Jean wins 2008 Player of the Year

Jean de Villiers was named SA Rugby Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year at rugby`s annual awards banquet sponsored by Absa, Sasol and Vodacom which took place at Vodaworld on Tuesday. The full list of winners:

SA Rugby Player of the Year
Winner: Jean de Villiers (Western Province)
Also nominated: Bismarck du Plessis, Adrian Jacobs, Ryan Kankowski, Beast Mtawarira (all Sharks).

Young Player of the Year (23 years or less)
Winner: Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs)
Also nominated: Heinrich Brussow (Free State Cheetahs), Ryan Kankowski, (Sharks), Nick Koster (Western Province), Beast Mtawarira (Sharks).

Players’ Player of the Year
Winner: Jean de Villiers (Western Province)

Team of the Year
Winner: Sharks (Vodacom Super 14 team)
Also nominated: Leopards, Sharks (Absa Currie Cup team), Blue Bulls, Stormers.

Coach of the Year
Winner: John Plumtree (Sharks, Absa Currie Cup)
Also nominated: Eugene Eloff (Golden Lions), Rassie Erasmus (Stormers), Frans Ludeke (Blue Bulls). Chaka Willemse (Leopards).

Super 14 Player of the Year
Winner: Ryan Kankowski (Sharks)
Also nominated: Andries Bekker, Jean de Villiers, Conrad Jantjes (all Stormers), Rory Kockott (Sharks).

Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
Winner: Jean Deysel (Sharks)
Also nominated: Heinrich Brussow (Free State Cheetahs), Ryan Kankowski (both Sharks), Wynand Olivier (Blue Bulls), Stefan Terblanche (Sharks).

Absa Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Winner: Kennedy Tsimba (Griffons)
Also nominated: Cecil Afrika, (Griffons), Clayton Durand (Leopards), Ashley Johnson (Griffons), Vuyo Zangqa (Leopards).

Vodacom Cup Player of the Year
Winner: Burton Francis (Blue Bulls)
Also nominated: Isma-eel Dollie (Western Province), Rocco Jansen (Blue Bulls), Ashley Johnson, Wilton Pietersen ( Free State Cheetahs).

SuperSport Try of the Year
Winner: Ricky Januarie (SA v New Zealand, Dunedin)

Sevens Player of the Year
Renfred Deysel

SA Under-20 Player of the Year
Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs)

Women’s Player of the Year
Lorinda Brown (Eastern Province)

National Club Champs Player of the Tournament
Lola Waka (Pukke)

Refereeing Achievement of the Year
Mark Lawrence

Craven Week Player of the Tournament
Sampie Mastriet (Boland)