Bulls, Stormers dominate nominations
Players from the Vodacom Super 14 finalist Bulls and Stormers, have unsurprisingly monopolised the nominations in the race for the title of Vodacom Super 14 Player of the Year award, the South African Rugby Union announced on Tuesday.
The 2009 winner, Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn, has again been
nominated along with teammates Fourie du Preez and Gerhard van den
Heever. They are joined by the Stormers lock Andries Bekker and
centre Jaque Fourie in the five nominations.
The five polled the most votes among rugby media from a total of
26 players that were nominated.
Steyn set a record of 263 points in a Super Rugby season as the
Bulls won the title for the third time in four seasons. Van den
Heever scored eight tries in the Bulls' march to the title, while
Du Preez, the 2009 SA Rugby Player of the Year, was outstanding
once again.
The Stormers' first appearance in a final was reflected in
several nominations for their players with Bekker and Fourie - who
scored seven tries in his debut season with the franchise -
garnering enough media votes to be in the running for the award.
Meanwhile the Blue Bulls' last-gasp win in the Vodacom Cup was
also reflected in nominations for the competition's Player of the
Year award.
Team captain Gerrit-Jan van Velze, fullback Tiger Mangweni and
flyhalf Francois Brummer - who kicked the after-the-hooter drop
goal against the luckless Cheetahs to clinch the R1-million first prize -
were all among the nominees.
Free State flyhalf Louis Strydom and Sharks No 10 Monty Dumond,
who edged the former as the competition's top scorer, completed the
nominations.
The winners of the awards, as well as the rest of the SA Rugby
Player of the Year awards, will be announced at the Springbok
Banquet on November 2.