URC Awards 2025/26: Winners Revealed

The United Rugby Championship has released its 2025/26 award winners. As this season is coming to a close, the league has recognised the standout performers, coaches, and teams that have made their mark during the regular season.  

Among the winners are Fidelity SecureDrive Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen and DHL Stormers star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Both have earned two of the competition’s most prestigious awards.  

Ivan van Rooyen Named Coach of the Season 

The Lions’ remarkable improvement this season can be attributed to head coach Ivan van Rooyen. He’s been responsible for their step up in terms of performance this season. This resulted in his peers and colleagues choosing him as the BKT Coach of the season.  

Last season, the Lions finished 11th on the log with only eight wins behind their name from 18 matches. This season they claimed 10 wins and a draw, racking up 14 more points than last season. The Lions even made it to the quarterfinals for the first time under van Rooyen’s leadership.  

They also scored the second most points (532) and the third most tries (73) in the league. Their real achievement, though, was their win of the URC SA Shield. This came after the Lions won four out of six domestic derbies, beating both the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks.  

Coming 7th overall on the log, van Rooyen attributes his team’s success to “consistency”.  

Not only this, but the “coaches and the players are really aligned about what we want and what we need. The players have also got more experience now.” 

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu Voted Players’ Player of the Season 

After an outstanding campaign, Stormers flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu earned the Players’ Player of the Season award. This award is voted by the captains and vice-captains from all 16 teams in the URC.  

This comes as no surprise, as he was the top points scorer (158) and the second-best goal kicker (113). He also came third for defenders beaten (54) and was in the top six for metres gained (762), clean breaks (20), and tries scored (9).  

The DHL Stormers Director of Rugby, John Dobson, describes Feinberg-Mngomezulu as “a generational player. We are going to enjoy him for a while to come.  

“He has grown up very quickly from being the X-Factor, playing off-the-cuff guy to taking the responsibility of driving the team.” 

Dobson goes on to say: “You think it’s all his natural ability, but his work ethic and his detail is magnificent. He spends a lot of time previewing the opposition, looking at what their triggers are.” 

Full List of URC Award Winners 2025/26 

Gilbert Golden Boot: Chris Smith (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions) 

IPVanish Tackle Machine: Ben Carter (Dragons RFC) 

Ironman: Quan Horn (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions) 

OFX Top Try Scorer: Evan Roos (DHL Stormers) 

Playmaker Award: Jack Walsh (Ospreys) 

Next-Gen Player of the Season: Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby) 

Try of the Season: Angus Bell (Ulster Rugby) 

South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season: Embrose Papier (Vodacom Bulls) 

Innovation Award: Vodacom Bulls 

BKT Coach of the Season: Ivan van Rooyen (Fidelity SecureDrive Lions) 

Players’ Player of the Season: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) 

Elite XV Team of the Season 

The Elite XV recognises the URC’s best performers by position. 

See more

Bet on the URC with bet.co.za 

The 2025/26 URC Awards celebrate a season filled with exceptional individual performances, coaching excellence, and team success. From the Lions’ surpassing expectations under Ivan van Rooyen to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu emerging as one of the brightest stars of the competition, this season has showcased the very best of the URC.  

With the Grand Final coming up on the 20th of June, South African teams and players have certainly cemented themselves as some of the greats.  

Can Embrose Papier, the winner of the South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season award, help his team win the Grand Final? Bet on the URC with bet.co.za and stay up close and personal with all the action.