South Africa dominates URC awards

South African rugby has dominated this season’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship awards, winning six of the 13 awards in what is a record for the country in the history of the competition.

The record haul of awards started with the announcement of the DHL Stormers’ Ruben van Heerden as the competition’s Tackle Machine this season.

Cameron Hanekom of the Vodacom Bulls then claimed the Next-Gen Award.

Deon Fourie of the DHL Stormers was awarded the Try of the Season, while his fellow Stormers teammate Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was voted the Vodacom Player of the Season.

The @URCOfficial Try of the Season was finished by @Deonf who had a number of his teammates to thank for setting up this absolute belter. #iamastormer #URCAwards pic.twitter.com/MaQuzDxT0Y

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) June 5, 2025

South African RG Snyman, playing for Leinster, was voted the Players’ Player of the Season.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks then claimed the competition’s Innovation Award for their SharksFest in their fixture against Leinster.

The strong South African influence this season also extended to the competition’s Elite XV, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), RG Snyman (Leinster), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) and André Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) all named in the team.

BEST REPRESENTED COUNTRY IN PLAYOFFS

This season, three South African teams also made the playoffs – the Vodacom Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers – which was more representation than any other country involved in the competition.

This is also the fourth consecutive season that a South African team has made the Grand Final, which is more than any other country in the history of the competition.

The winner of the Players’ Player of the Season Award goes to… @LeinsterRugby’s RG Snyman 🔵

This prestigious award was voted for by the Captain and Vice-Captain of all 16 teams!#URC | #URCAwards pic.twitter.com/UsGNPWAk9s

— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) June 6, 2025

“This has been another magnificent Vodacom United Rugby Championship season, and as South African rugby’s greatest supporter for almost three decades we are so proud of the achievement of so many of our South African players who represent an exciting mix of current and future stars making their mark in this competition,” said Michelle van Eyden, Head of Sponsorship for Vodacom.

Van Eyden also praised the Hollywoodbets Sharks for becoming the first South African team to win the competition’s Innovation Award for their groundbreaking work around the SharksFest, which gave their fans an incredible array of festivities for their match with Leinster.

“Over the past season, we have observed how the Hollywoodbets Sharks have made a series of seemingly small yet strategic adjustments to their brand and fan engagement approach, changes that have delivered significant and positive impact. Their efforts to deeply understand both their current and future fan base have been evident. By addressing key in-stadium pain points and enhancing the overall match-day experience, the Sharks have gone beyond simply offering entertaining rugby.

“With initiatives such as post-match concerts and enhanced in-stadium entertainment, they’ve created a comprehensive and inclusive experience that appeals to a broader audience. SharksFest, in particular, exemplifies this shift. It’s not just about rugby, but about building an event that welcomes everyone and keeps fans coming back. By putting their supporters at the heart of everything they do, the Sharks have demonstrated thoughtful planning, attention to detail, and meaningful collaboration with partners.

“SharksFest has become a standout moment on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship calendar and added enormous value to the tournament. The Hollywoodbets Sharks are truly deserving recipients of the URC Innovation Award.”