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Saffas supreme as United Rugby Championship category winners

South Africa has three teams in the United Rugby Championship play-offs. Individually, South African players were tops in several of the individual performance categories.

Published

2 months ago

18th May 2026

Keo

Chris Smith is the Golden Boot winner in the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship league season Photo by Gallo Images)

Chris Smith won the Golden Boot in the United Rugby Championship and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored the most points in the 2025/26 league season.

There is no category winner for most points scored, but Feinberg-Mngomezulu ended tops with 158 points. His tally included nine tries.

He was second to Lions No 10 Smith in the Golden Boot category, with tries scored not counting. Points here had to come via penalties, conversions and drop goals. Smith scored one try in his overall points tally of 154, which was second to Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Smith’s tally from the boot was 149 points in 17 matches, compared to Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s 113 in 13 matches.

Bulls and Springboks No 10 Handre Pollard also passed 100 points (105).

Smith, who played for the Pumas and Bulls, had a stint in France before returning to the Lions for the URC. He has formed a trusted halfback partnership with Morne van den Berg. The duo have consistently been at the forefront of the Lions first ever qualification for the play-offs.

Lions No 15 Quan Horn edged Stormers winger Leolin Zas in the Iron Man category for playing the most minutes over 18 rounds. Horn did not miss a minute and Zas was 10 minutes shy of matching him.

Stormers hooker Andre-Hugo Venter and Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar topped the line out throws and the Bulls and Stormers combined to take the honours in turnovers forced. Bulls loose-forward Jeandre Rudolph (20) was the jackal master and Stormers flanker Paul de Villiers led the chasing pack.

Both hookers have been included in Rassie Erasmus’s Springboks latest alignment camp for South African-based players.

Stormers No 8 Evan Roos’s 12 tries were the most scored in the league.

Sharks lock Emile van Heerden (12) and loose-forward Vincent Tshituka (10) stole the most line outs.

The 2026/26 URC QUARTER-FINALS

Friday, May 29:

Glasgow Warriors (1) v Connacht (8) – Scotstoun, 19:45 UK / 20:45 SA

Saturday, May 30:

Vodacom Bulls (4) v Munster (5) – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, 12:00 UK / 13:00 SA

DHL Stormers (3) v Cardiff (6) – DHL Stadium, Cape Town, 14:30 UK / 15:30 SA

Leinster (2) v Fidelity SecureDrive Lions (7) – Aviva Stadium, Dublin 20:00 UK / 21:00 SA

The Top 10 tries of the season. Who gets your vote for No 1?