South African Stars Dominate URC Awards Roll of Honour As Elite XV Revealed

The United Rugby Championship (URC) has officially begun celebrating the top individual performers of the 2025/26 regular season, and South African players have dominated the opening announcements. Leading the charge are the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions duo of Chris Smith and Quan Horn, alongside the DHL Stormers' dynamic number eight, Evan Roos and Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier.

Furthermore, the off-field mastery of the South African franchises has been recognized with the Vodacom Bulls claiming the prestigious URC Innovation Award for their groundbreaking matchday experience.

The opening batch of accolades highlights a massive wave of local celebration belonging to the star-studded Elite XV Dream Team, the South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season announcement, and a stellar list of international award winners.

The URC Elite XV Dream Team Unveiled

The ultimate team of the tournament showcases an incredible selection of elite talent from across all participating nations. South African franchises have heavily influenced the roster, occupying key positions across both the forward pack and the backline.

The frontline is anchored by Stormers loosehead Ntuthuko Mchunu and Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar, while the lock pairing features the physical presence of the Bulls' Cobus Wiese. The back row includes the explosive Lions flanker Ruan Venter alongside top try scorer Evan Roos.

In the backline, the halfback pairing is an all-South African affair featuring Player of the Season Embrose Papier and the mercurial Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The lethal back three is rounded out by the ever-present Quan Horn at fullback and the hard-charging former Blitzbok Werner Kok on the wing.

South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season: Embrose Papier

In a massive nod to the resurgent form of the Pretoria-based franchise, Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier has been officially crowned the South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season. Papier has been in sublime form throughout the campaign, controlling game tempo, igniting backline attacks, and establishing himself as a lethal weapon close to the try line. His sharp tactical vision and consistency have been central to guiding the Bulls into the playoff semi-finals.

Gilbert Golden Boot – Chris Smith (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions)

Practice has truly made perfect for Chris Smith, who has secured the Gilbert Golden Boot Award for the second time in his career. The 31-year-old flyhalf finished the regular season as the league's most prolific marksman, accumulating 149 points off the tee, consisting of 17 penalties and 49 conversions. Smith finished comfortably ahead of his closest chasing rival, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who recorded 113 points.

Smith, who previously won the award in 2024 during his tenure with the Vodacom Bulls, credits his current success to finding tactical rhythm and working closely with former Springbok legend and current Lions kicking coach, Morné Steyn.

Ironman – Quan Horn (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions)

Lions fullback Quan Horn has redefined consistency by claiming his second Ironman prize. First winning the award in 2023 after logging 1,428 minutes across 18 consecutive starts, the 24-year-old Springbok fullback raised the bar even higher this season.

Horn achieved the ultimate "ever-present" milestone by playing 1,440 minutes, meaning he did not miss a single single second of the regular league season. DHL Stormers winger Leolin Zas finished a narrow second, trailing Horn by just ten minutes after starting every single regular-season game.

OFX Top Try Scorer – Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)

DHL Stormers number eight Evan Roos has claimed the OFX Top Try Scorer award after finishing the regular season with 12 tries to his name. The 26-year-old Springbok finished one clear of Ulster wing Zac Ward, and two ahead of Werner Kok and Connacht’s Sean Jansen.

Roos set a relentless standard from the opening weekend, crossing the line twice against Leinster, and replicating that double against Edinburgh in March. His overall season haul stands at an astonishing 15 tries across all competitive matches, including scores in the Investec Champions Cup and an appearance for the Barbarians against an All Blacks XV.

Celebrating the International Winners

While the local contingent made a massive statement, several standout players from the Northern Hemisphere franchises were rightfully celebrated for their incredible contributions during the 2025/26 campaign:

• Next-Gen Player of the Season – Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby): As showcased in verbatim file name image_404ae9.jpg, Cardiff's rising star Tom Bowen has been named the Next-Gen Player of the Season following a breakout year filled with defensive grit and attacking flair.

• IPVanish Tackle Machine – Ben Carter (Dragons RFC): The Dragons lock was an absolute wall in the midfield and tight-loose, racking up a relentless defensive work rate to earn the tournament's top tackling honours.

• Playmaker Award – Jack Walsh (Ospreys): The Ospreys flyhalf took home the Playmaker prize after masterfully pulling the strings for his backline, leading the competition in goal-line assists and tactical line-breaks.

Innovation Award – Vodacom Bulls: Where Rugby Meets Entertainment

The entertainment experience lies at the heart of the project which has seen the Vodacom Bulls win the URC Innovation Award. This accolade rewards and celebrates efforts to grow the love of the game, with all 16 teams in the league invited to submit entries. It recognizes the people behind the scenes who are working hard to make rugby the greatest experience for fans, both on and off the field, as connecting with supporters and encouraging new audiences to fall in love with rugby is seen as key to continuing to grow the league and the game.

The submission by the Pretoria-based franchise, entitled ‘Where Rugby Meets Entertainment’, placed that goal front and centre and saw them chosen as the winners of the Innovation Award by a URC Committee. The Bulls have successfully redefined the matchday experience through a consistent and innovative focus on entertainment, seamlessly blending elite sport with live music and fan engagement. By creating this dynamic collaboration between rugby and entertainment, they are attracting new audiences and significantly enhancing the overall stadium atmosphere at Loftus Versfeld.

Final Whistle

With the regular-season accolades officially handed out and the Elite XV dream team settled, the focus now turns squarely to the field as the remaining heavyweights prepare for a blockbuster weekend of semi-final rugby. With individual excellence acknowledged, the ultimate prize remains up for grabs as the Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers carry the hopes of South Africa into a brutal cross-hemisphere knockout battle for a place in the Grand Final.

#URCAwards #EliteXV #SARugby #LionsPride

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