5 WP Till I Die: It will all makes sense after the CC final.
16 Oct 2009, 10:13 am
Morne Steyn would get my vote. The human metronome. He’s been huge this year, all the while staying grounded and humble.
This award is almost bigger than the other ones as you are voted a winner from your immediate contemporaries. No greater honour than that in my opinion.
16 Oct 2009, 10:17 am
I might be slow, but how does the title relate to the article? It was only the Bulls players that are praised, but all 5 nominees.
16 Oct 2009, 10:20 am
#4 ratel: I cant see anybody else but a South African getting player of the year – can you ???? – can SA win it two years running ?
16 Oct 2009, 10:25 am
#3 katman:
Yeah that was my gripe, specifically with Frans Ludeke being nominated ahead of Plumtree as coach of the year.
Do me a favour, Ludeke is probably the worst coach in the country. Always has been, he’s just very fortunate the boks returned when they did to salvage his season.
I would love to see him coach a side without the players he has now. Oh wait, he did with the Cats. Remind me again what happened there?
Oh well, never mind, the currie cup should be reward enough for Plum.
16 Oct 2009, 10:39 am
#10 John Galt: He coached the Bulls to a S14 title in what was the most emphatic victory in the history of the tournament. As for “what would he be without his players” – that’s applicable to all coaches in the world so it’s a very poor argument.
#9 stew: Stew, I think you forgot that last year it was Shane Williams.
16 Oct 2009, 10:48 am
#7 John Galt: I would agree with that. In fact, I could never understand why he was behind DH at the Bulls. He is just so much more an allround flyhalf.
16 Oct 2009, 10:53 am
#11 ratel:
Really? Tell that to Plumtree who coached the sharks to the top of the log without any of his frontline player.
And its not a poor argument Ludeke has been floundering as a coach for years and has inherited a great side.
16 Oct 2009, 10:54 am
#11 ratel: True. But I still think coaches often like to have their cake and eat it. When things don’t go their way, it’s the sub-standard pool of players. And when they’re winning, they’re great coaches.
In Ludeke’s case, I’m inclined to think it has more to do with Victor and Bakkies and Spies and Habana and Fourie than his astute mind. You just have to look at his Lions record.
Speaking of which, I think now is the time for any coach wanting to score some credential points to hop on board the Lions train. For starters, they can only go up from where they currently dwell. But there also seems to be a willingness (desperation?) to throw some real money at big signings. So I think they’re going to be a whole lot stronger, regardless who coaches them next year.
Perfect low risk/high return opportunity to beef up that CV.
16 Oct 2009, 11:05 am
#10 John Galt:
are you on crack? the sharks have as many boks in their team and play the ugliest brand of rugby in SA! wake up dude…
16 Oct 2009, 11:17 am
#14 katman: Yup, I think Matfield especially has a great deal of input in the coaching of the forwards. That’s pretty much why the Van Graan puppet is forwards coach.
Re. the Lions, I do hope things get better. For years now there’s been a thinking that they can only go up, only to have one or two good results in a season. As for the coach to be – you can mark my words that he’ll take the sole blame if things go south, but if successful Jake White will be shoving him out of the way to accept the praise.
16 Oct 2009, 11:17 am
#11 ratel: Well put. As much as having living legends in your team, Ludeke did have a game plan that they had to follow. Whether it has been a part of the Bulls’ DNA for three trillion years or it was Heyneke Meyer’s originally, dit ma’kie sa’kie! This award should be between Brussouw and Steyn. I’m a bit surprised, though, that John Smit aint in there, somewhere.
16 Oct 2009, 11:38 am
#3 katman:
Did you even watch the Currie Cup???
Those 3 WP players were immense and so too the 2 blokes from Griquas.
I can’t think of one Sharks player who deserves to be nominated as CC player of the Year!!
16 Oct 2009, 11:46 am
#18 wpw: Puh-leeeeze! Three out of five nominees from one team? And not even the log leaders? And likely to not even play in the finals? Surely even you must spot the the absurd bias in that.
16 Oct 2009, 11:50 am
To be fair, this covers the whole S14 season, 3N and Lions Tour, not just the CC.
