Esterhuizen receives high praise

Andre Esterhuizen Clinches Players’ Choice Award with Dominant 35% Vote Share

By Matthew du Toit | Rugby Sentinel, June 8, 2025

In a commanding show of support from his peers and mentors, Andre Esterhuizen has been named the winner of the 2025 Players’ Choice Award, securing a staggering 35% of the total vote—a figure that reflects not only his on-field dominance but his standing as one of the most respected figures in professional rugby today.

Esterhuizen, 31, edged out a competitive field that included breakout stars and seasoned veterans, but it was his blend of brute physicality, defensive leadership, and subtle playmaking that resonated most with the combined voting bloc of URC players and coaches. The vote, held annually and independently tabulated by the Rugby Professionals’ Council (RPC), included all 16 URC franchises and over 320 individual ballots.

Coming in at a distant but commendable second was rising sensation Smithie Johnson, who received 12.7% of the vote—a remarkable achievement for the 22-year-old forward still in his second full URC season.

Esterhuizen’s Influence on and off the Field

This season saw Esterhuizen at the heart of the Sharks’ resurgence, leading the Durban-based franchise to their first URC semi-final since 2022. Often described by opponents as “a human tank with vision,” the 112kg centre redefined his game this year—registering five tries, topping midfield tackle charts, and finishing second in offloads among centres across the league.

More than just statistics, it was his composure in pressure moments—including a crucial try-assist in the quarter-final win over Munster—that earned him the admiration of coaches and fellow players.

“He’s a generational talent in the No.12 jersey,” said Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat. “But more than that, he’s a professional who elevates everyone around him. It’s no surprise he’s got the players’ vote.”

Smithie Johnson: A Young Titan on the Rise

Despite being new to the senior game, Smithie Johnson’s second-place finish underscores the impression he’s made across the league. Playing out of his skin as a loose forward this season, Johnson’s technical precision at the breakdown and uncanny spatial awareness have drawn praise from opposition coaches.

“Smithie plays like someone ten years older,” said Connacht coach Pete Wilkins. “His decision-making around the ruck is as sharp as you’ll see from any loose forward in Europe.”

A product of the Welsh U20 setup, Johnson has made 14 consecutive starts this season, notching a competition-high 29 ruck steals. He’s also earned a senior training camp invite for the Welsh summer tour—a testament to his rapid development.

Though he trailed Esterhuizen by over 22 percentage points, Johnson’s 12.7% share is the highest ever for a player under 23 since the award’s inception in 2014.

I think Uncle Mike will need a anti-anxiety pill, a cup of tea and a marie biscuit:)

The plaayrs aar all idots what ;;dont now rubgyt nd Ethuizebe aree purtrid and sore jsut 21 rtreis in 0 testes.

RG is the player's player of the season...AE in the dream team.

Gilbert Golden Boot: Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets)

OFX Top Try Scorer: Harri Millard (Cardiff Rugby)

Tackle Machine: Ruben van Heerden (DHL Stormers)

Ironman: Cam Winnett (Cardiff Rugby)

Playmaker: Tom Farrell (Munster Rugby)

Elite XV: Jamie Osborne (Leinster Rugby), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Tom Farrell (Munster Rugby), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Craig Casey (Munster Rugby), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), RG Snyman (Leinster Rugby), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls)

Next-Gen Player of the Season: Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls)

Innovation Award: Hollywoodbets Sharks

Try of the Season Powered by URC.tv: Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers)

South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season: Sacha Feinburg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)

BKT Coach of the Season: Massimo Brunello (Zebre Parma)

Players’ Player of the Season: RG Snyman (Leinster Rugby)

You can check out the full URC Awards Hall of Fame right here

1. https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/news/urc-awards-here-are-all-your-202425-award-winners

"The plaayrs aar all idots what ;;dont now rubgyt nd Ethuizebe aree purtrid and sore jsut 21 rtreis in 0 testes."

LMAO!

Tackle Machine: Ruben van Heerden (DHL Stormers)-

Why this guy is not in the Bok Squad is unexplainable.

I'm a real Smithie fan.

While the other young guns started the season brightly, he finished it off well.

Mike...what do you think?

From Pitch to Cosmos: Andre Esterhuizen Flies Helicopter into Space, Nominated for Astronauts' Astronaut of the Year

June 9, 2025

In what scientists are calling “the most technically implausible yet undeniably heroic act in modern history,” Springbok center Andre Esterhuizen has once again defied all odds—not by smashing through defensive lines, but by piloting a helicopter into outer space to rescue a stranded crew aboard the International Space Station.

