Ndungane named Bulls' best
Dec 06,2012
Bulls and former Springbok wing Akona Ndungane was named the Pretoria-based outfit's Super Rugby Players Player of the Year at their awards function on Wednesday.
Ndungane was also named best back for the Currie Cup side, capping a fine season for the veteran while Willie Wepener walked away with the Currie Cup Players Player of the Year Award.
The accolades were among a host of awards given to players and staff at the Blue Bulls Company's annual lunch, which incorporated the function.
Bulls chief executive Barend van Graan said while the union did not achieve all their goals this season, there were some successes.
"We did not achieve our expected strike rate with regards to trophies and titles - with only our U21s, Women Sevens and Craven Week sides that won their tournaments - but it was still very successful in many ways," he said.
The Super Rugby side made the top six and play-offs of the competition while the Currie Cup team played in the semi-finals and the U19's made their final.
"A host of our players also represented the Springboks and a number of our younger players starred for the Junior Springboks (SA U20) in the winning of the IRB Junior World Championships," he said.
Van Graan said the senior teams did well in spite of the exodus of key coaching staff to the Springbok team. The biggest blow was the loss of Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, who was their rugby executive.
The Bulls' brains trust was further depleted when forwards coach Johann van Graan, defensive coach John McFarland, back-line coach Ricardo Loubscher and Basil Carzis, their fitness coach, followed Meyer.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke hopes the rewards would motivate his troops for the new season.
"We are blessed to have some truly professional players in our set-up and they work very hard," he said.
"This creates a fantastic work ethic - one the Blue Bulls are very proud of."
Blue Bulls awards:
Super Rugby Players Player of the Year - Akona Ndungane
Most Promising Player of the Year - Arno Botha
Forward of the Year - Juandré Kruger
Back of the Year - Zane Kirchner
Currie Cup 2012 Players Player of the Year - Willie Wepener
Most Promising Player of the Year - Louis Fouché
Forward of the Year - Dewald Potgieter
Back of the Year - Akona Ndungane
Vodacom Cup Players Player of the Year - Ruan Snyman
Most Promising player of the Year - Jan Serfontein
Forward of the Year - Cornell Hess
Back of the Year- Ruan Snyman
Blue Bulls U21 Players Player of the Year - Juan Schoeman
Most Promising Player of the Year - Marvin Orrie
Forward of the Year - Wiaan Liebenberg
Back of the Year - Courtnall Skosan
Management Award - Andrè Volsteedt
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