16 Oct 2009, 11:51 am
#19 katman:
Last year Liverpool came second in the league and yet Steven Gerrard was unanimously voted Player of the Year!!
My point is the Sharks might have topped the log but none of their players had exceptional seasons (Currie Cup of course)
16 Oct 2009, 11:54 am
#20 David: I’m talking about the nominees in the CC player of the year category as well as the Team of the year (which weren’t covered here).
That’s where the travesty lies.
16 Oct 2009, 11:56 am
#22 katman:
Sorry, I thought you were referring to the SARPA nominations.
16 Oct 2009, 12:00 pm
#12 Shakes: Most sane minded Bulls fans (wait for the inevitable joke-does such a thing exist!) would agree with you. I am grateful Hougaard left, rather than Steyn leaving-that would have been tragic for the Bulls, and probably for Springbok rugby. Whilst du Preez has been the best player this year in South Africa (and the world), it was Steyn that made the biggest difference this year.
The second test against the Lions was amazing. He won that game almost by himself after Ruan went off. His tactical kicking led to points, his passing led to points, and then off course, his goal-kicking led to points.
16 Oct 2009, 12:04 pm
All the nominations are (in alphabetical order):
SA Rugby Player of the Year
Heinrich Brüssow
Fourie du Preez
Victor Matfield
John Smit
Morné Steyn
Young Player of the Year
Heinrich Brüssow
Juan de Jongh
Francois Hougaard
Lionel Mapoe
Frans Steyn
Team of the Year
GWK Griquas – Vodacom Cup and Absa Currie Cup
Springboks
Springbok Sevens
Vodacom Bulls – Vodacom Super 14
Vodacom Western Province – Absa Currie Cup
Absa Coach of the Year
Allister Coetzee – Vodacom Western Province
Peter de Villiers – Springboks
Frans Ludeke – Vodacom Bulls
Dawie Theron – GWK Griquas
Paul Treu – Springbok Sevens
The Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
Juan de Jongh – Vodacom Western Province
Joe Pietersen – Vodacom Western Province
Sarel Pretorius – GWK Griquas
Stefan Terblanche – The Sharks
Luke Watson – Vodacom Western Province
The Absa Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Cecil Afrika – Griffons
De Wet Barry – BA Mighty Elephants
Ricardo Croy – SWD Eagles
Allistair Kettledas – Pumas
Braam Pretorius – Pumas
Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series Provincial Player of the Year
Heinrich Brüssow – Vodacom Free State Cheetahs
Willem de Waal – Vodacom Western Province and Emerging Springboks
Mpho Mbiyozo – Southern Kings
Joe Pietersen – Vodacom Western Province
Dewald Potgieter – Emerging Springboks
Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series Test Player of the Year
Heinrich Brüssow
Fourie du Preez
Tendai Mtawarira
John Smit
Morné Steyn
Vodacom Super 14 Player of the Year
Heinrich Brüssow – Vodacom Cheetahs
Fourie du Preez – Vodacom Bulls
Wynand Olivier – Vodacom Bulls
Pierre Spies – Vodacom Bulls
Morné Steyn – Vodacom Bulls
Vodacom Cup Player of the Year
Cecil Afrika – Griffons
Francois Brummer – Vodacom Blue Bulls
Jonathan Mokoena – GWK Griquas
Naas Olivier – GWK Griquas
Riaan Viljoen – GWK Griquas)
Supersport Try of the Year
Fourie du Preez – second try in the Vodacom Super 14 Final, Vodacom Bulls v Chiefs in Pretoria on May 30.
Jaque Fourie – Second Test in the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series in Pretoria on June 27.
Bryan Habana – Second Test in the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series in Pretoria on June 27.
Fabian Juries – Absa Currie Cup, Vodacom Free State Cheetahs v Vodacom Blue Bulls in Pretoria on September 26.
John Smit – First Test in the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series in Durban on June 20.
16 Oct 2009, 12:04 pm
#15 iamyourfather:
Clearly the force is not strong with you.
My point, Geoff Vader, was how the coaches perform when the boks are away on tour.
During the currie cup, the Sharks were missing all their boks and yet still finished top.
I honestly sometimes wish there should be an IQ test before anyone registers to blog on this site.
