The United Rugby Championship has unveiled two more major award winners ahead of this weekend’s semi-finals.
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Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen named BKT Coach of the Season and DHL Stormers fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu voted Players’ Player of the Season.
Van Rooyen earned recognition from his fellow coaches after guiding the Lions to a remarkable campaign that saw them reach the URC play-offs for the first time and secure Investec Champions Cup qualification. The Johannesburg side improved from 11th place last season to seventh this year, collecting 10 wins and a draw while also claiming the South African Shield.
The Lions scored 532 points and crossed for 73 tries during the regular season, establishing themselves as one of the competition’s most entertaining teams.
“It’s probably just consistency, an alignment in what we want to do, what does it look like and what does it take,” said Van Rooyen. “I am extremely proud of the hard work and effort that has been put in by everyone.”
Meanwhile, Stormers star Feinberg-Mngomezulu was chosen by the captains and vice-captains from all 16 URC clubs after a spectacular individual campaign.
The 24-year-old Springbok finished as the league’s leading points scorer with 158 points, while also ranking among the competition leaders for defenders beaten (54), clean breaks (20), tries scored (9) and metres gained (762).
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson was full of praise for his playmaker.
“I think he is a generational player. We are going to enjoy him for a while to come,” said Dobson. “He has grown up very quickly from being the X-Factor, playing off the cuff guy to taking the responsibility of driving the team.”
The pair become the latest names added to an increasingly impressive list of 2025/26 URC award winners.
Full URC Awards Winners 2025/26
AwardWinnerGilbert Golden BootChris Smith (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions)IPVanish Tackle MachineBen Carter (Dragons RFC)IronmanQuan Horn (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions)OFX Top Try ScorerEvan Roos (DHL Stormers)Playmaker AwardJack Walsh (Ospreys)Next-Gen Player of the SeasonTom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby)Try of the SeasonAngus Bell (Ulster Rugby)South African Vodacom URC Player of the SeasonEmbrose Papier (Vodacom Bulls)Innovation AwardVodacom BullsBKT Coach of the SeasonIvan van Rooyen (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions)Players’ Player of the SeasonSacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)URC Elite XV
15. Quan Horn (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions)
14. Werner Kok (Ulster Rugby)
13. Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster Rugby)
11. Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors)
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)
9. Embrose Papier (Vodacom Bulls)
8. Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)
7. Ruan Venter (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions)
6. Cian Prendergast (Connacht Rugby)
5. Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls)
4. Darragh Murray (Connacht Rugby)
3. Thomas Clarkson (Leinster Rugby)
2. Johann Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls)
1. Ntuthuko Mchunu (DHL Stormers)
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