Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx capped off a stellar season by being crowned South Africa's Player of the Year at the annual SA Rugby awards ceremony held in Cape Town on Thursday. The powerhouse front-rower, who was also named World Rugby's best player in November, continues to add to an already impressive collection of accolades.
In the women's category, dynamic back Nadine Roos claimed a remarkable double, taking home both the women's Player of the Year and Sevens Player of the Year honours. SA Rugby president Mark Alexander praised both recipients, saying Malcolm had consistently put the Springboks on the front foot and fully deserved the recognition, while Nadine had been the spark behind the Springbok Women's finest season to date.
The Springboks enjoyed a phenomenal 2025 campaign, winning 13 of their 15 matches for an impressive 86.7% success rate. Memorable moments included a commanding 43-10 victory over the All Blacks, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's breathtaking individual display against Argentina, and hard-fought triumphs on foreign soil against France and Ireland.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus, the architect of this remarkable run, was fittingly honoured with the Coach of the Year award, while the Springboks were named Team of the Year. Ethan Hooker and Byrhandré Dolf picked up the Young Player of the Year prizes in the men's and women's divisions respectively, with Haashim Pead earning the Junior Springbok of the Year accolade. Blitzboks speedster Shilton van Wyk was recognised as the men's Sevens Player of the Year.
Alexander concluded by paying tribute to Erasmus, captain Siya Kolisi and the entire squad, declaring that 2025 would be remembered as a landmark rugby year. He added that it was not only the senior team that had excelled, noting that all the national sides delivered strong performances throughout the season.