16 Oct 2009, 12:13 pm
katman’s player of the year: Fourie du Preez
katman’s young player of the year: Heinrich Brussouw
katman’s team of the year: Springboks
katman’s coach of the year: Dawie Theron
katman’s CC player of the year: Sarel Pretorius
katman’s try of the year: Jaque Fourie clincher in the corner
16 Oct 2009, 12:25 pm
#27 katman:
wpw’s coach of the year – Peter De Villiers
wpw’s CC player of the year – Luke Watson
I agree with the rest of your choices!!
16 Oct 2009, 12:25 pm
#26 John Galt: Geoff Vader… ha ha ha.
“No, I’m not… Alright. I’m Geoff Vader. And I can kill you with a thought.”
16 Oct 2009, 12:27 pm
#28 wpw: Making Luke the CC player of the year would be like giving Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize.
Hang on…
16 Oct 2009, 12:33 pm
#30 katman:
Leading try scorer in the CC?? And he is a forward!!
He has been brilliant this season and you know it!!!
16 Oct 2009, 12:40 pm
#31 wpw: All from the back of a rolling maul. Dale Santon could have scored those tries. Luke only claims possession at the back because he likes to pull his captain rank.
16 Oct 2009, 12:50 pm
#32 katman:
And if a wing receives the ball with an open tryline before him?
16 Oct 2009, 13:00 pm
#33 WP Till I Die: Friday afternoon is not the time to get smart, boy.
16 Oct 2009, 13:05 pm
#33 WP Till I Die:
EXACTLY!!
Heinrich Brussow does the very same thing for the Cheetahs and Boks and yet he doesn’t score as many tries as Lukas X!!
16 Oct 2009, 13:09 pm
Luke is the best. If you venture into the lions den that is your mind and knock on the door of the truth you will see it too. Don’t be afraid.
16 Oct 2009, 13:17 pm
#36 Dantalian: Then why is he not on the list of SA Rugby Player of the Year?
16 Oct 2009, 13:20 pm
#37 katman: Must be a conspiracy. Probably the 3rd force or the 4th wors. Not sure.
16 Oct 2009, 13:20 pm
#37 katman:
Why is Jaque Fourie not on the list??
He had a brilliant season this year and he IS the world’s greatest 13!!
16 Oct 2009, 13:23 pm
#38 Dantalian: As a youngster I used to score at the back of the drive-in mall all the time. It’s not big deal.
16 Oct 2009, 13:24 pm
#39 wpw: Good question. He is on mine.
16 Oct 2009, 13:28 pm
#40 katman: Tell that to the okes with no car.
16 Oct 2009, 13:34 pm
#38 Dantalian:
the third or fourth wors is always the one that gets burnt….
16 Oct 2009, 13:51 pm
#42 Dantalian:
16 Oct 2009, 13:54 pm
they may praise them but Terblanche deserves this award
16 Oct 2009, 14:00 pm
Kerneels kies die volgende:
SA Rugby Player of the Year
Fourie du Preez
Young Player of the Year
Heinrich Brüssow
Team of the Year
Springboks
Absa Coach of the Year
Paul Treu – Springbok Sevens
The Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
(too close to call, both have been brilliant)
Stefan Terblanche – The Sharks
Luke Watson – Vodacom Western Province
The Absa Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Allistair Kettledas – Pumas
Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series Provincial Player of the Year
Mpho Mbiyozo – Southern Kings
Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series Test Player of the Year
Morné Steyn
Vodacom Super 14 Player of the Year
Morné Steyn – Vodacom Bulls
Vodacom Cup Player of the Year
Riaan Viljoen – GWK Griquas)
Supersport Try of the Year
Jaque Fourie – Second Test in the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series in Pretoria on June 27.
16 Oct 2009, 14:03 pm
#46 Kerneels:
That’s a pretty decent list, Kerneels. I agree with pretty much all of it.
16 Oct 2009, 14:11 pm
#46 Kerneels:
I don’t agree with your choice of Coach of the Year. It HAS TO BE Peter de Villiers!!!
16 Oct 2009, 14:13 pm
#31 wpw:
Luke TryWalker…!
16 Oct 2009, 14:14 pm
#48 wpw: I agrees.
16 Oct 2009, 14:16 pm
#48 wpw: couldnt agree more.
