News

Habana wins SA gong

 Nov 01,2012

Written by: SARugby.com Editor

 

Springbok winger Bryan Habana was on Thursday named South African Rugby Player of the Year for the third time.

Western Province picked up a brace of awards as their Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup success was recognised at a glittering ceremony at the Cape Town International Airport.

The Sharks also scored off the field, with three awards heading to Durban.

Habana (29) was rewarded for his striking form as he helped the Stormers to the top of the log in  Super Rugby and the semi-finals of that competition, while extending his record try-scoring streak with the Springboks to 47. Habana was in superb form in the Green and Gold this year and scored seven tries in 2012, including a hat-trick against Australia at Loftus Versfeld in the Rugby Championship, resulting in him being the top try scorer in the inaugural season of the competition.

 

He also took the field in the Currie Cup final in Western Province colours and won the coveted trophy with this team for the first time, after tasting glory with the Blue Bulls in 2009.

Unfortunately a knee injury sustained in the match rules him out of the tour to Ireland, Scotland and England.

 

The speed merchant’s third award comes after similar accolades in 2005 and 2007. He becomes only the second player to win the title more than two times, following in the footsteps of Naas Botha, who won it four times.

 

Habana’s award was the finale of a star-studded night during which 16 awards were won for rugby excellence across all age groups and competitions in 16 categories.

 

Western Province had three more winners on the night with Demetri Catrakilis and Deon Fourie being named Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup Players of the Season and Eben Etzebeth walking away with the Young Player of the Year award.

 

The Sharks also scored a treble on the night with their Currie Cup team being named Team of the Year and their head coach John Plumtree, walking away with the Coach of the Year award. Sharks captain Keegan Daniel was voted as Super Rugby Player of the Year by the six franchise coaches.

 

Junior Bok midfielder Jan Serfontein, who was named Player of the Tournament after the IRB’s Junior World Cup in South Africa in June, was almost a shoe-in for the SA Under-20 Player of the Year award, while Griffons utility back Hansie Graaff grabbed the spoils of Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year.

 

Cecil Afrika got the award for Springbok Sevens Player of the Year for the second year running in a new voting process which saw media and the public each contributing 50% of the vote.

 

The SARPA Players’ Player of the Year Award went to Springbok winger JP Pietersen, while Bryan Habana’s try against New Zealand in Dunedin was voted Supersport Try of the Year by the channel’s viewers.

 

 

The winners and finalists (where applicable) in all the categories are:

 

SARU Rugby Player of the Year

Winner: Bryan Habana

Finalists: Keegan Daniel, Eben Etzebeth, Pat Lambie, JP Pietersen

 

Absa Young Player of the Year

Winner: Eben Etzebeth

Finalists: Marcell Coetzee, Johan Goosen, Elton Jantjies, Raymond Rhule.

 

Absa Team of the Year

Winner: The Sharks (Absa Currie Cup)

Finalists: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), EP Kings (Absa Currie Cup First Division), Junior Boks (IRB Junior World Championship), The Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby).

 

Absa Coach of the Year

Winner: John Plumtree (The Sharks).

Finalists: Allister Coetzee (DHL Stormers and Western Province), Pote Human (GWK Griquas), Alan Solomons (EP Kings), Dawie Theron (SA Under-20).

 

Vodacom Super Rugby Player of the Year

Winner: Keegan Daniel (The Sharks)

Finalists: Marcell Coetzee (The Sharks), Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks), Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), JP Pietersen (The Sharks).

 

Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year

Winner: Deon Fourie (DHL Western Province)

Finalists: JC Janse van Rensburg (MTN Golden Lions), Elton Jantjies (MTN Golden Lions), Louis Ludik (The Sharks), Raymond Rhule (Toyota Free State Cheetahs).

 

Absa Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year

Winner: Hansie Graaff (Griffons)

Finalists: JW Jonker (Ford Pumas), Rudi Mathee (Ford Pumas), Paul Perez (EP Kings), Luke Watson (EP Kings).

 

Vodacom Cup Player of the Year

Winner: Demetri Catrakilis (DHL Western Province)

Finalists: Marcel Brache (DHL Western Province), Jaco Kriel (MTN Golden Lions), Gouws Prinsloo (Sharks XV), Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls).

 

SARPA Players’ Player of the Year: JP Pietersen (The Sharks)

 

Springbok Sevens Player of the Year: Cecil Afrika

 

Supersport Try of the Year

Winner: Bryan Habana (Springboks v All Blacks, The Rugby Championship).

Finalists: Johan Goosen (Toyota Cheetahs v Crusaders, Vodacom Super Rugby); Joe Pietersen (DHL Stormers v Highlanders, Vodacom Super Rugby); Paul Jordaan (The Sharks v Reds, Vodacom Super Rugby); Jaco Taute (MTN Golden Lions v Vodacom Blue Bulls, Absa Currie Cup).

 

SA Under-20 Player of the Year: Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

 

Coca-Cola Craven Week Player of the Tournament: Sergeal Petersen (Eastern Province)

 

Marriott Referee Award: Jaco Peyer

 

Women’s Achiever of the Year: Yolanda Meiring (Blue Bulls)

 

SARU National Club Championship Player of the Tournament: Nico Luus (Pretoria Police)

It just has to be PUKE WATSON.

