Grant Hermanus is the Craven Week Player of the Year 2013

Western Province under-18 and Paarl Gymnasium star backline player Grant Hermanus, who played at a consistently high level throughout the season and stood out during the Craven Week final has been named as the Craven Week player of the Year for 2013 at the SARU awards.

Grant showed all who watched him a full range of attacking skills and also handled the kicking duties very well at Craven Week. As a result of his achievements last season, he became one of the most sought after young players in the country with all the big rugby unions inquiring about his availability to take a post-school contract. For the 2014 year though, he is back at Paarl Gim to complete matric.

Grant is one in a long line of backs who have now scooped the only SARU schoolboy rugby award on offer, with some excellent forwards in past years just not able to make the same kind of impression as the backs.

Previous winners:

2009: Andile Jho (Dale – centre)
2010: Johan Goosen (Grey College – flyhalf)
2011: Jan Serfontein (Grey College – centre)
2012: Sergeal Petersen (Grey High School – wing)

The main winner on the night was another former Paarl Gim backline player, Bok captain Jean de Villiers.

The winners and finalists (where applicable) in all the categories for 2013 are:

SARU Rugby Player of the Year
Winner: Jean de Villiers
Finalists: Bismarck du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Willie le Roux, Duane Vermeulen

Absa Young Player of the Year
Winner: Eben Etzebeth
Finalists: Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe, Siya Kolisi, Jan Serfontein

SARPA Players’ Player of the Year: Willie le Roux (Springboks, Toyota Cheetahs, GWK Griquas)

Springbok Sevens Player of the Year
Winner: Cornal Hendricks
Finalists: Frankie Horne, Seabelo Senatla

SA Under-20 Player of the Year
Cheslin Kolbe
Finalists: Jacques du Plessis, Seabelo Senatla

Absa Team of the Year
Winner: Steval Pumas
Finalists: The Sharks (Absa Currie Cup), Springboks

Absa Coach of the Year
Winner: Jimmy Stonehouse (Steval Pumas, SA President’s XV)
Finalists: Heyneke Meyer (Springboks), Brendan Venter (The Sharks)

Vodacom Super Rugby Player of the Year
Winner: Adriaan Strauss (Toyota Cheetahs)
Finalists: Willie le Roux (Toyota Cheetahs), Duane Vermeulen (DHL Stormers)

Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
Winner: Scarra Ntubeni (DHL Western Province)
Finalists: Cheslin Kolbe (DHL Western Province), Fred Zeilinga (The Sharks)

Absa Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
Winner: Rosko Specman (Steval Pumas)
Finalists: Alshaun Bock (SWD Eagles), Tiger Mangweni (EP Kings)

Vodacom Cup Player of the Year
Winner: Fred Zeilinga (Sharks XV)
Finalists: Marnitz Boshoff (Golden Lions), Rosko Specman (Steval Pumas)

Supersport Try of the Year
Winner: Jean de Villiers (Springboks v Wales in Cardiff)
Finalists: Zane Kirchner (Springboks v Australia, Cape Town), Bryan Habana (Springboks v New Zealand, Johannesburg), JP Pietersen (Springboks v Scotland, Edinburgh), Jano Vermaak (Vodacom Bulls v Southern Kings, Port Elizabeth), Lwazi Mvovo (The Sharks v Highlanders, Dunedin), Pat Lambie (The Sharks v Vodacom Bulls, Pretoria), Riaan Smit (Toyota Free State Cheetahs v Vodacom Blue Bulls, Pretoria), Rocco Jansen (GWK Griquas v Golden Lions, Johannesburg), Gio Aplon (DHL Western Province v The Sharks, Cape Town).

Marriott Referee Award: Jonathan Kaplan

Women’s Achiever of the Year: Zenay Jordaan (Eastern Province)

Cell C Community Cup Player of the Tournament: Giovano Fourie (GAP Management Despatch)

Coca-Cola Craven Week Player of the Tournament: Grant Hermanus (Western Province)