Springbok lock forward Eben Etzebeth has won back-to-back SA Rugby Player of the Year awards when he scooped the 2023 award to add to his 2022 accolade.
Etzebeth was honoured in Randburg, Johannesburg last night.
He won, alongside the World Cup-winning Springboks, the Team of the Year, the former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber, who took home Coach of the Year, and Springbok winger Canaan Moodie, who got the Young Player of the Year award.
Libbie Janse van Rensburg was named Springbok Women’s Player of the Year, and Provincial Women’s Player of the Year.
Two-time Rugby World Cup winner, Etzebeth put his team ahead of his own personal ambitions in accepting the Player of the Year award.
He says, “It’s always a special award to win, the Rugby Player of the Year. I think to win it back-to-back just makes it more special, but I always say we play a team sport and our big goal was obviously the Rugby World Cup last year and we achieved that. There are so many important players in that side anyone could have probably gotten this award but for me to get it is really special.”