 I see that Puke Watson was a nominee as a 1st division Curry Cup player of the year Bafta Awards, clearly rigged by Cheeky. 

Why do you copy / paste articles from the homepage?

Whats the point??

 Chipo because more people comment in the forum than on the home page. 

The outrage is the Mighty Stormers were better than the sharks in the Super 15 and hence our topping the log and winning the SA Conference trophy!! And how can wee Keegan win anything!!!! Hhahahahahahaha very amusing.

Israel Dagg for World Player of the Year. He swung at least two FN tests.

Funny...I was led to believe Habana was done/past it???

So Denise, are you saying that at no point in the year Habana was pretty damn poor and everyone was calling for his head. To his credit he brought it back in a big way except for his very poor last test against the AB's

So Habana, who gained 3 times the metres per carry and who backed up Jean's brilliant juggling break with a try, was "very poor". And Taute who lost the game by contributing to 3 NZ tries was "average"......spot the bias.

Oh boy Moz, you really do take the cake. All the Boks were poor in that second half...........my point on Habana was that he struggled at times this year and it was then that I made the call that he should go. He turned it around to his credit, but no way in hell was he player of the year......that should have gone to Etzebeth

 Since I have watched rugby Habana has been the best Springbok wing I have ever seen, and most likely the best wing in the World I have ever seen. The only runner on par or better than Habana was Christian Cullen. 

If Habana had played for New Zealand he probably would have set the world record for most tries ever scored. Or if South Africa had inside backs with the play making ability of New Zealand

Here is the youtube tribute to Habana. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwehyLYSRwE&feature=fvwrel

What is really interesting is his games for the Barbarians. This is when Habana was "out of form" and not scoring tries for the boks ,but he still was scoring for the Barbarians

So Denise, are you saying that at no point in the year Habana was pretty damn poor and everyone was calling for his head. To his credit he brought it back in a big way except for his very poor last test against the AB's

Fool,  Surely you do realise what it means when you say a player is PAST IT or is DONE...don't you? ....or do you? Here let me spell it out for your royal thickness...it means the player is not fit enough to make the national squad, Precisely what you said a little while back when I pointed out to you that had you been the national coach Habana wouldn't be in your squad!!...your words not mine, now go ahead and call me a liar, it's what I expect from you.

You do realise that you're embarrassing yourself, not that I think it bothers you, I mean,  you write so much drivel and you display so much bull-headed ignorance that I'm beginning to wonder whether you know anything about the game. Or perhaps you just plain damn dumb underscored with arrogance.

By the way your new pin-up Steph Du Toit turns out as a loosie for the Sharks and  that's why HM won't consider him as a lock and rolling out an inexperienced under 21 side as a national team isn't going to cut it for the Boks either. Just thought of stating the obvious not that I think it will assist in penetrating that impentrable thick, ignorant and  arrogant part of your body that sits above your shoulders.

Be honest now, do you know anything about rugby,.....anything at all?

It's just a question.

How awkward is this? From what I can make out Denise has known Rattex for years now, and he still has to ask him if he knows anything about rugby. Now pardon me, but how is that possible? Denise has to be as thick as a brick if he hasn't been able to figure that out for himself after all these years. LOL. And obviously he thinks old Rattex is as thick as a brick. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Hehehehe.

Ah Denise putting his stupid foot in it again.................as thick as pigshit as ever. I am not going to even bother with the Habana take other than to say that when he was in such shit form earlier in the year he looked done, he looked like a hasbeen, much like Jean is. Habana brought t back, to his credit and thats all that needs to be said.

One makes a call that a player looks done based on his form at the time, his age, how much rugby he has played at the highest level etc - but you are too stupid to comprehend that.

As for Steph du Toit you fool, the lad is a lock who is skilful enough to play 7 as he did for the Baby Boks. At 2m and 118kg's would you not think he would built for lock dumbo? When he played for the Sharks in the S15, what position was that you idiot?

Only an ignorant twat would tell us he is a flanker......but then again we have come to learn how ignorant you are with all things rugby. Do you know what a flank is?

Dave you get all bitter and twisted. But the fact is you blew that Habana call big time. Imagine time and boringly again you went on about Habana being done. You wanted, get this, Mvovo.

Then Habana plays with skill and heart throughout the test season and ends up player of the year. How embarrassing. Perhaps you can modify your pic to show an omelette right over your vacant stare.

So by logical extension if Habana is Player of the Year.....you get the Dufus Call Of The Year award. Well done, it will look nice next to all your other Dufus awards.

Moz, are you guys really that stupid? Am not bitter and twisted at all just replying in kind to that idiot Denise.

But with regards to Habana, yes I had him as done as he was damn poor earlier in the year. He turned that around and I said as much and included him in my side. I was wrong about him being done and said as much...............get it?

I was wrong about him being done and said as much..."