PDivvy is the man for sure.
16 Oct 2009, 14:17 pm
#49 ufo:
Hey!! I thought you a WP supporter!!
(good one though)
16 Oct 2009, 14:17 pm
gotta be PdViva!!!
16 Oct 2009, 14:21 pm
Whats Stefan ‘im still waiting for 2 oscars for jp nel and lions 8th man’ terreblanche doing there? He is a disgrace to the game, acting up like that just to get a player carded.
He must f@#k off.
16 Oct 2009, 14:21 pm
#52 wpw:
I am…
That was supposed to be a compliment… The force being with Luke and him being the top try scorer and all…
must be lost in translation…
after all… human is not my mother-tongue…
16 Oct 2009, 14:22 pm
#54 BlueBlood:
Referee of the Year: Jonathan Kaplan
16 Oct 2009, 14:23 pm
No doubt PDivvy is the man – but to me it was a tough choice between him, Theron and Treu. Treu snuck it in the end for me because he has been working so hard for so long to achieve this feat.
Having said that, if it goes to one of the others I will not be disappointed.
16 Oct 2009, 14:23 pm
#54 BlueBlood: no, you f’#ck off blueballs.
stop being such a tinkebelle anyways. you sound like a teenage girl screaming for/agaisnt someone at the idols competition.
16 Oct 2009, 14:26 pm
#56 WP Till I Die:
16 Oct 2009, 14:26 pm
#58 rangerman:
Whoa, rangerman, never seen you react like that
16 Oct 2009, 14:27 pm
#58 rangerman: Howzit Ranger,
Ignore that fool. Only here to stir as usual.
This time tomorrow the game will just about begin. Very excited now.
16 Oct 2009, 14:28 pm
#58 rangerman: Don’t give him the time of day Ranger have you ever heard of “trailer trash?’ well what ever colour he wears that is how I view this particular blogger ignore and go on! His posts are nothing but a good laugh anyway!
16 Oct 2009, 14:29 pm
#54 BlueBlood: Go and stand in the corner for making an embarrassingly stupid comment.
16 Oct 2009, 14:30 pm
#63 Kerneels:
16 Oct 2009, 14:31 pm
blueblood is mental man , hy het nooit n goeie woord vir eenige ander span nie
16 Oct 2009, 14:32 pm
#63 Kerneels: sadly boet he supports your team you have our sympathies
16 Oct 2009, 14:35 pm
#66 sharks_lover:
Hey dude!!!
16 Oct 2009, 14:36 pm
#60 WP Till I Die: ag, i am just revving him
came across a bit strong i think.
blueballs, just kidding eh mate?
#61 Puma: unbelievable man. i cant wait!
16 Oct 2009, 14:37 pm
#62 Sharksgirl: hey sharksgirl!
we are going to dominate!
16 Oct 2009, 14:37 pm
#58 rangerman:
jeez bru you just made my laptop restart…
16 Oct 2009, 14:37 pm
#35 wpw: Huh? Brussow only played one game against those teams that Luke scored those tries against, and in his 40minutes on the field he also scored 2 tries. And he also scored more tries for the boks than Luke. Check your stats first.
16 Oct 2009, 14:37 pm
#68 rangerman: Yip, Think its going to be closer than we think. Should be a cracker both semi finals.
16 Oct 2009, 14:39 pm
#68 rangerman:
Don’t worry, it’s punishment enough already for him that Kaplan is reffing the final!
16 Oct 2009, 14:40 pm
#71 Bouts:
How many games did Luke START for the Boks???
Did Brussow not play in the S14?? How many tries did he score then??
16 Oct 2009, 14:43 pm
#66 sharks_lover: That is OK – I support the Bulls, not the Bulls fans…
Anyway, we all have that uncle in jail we don’t like to talk about… I’m not sure if you ever had the distinct displeasure of meeting Felonke (cheetahs). He made BlueBlood and Tac look like Ghandi and Mother Theresa respectively. He was actually convinced that Phillip Burger is a better player than Habana…
16 Oct 2009, 14:47 pm
#70 gunther: #73 WP Till I Die: #72 Puma:
man i love the sharp end of the cc.
so much tension. i am wound so tight at the moment that i am limiting my caffeine intake to prevent any outbursts.
didnt help blueblood.
