URC Awards 2025/2026 Winners Announced

BKT Coach of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season Announced

Ivan van Rooyen and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have added their names to the United Rugby Championship Awards roll of honour by collecting the BKT Coach of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season prizes respectively.

They are the latest award winners from the 2025/26 campaign as we celebrate the league’s best in class ahead of the semi-finals.

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

The stats speak for themselves when it comes to the job Ivan van Rooyen has done at the Lions this season.

He has overseen a major step up in his team’s performances and that has resulted in him being chosen by his peers as BKT Coach of the Season.

The 44-year-old South African finished in top spot following a poll of the head coaches and directors of rugby in the competition.

It’s a reward which acknowledges the strides the Lions have made under him.

Last season, they finished 11th in the BKT URC on 40 points, with eight victories from their 18 matches.

This term, they claimed 10 wins and a draw to rack up 54 points and come seventh, thereby qualifying for the play-offs for the first time and securing Investec Champions Cup rugby.

They also scored the second most points (532) and the third most tries (73) in the league, demonstrating their attacking potency.

Plus, in a real landmark achievement, they won the South African Shield for delivering the best results overall in the domestic derbies, with four victories out of six, including notable triumphs away to the Vodacom Bulls and the Hollywoodbets Sharks.

So, just what does Van Rooyen put the obvious advances his team has made down to?

“It’s probably just consistency, an alignment in what we want to do, what does it look like and what does it take,” he said.

“The more clear you are about what you want to do and your identity, the easier it is.

“A lot of the time, you want to look at the outcome, but you must look at the process and what made the difference or what had the effect.

“I think the coaches and the players are really aligned about what we want and what we need. The players have also got more experience now.”

He added: “I am extremely proud of the hard work and effort that has been put in by everyone.”

In explaining their choice of Van Rooyen for the award, fellow coaches pointed to his team performing above expectations, the great achievement of winning the South African Shield and the entertaining brand of rugby they play.

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

You only have to listen to the praise heaped on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu by his fellow players to know what a very special talent he is.

The DHL Stormers fly-half has been chosen as the URC Players’ Player of the Season in a poll of the captains and vice captains from the 16 teams.

In outlining their motivations for selecting him, they talked about his X-Factor moments, his game-changing ability, his all-round threat and how beautiful he is to watch.

The 24-year-old Springboks star has certainly had some season.

He was the top points scorer in the regular BKT URC campaign with 158, while he was also second for goal kicking (113), third for defenders beaten (54) and in the top six for tries scored (9), clean breaks (20) and metres gained (762).

DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson says: “I think he is 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.

“When he first came along, it was almost like a party impact, to do something crazy. Now he has got to drive the team forward before his own stuff and he has definitely matured. He is the most vocal guy on the field.

“You think it’s all this 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.”

Be sure to follow all the URC Awards announcements using the hashtag #URCAwards

Click here to view the URC Hall of Fame for all past winners

URC Awards 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: Jack Walsh (Ospreys)

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

Elite XV: Ntuthuko Mchunu, DHL Stormers (Loosehead Prop), Johann Grobbelaar, Vodacom Bulls (Hooker), Thomas Clarkson, Leinster Rugby (Tighthead Prop), Darragh Murray, Connacht Rugby (Lock / Second Row (4)), Cobus Wiese, Vodacom Bulls (Lock / Second Row (5)), Cian Prendergast, Connacht Rugby (Flanker (6)), Ruan Venter, Fidelity SecureDrive Lions (Flanker (7)), Evan Roos, DHL Stormers (Number 8), Embrose Papier, Vodacom Bulls (Scrum-half), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, DHL Stormers (Fly-half), Kyle Rowe, Glasgow Warriors (Left Wing (No.11)), Stuart McCloskey, Ulster Rugby (Inside Centre), Stafford McDowall, Glasgow Warriors (Outside Centre), Werner Kok, Ulster Rugby (Right Wing (No.14)), Quan Horn, Fidelity SecureDrive Lions (Full-back)

Try of the Season, powered by URC.tv: 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)