Yeah right, it's not so much that you're wrong about Habana, what Moz and I am trying to say is that you're repeatedly  wrong and the list iof wrongs is endless eg

Wynand Olivier....your so called class player

Waylon Murray....another so called class player

Spies

Mvovo

The list just goes on.... 
 

Sharkbok, have to disagree with the comparison of Habana to Cullen. Habana is a great winger, but hardly on par with Cullen. Habana is the greatest Bok winger but he did not have the same influence or impact that Lomu did at the 95 RWC at the 2007 RWC (maybe earlier). Don't get me wrong I rate Habana just not in same league as Lomu or Cullen.

Cullen was a big disappointment at 13 in the 99 RWC. Habana in 2007 was way more influential than Cullen. Lomu was a show unto himself, but was negated by the Boks in the final, and pretty much in every other Bok game.

Bryan Habana has a clear claim to the best wing of his generation and maybe the best since 95.

Not to mention the fact that Lomu failed to score a try when facing the Boks.....Habana will be remebered as the finest of his generation.

 Lomu was very good at the start of his career but people did get better at tackling him as time went on. He was also exposed defensively, and it was often part of the bok game plan to kick the ball behind him as he was slow to turn. Bryeyton Paulse scored many tries in Lomus corner for the boks. 

Lomu was useless at defence, and South Africa figured him out in no time. Just kick in behind him and he was stuffed, as soon as he had to turn around.

Hey Lomu haters,of course  he had his deficiencies, but at the 95 world cup he produced pure magic, the England game where he scored 4 times and trampled over Catt has never been reproduce by any player and he was the new 21st century prototype rugby player blending size, power and pace.For 4 weeks Lomu treated rugby viewers to how attacking rugby should be played.  Habana had his moments as well, but the one I remember is when that USA winger beat him for pace on the outside when Habana was reputedly the faster winger in the world again not this generations best winger but up there, Cullen still numero uno in my book. But hey we could go back and forward on this its always going to be national pride that's the deciding personal factor.

Well dom Denise, Wynand Olivier was a class player sadly living in the shadow of Jean and rightly so, for Jean has been the best 12 we have had, bar maybe Frans.................so not sure what your stupid point is.

Had Murray not been injury prone as he has been, he would have been a fine back-up to Fourie at 13, the lad was a class act, certainly better than the useless Adi

Mvovo is a Bok and a quality player

Spies at his best has been the best 8 in the world by some distance.

Care to add to your list you useless idiot?

Spies has never been the best number 8 in the world. He was a dangerous runner in space, not so much these days. He has never been an effective hard yards man. He also, could never tackle. And by forward standards he was pretty feeble. The Irish lock ran over him, Andy Powell tossed him aside like a toothpick. He was a non factor on the ground and a poor cover defender.

There were a host of superior number 8's playing against him through his career..... Read and Samo, just to keep things close to home.

And Mvovo is no Bok, not even as good as Nokwe and Chavanga.....they were faster and more prolific.

Rubbish Spies was the best in the business in his prime. Samo is a laugh, Read a class act.

Haha, Chavanag and Nokwe better than Mvovo, dream on. Mvovo is a quality wing and probably our fastest of the current gang. Rhule might be his only challenge in the speed stakes.

So Dave.....you like Spies and Mvovo.....two guys who have absolutely zero will to win.

 Spies was pretty epic before the 2007 World Cup. After he came back after his blood condition he has not been the same player in the physical side. He used to be a very stronger carrier

 What a honour it is to be able to watch him in action.

Even more so when he wears the Green and Gold.

He is worth ever cent the Stormers paid for him...just sorry it he never moved to the Sharks.

If not the best wing ever surely one of the top two or three.

Other great wings:

Tom von Vollenhoven (Bok),

Jomo Loumo (?) not sure if I spelt it correctly (All Black)

S Williams (Wales),

B Williams (All Black)

Jeff Butterfield (England)

D Campese (Australia)

G Muller (Bok)

C du Plessis (Bok)

and I am sure their are many more that I or others could name, but Habana must be up there.

Trust others will add to the list.

AJ you missed Jannie Engelbrecht, the most elegant of all wings. Brave enough to beat Northern Transvaal with a broken collar bone and his arm in a sling.....he scored a splendid try. Fast enough to catch Dewi Bebb the Welsh 100metres champion from behind. I saw that from Newlands main stand....epic.

during the 2009 TriNats, spies was the best No8 in the world easy, like SBW he always made it over the adavantage line and tha accelration he had always had me worried and very frustrated as he was such a powerful ball carrier with speed to burn.

he missed out on the 2009 EOYT with an injry, not sure what it was, but it had the most detrimental effect on his game as he has been complete kak ever since. a very pale shade of his former self.
 

@arthur john,

lol thats jonah lomu and i would also add emile entmac (france) and jeff wilson (NZ) to that list. but habana and digby are like shane william and are very important players to their team, grade A threats the lot of them.

both campese and bg williams were two of my dads favourite players of all time, and i wonder if savea can make that list, hes got of to nice start IMO,,,,,

Spies is useless, he has already had far too many test caps then he ever should of!He is scared and misses plenty of tackles!Its been a blessing that he has been injured otherwise Meyer would of definately wasted 10 or more test starting Spies