Springbok wing Bryan Habana was crowned the 2007 Absa South African rugby player of the year at the SA Rugby awards banquet in Sandton on Wednesday
night.
The other nominees in the prestigious category were fellow Springboks Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery, Fourie du Preez and Juan Smith.
Habana recently won the IRB player of the year award and received a second accolade at the banquet when his try in the Vodacom Super 14 final was judged as the Supersport try of the year. Habana, also the 2005 SA rugby player of the year, was the leading try scorer at the recent IRB Rugby World Cup in France with eight tries.
The evening produced two double-winners. Free State Cheetah’s Willem de Waal scooped the prize as Currie Cup player of the year and also the South African Rugby Players’ Association player of the year award.
Bok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, the previous Currie Cup player of the year, was crowned as the Super 14 player of the year.
Mzwandile Stick received the Springbok sevens player of the year trophy while Francois Steyn was named as the most promising player of the year.
International referee Jonathan Kaplan won his second successive referee of the year award.
Natasha Hoffmeester of Boland, a Springbok player, was decorated with the women’s rugby achiever of the year prize. – Sapa