SA players dominate Vodacom URC Dream Team

Ten players from the four South African teams were included in the inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship Dream Team for the 2021/22 season.

Following the addition of the Vodacom Bulls, Emirates Lions, Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers to the competition for the inaugural Vodacom URC campaign, South African franchises account for 10 members of a 15-man selection determined by a media vote.

The DHL Stormers are the best-represented side with five players making the cut. Vodacom URC Top Try Scorer Leolin Zas is among four backs from the Cape Town outfit included.

The Vodacom Bulls contribute three players, including Ironman Ruan Nortje, and the Cell C Sharks two.

Ulster duo Nick Timoney and James Hume, Leinster flyhalf Ross Byrne, and Munster scrumhalf Craig Casey and second row Jean Kleyn make up the non-South African contingent, although Kleyn was born in South Africa and played for the DHL Stormers earlier in his career.

Players had to have made a minimum of nine appearances to be considered, with the media panel given a shortlist of 10 players per position, provided by Vodacom URC StatMaster. The player with the most votes in each position earned a place in the team.

Vodacom URC Dream Team:
1. Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks)
2. Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls)
3. Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks)
4. Jean Kleyn (Munster)
5. Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls)
6. Marcell Coetzee (Vodacom Bulls)
7. Nick Timoney (Ulster)
8. Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)
9. Craig Casey (Munster)
10. Ross Byrne (Leinster)
11. Leolin Zas (DHL Stormers)
12. Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers)
13. James Hume (Ulster)
14. Seabelo Senatla (DHL Stormers)
15. Warrick Gelant (DHL Stormers)

Places in the Dream Team are the latest to be revealed as part of three weeks of Vodacom URC Awards announcements. Next-Gen Star of the Season will be announced later this week before Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season, the Loch Lomond Coach of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season are revealed in the build-up to the Grand Final.

Vodacom URC Award Winners List 2021-22
Tackle Machine: Alan O’Connor (Ulster)
Turnover King: Jac Morgan (Ospreys)
Gilbert Golden Boot: Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys)
Top Try Scorer: Leolin Zas (DHL Stormers)
Ironman: Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls)

Vodacom United Rugby Championship Dream Team

New French threat to Leinster’s European ambitions...

Leinster’s imperious performance in their quarter-final ensured that this year it won’t be Stade Rochelais pipping them ...

Sharks book historic EPCR semi-final spot...

The Hollywoodbets Sharks succeeded in their quest to become the first South African team to advance to the semi-final of...

Tries aplenty in thrilling 2024 opening round...

The defending champions and runners-up in the Women’s Premier Division, the Bulls Daisies and DHL Western Province, scor...

Home teams dominate in SA Cup fourth round...

The Airlink Pumas, Suzuki Griquas, Toyota Cheetahs and Leopards again made it a profitable weekend for home teams in the...

Free State to add spice as Premier Division kicks ...

Newly promoted Free State Women will add some spice to the 2024 Women’s Premier Division when the tournament kicks off i...

Zas and Nortje walk away with Vodacom URC awards

DHL Stormers wing Leolin Zas scored 11 tries over the course of the regular season to end the campaign at the top of the charts, while Vodacom Bulls lock Ruan Nortje takes home an award which recognises the player who has racked up the most minutes over the 18 rounds of the Vodacom URC.

Jordaan and Hele back in Springbok Women squad

Two former SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year winners, Zenay Jordaan and Aseza Hele, will join the Springbok Women squad for the first time this year when they assemble in Stellenbosch to prepare for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup later this month.

Vodacom Bulls name 28-man squad for semi-final

The Vodacom Bulls have jetted out to Dublin, where they will take on Leinster in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-final at the RDS Arena on Friday night.

DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls into the Final Four

The DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls had to work hard in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals on Saturday, but in the end did what was needed to book their places in next weekend’s semi-finals.

The 2022 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #24

The weekend’s penultimate round of Carling Currie Cup matches produced another bag full of high drama, with Windhoek Draught Griquas pulling off a stunning comeback win over DHL Western Province, the Airlink Pumas winning their cat fight with the Toyota Cheetahs, and the Sigma Lions finishing their season on a winning note against the Cell C Sharks in Durban.

Boks begin preparations for “tough” Wales series

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said the focus for opening stages of their preparation camp for the Castle Lager Incoming Series would be on their fundamentals as the training squad continued their on-field on preparations on Wednesday, for what the coach expected to be a “tough” series against Wales in July.

Van der Flier the big danger for Bulls' hopes

If there was ever a player that could kill off South African hopes and dreams in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, it is Leinster’s mercurial flanker Josh van der Flier.

Stormers and Bulls to fight for final spots

The DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls will have their sights set on the big prize of booking places in the inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship final when they take the field in what is expected to be thrilling semi-final encounters on Friday and Saturday.

The 2022 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #25

The focus will be on third and fourth spots on the Carling Currie Cup logs this weekend, as three teams in the Premier Division and four in the First Division chase semi-final positions, with lots of permutations at play as the league phase of the two competitions conclude.