16 Oct 2009, 14:48 pm
OK Guys I’m heading home.
I’ll be at the tank tomorrow…don’t know who I am supporting yet! If the Sharks win the final is in Durbs, but if the Cheaters win there is a chance of a Loftus final. It is like Sophie’s choice!
Good luck to all your respective teams. Monday we will hand out some pie…just don’t know to who yet!
16 Oct 2009, 14:49 pm
#74 wpw: whilst luke was playing cc, brussouw was beating the aussies and kiwis, home and away.
lets stay focussed please.
16 Oct 2009, 14:51 pm
#76 rangerman: Ja, this is the time it heats up. Probably the time I enjoy the CC the most too.
We win tomorrow then we have another final at the Tank. Hoping. It could go anyway only one point will make a difference from either side. I never underestimate the Cheetahs, especially after the S14 this year when they thumped us good and solid.
Just hope that extra point is on the Sharks side tomorrow.
16 Oct 2009, 14:53 pm
#78 rangerman: Yip, well said Ranger.
16 Oct 2009, 14:58 pm
#79 Puma: ja, the cheetahs will be dangerous.
i really hope we dont lose but more than that, i want entertaining rugby tomorrow!
16 Oct 2009, 15:00 pm
#81 rangerman: Think we all want entertaining rugby, but if there is rain really don’t think we will see much of that.
Still looking forward to it. Rain or no rain.
16 Oct 2009, 15:03 pm
#76 rangerman:
I know what you mean thats why pilates andthe music of neil diamond become so important to me at this time of year they provide an outlet for my tension as well as a way of channeling positive energy… poor blueballs the guy will now be sobbing into his chocolate milk….
16 Oct 2009, 15:04 pm
#82 Puma: ja, but an attritional game is just as entertaining as a free flowing running game (psst…dont tell the australasians).
16 Oct 2009, 15:04 pm
#69 rangerman: That we will!!! Just hugely relieved that Bissie and Deysel are available, should go a long way in keeping Brussow in a little check!
16 Oct 2009, 15:04 pm
#26 John Galt:
now you’re being nasty… how could any team expect cohesion when losing so many key players to the bokke. if anything the sharks look like a team that win despite the apparent lack of structure (read coaching). every time they spread the ball nobody seems to know what to do with it. they only ever score from loose ball. and they do play the ugliest brand of rugby in the country.
if winning trophies means good coaching then i say frans ludeke, if not then i say naka drotski (spelling?). just my humble (low IQ) opinion.
may the farce be with you…
16 Oct 2009, 15:06 pm
Honestly….. i don’t want to be natting the Chaeters parade but i can’t see them pulling this one off.
In the other semi the Bulls has actually got a chance (imo)but nada – not the Cheaters.
Sorry for all concerned.
16 Oct 2009, 15:08 pm
#83 gunther: ah, pilates and neil diamond.
i go for beer and fast food.
to each their own.
#85 Sharksgirl: go sharks!!!!!!!!!!
16 Oct 2009, 15:08 pm
#84 rangerman: Well for tomorrow mate, I don’t care how we play it, as long as we end up with one more point than the Cheetahs.
16 Oct 2009, 15:13 pm
#89 Puma: too true puma.
anyways mates, gotta go. have a good one and may the sharks dominate the cheetahs thoroughly.
the wp/bulls?
bring them on.
16 Oct 2009, 15:29 pm
#90 rangerman: Cheers Ranger,
Enjoy the game tomorrow.
16 Oct 2009, 15:33 pm
#56 WP Till I Die: Nope. Marius Jonker.
16 Oct 2009, 18:06 pm
#40 katman: Liar. You hid in the bathroom with flat Coke and a bag of Tomato Sauce chips.
I hate it when you try and boost your ego with cheap chirps.
16 Oct 2009, 18:11 pm
#54 BlueBlood: The Lions 8 took him in mid-air and should’ve been carded. Nel played like a thug, SA rugby is better off without him. Terblanche is a credit to the game.
16 Oct 2009, 18:12 pm
On a more serious note. This must be, from a players point of view, be the pinnacle of recognition. And in my opinion these are the best players of the year, Victor might feel unlucky.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.