KEO News Wire
Racing’s Nakarawa named European Player of the Year
Following his side’s Champions Cup defeat to Leinster, Leone Nakarawa of Racing 92 was named European Player of the Year by EPCR.
Racing 92 may have suffered heartbreak in the European Champions Cup final, but there was a measure of consolation for Leone Nakarawa as the Fiji international was named European Player of the Year for 2018.
Former Glasgow Warriors forward Nakarawa starred throughout Racing’s Champions Cup campaign, which concluded with an agonising 15-12 defeat to Leinster in Bilbao.
After the match, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) confirmed he had beaten off competition from team-mate Maxime Machenaud and the Leinster trio of Scott Fardy, Tadhg Furlong and Johnny Sexton to win the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy.
Nakarawa is the first Top 14 player to win European rugby’s most prestigious individual honour since 2015, when Clermont Auvergne’s Nick Abendanon took the prize.
The previous two winners have both played for Saracens and England, Maro Itoje’s triumph in 2016 followed by Owen Farrell claiming the award 12 months ago.
In addition to his trophy and a commemorative medal, Nakarawa receives one million air miles, courtesy of the Champions Cup’s tournament partners Turkish Airlines.
KEO.co.za News wire is powered by opta
-
International Rugby7 days agoSpringboks v All Blacks: Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry
-
KEO News Wire2 weeks agoNZ Media reaction to Springboks win against All Blacks in Cape Town
-
KEO News Wire2 weeks agoMighty Malcolm Marx puts Boks back on top of the world
-
KEO News Wire1 week agoLocal is lekker as the Le Roux’s take charge of the Stormers
-
KEO News Wire1 week agoThe Men in Black are back Baby: Stormers reveal
-
KEO News Wire2 weeks agoOx Nché and Wilco Louw are the Springboks twin scrum threat
-
KEO News Wire4 days agoSiya’s Super Springboks are simply the best in the world
-
KEO News Wire1 week agoJoel Stransky’s drop goal was the real thing