Etzebeth, now 32, who made his Test debut in 2012, was this year rightly acknowledged on a short list of exceptional candidates for the award – Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe and Damian Willemse – on the back of a phenomenal year for SA rugby.
Double Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth became only the second player to win back-to-back SA Rugby Player of the Year awards.
The Boks winning Rugby World Cup 2023 was the crowning glory, but the Stormers made the United Rugby Championship final too. He scored what was the match-defining try 12 minutes from time, dragging three French defenders over the line. Earlier he stopped a certain French try with the most courageous out-stretched arm in RWC history. His intervention saved five points, literally by his fingertips, but even more so, by his sheer willpower.
“The 2023-season will be ingrained in our memories for decades to come, with the Springboks setting the tone and doing so much for nation building and social cohesion in South Africa, but all of our national teams did well, and we are proud of all the winners.
Moodie was voted as the Young Player of the Year for a second successive season after another year of stand-out performances for the Springboks and the Bulls, beating challenges from his fellow Boks in Jaden Hendrikse and Evan Roos, as well as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Ruan Venter.