This comes mere weeks after Esterhuizen clinched the 2025 Players' Choice Player of the Year award, earning 35% of the votes in a tightly contested field. While that was impressive, his latest accolade might be even more jaw-dropping: a nomination for the Astronauts’ Astronaut of the Year award, where he currently leads with a staggering 65% of the vote.

NASA officials were initially skeptical when Esterhuizen appeared at Cape Canaveral with a decommissioned South African Air Force helicopter and a rugby duffel bag filled with biltong and duct tape. But minutes later, telemetry confirmed the impossible: Esterhuizen had achieved low-Earth orbit in a helicopter. Experts remain baffled.

“He just tilted the blades slightly, punched the dashboard, and said, ‘Let’s go fetch the boys,’” recalled an awestruck technician. “Next thing we knew, he was docking with the ISS using nothing but sheer willpower.”

The astronauts—who had been trapped in orbit after a systems failure—described the moment Esterhuizen burst through the station’s airlock with a friendly “Howzit, manne” as “both surreal and incredibly South African.”

Though he has no formal aerospace training, Andre cited his experience “navigating traffic in Joburg with a bakkie full of forwards” as ample preparation.

When asked how he managed to survive the vacuum of space, Esterhuizen replied simply:

"You don't need oxygen when you're born for greatness, boet."

Whether he wins the Astronauts’ Astronaut of the Year remains to be seen, but with 65% of the vote already secured, it appears space has officially been conquered by the most physical inside center in rugby history.

Next up for Esterhuizen? Rumors suggest he may attempt to scrum down against a black hole.

Estrhuizen is the most physica center - but totally brainless when it comes to thinking backline play and part of the dead backline syndrome that hit the Sharks this year. I think both Erasmus and Browne know that and his call-up to the squad is just to keep his brainless supporters quiet. He will NOT make the 31 squad members used by the Springboks.and definitely not if the bomb squad system is retained.

Mike get cataract surgery, Esterhozen is a mature, thinking center….constantly engaging with his fellow players. He is a leader. And as the great coach Jake White has always stressed, teams need many leaders.

The great Jake White wanted to turn Esterhuizen into a flank - say no more

And the so called Genius Erasmus selection,s is short sighted and will eventually implode.

A lot of these older players have reached the end of the road and the younger inform players are left out in the dark.

With Erasmus at the helm, they are doomed to never play test Rugby for the Boks…

It is absolute sacrilege the amount of talent that is being overlooked!!

I totally get where Rassie is at - he remains loyal to the players that have achieved so much for him and over that time built relationships with these players - something us supporters cannot begin to understand on a personal level

Why would you discard the old when players like Eben, PSDT, Mapimpi, Willie and Kolisi are still playing so well

As supporters from a purely age perspective want to see new blood introduced not appreciating the relationship and loyalty Rassie has for his players

When does he call time on the older players - my guess is that will happen when his hand is forced - when results start to dip and where loyalty has to be ditched

Who says he wouldn’t have been a brilliant flank…great fetcher, great offloader, powerful and a runner who would beat tackles vs the current toothless runner.

Only a stupid coach would want to move Esterhuizen to flank and miss out on his exploits at centre

Dave

Let ene remind you - in 2014 White decided that Esterhuizen was no center and moved him to bkind side flank. It did not work out and that is factual, He was a worse blindside flank than an inside center then and a decade did not make any difference.

When White became coach as a flank he was given a limitless budget to get SA players palying for overseas clubs back to SA. If White was interested to get Esterhuizen for the Bulls he had the money - but he would not touch him wth a barge pole.

Only a truly stupid coach would leave out Esterhozen for a one dimensional crash baller.

No an astute coach knows that de Allende is better than Esterhuizen and Esterhuizen’s stints in test matches has proved that

At least not selecting him as your test starting 12 because you have a better option is not as stupid as wanting to move a 12 to flank

objection…..Dud is not a better option.

He is a better option so much so that he regularly makes the world team of the year at 12 - as recent as Schalk and Jean making that call

The usual appeals to authority

DDA is so slow at this point...I can't see him playing for the Boks much longer.

Plum you should get your eyes tested - DA and JJ are slow in your little world

Try again - one certainty is that DA is faster than Esterhuizen

Plum

In hundred meter race De Allende will beat Esterhuizen by at least 15 meters, The reason is that when attacks by the Springboks was in evidence in tests De Allende was crucial and present in such attacks and Esterhuizen not so. That is why De Allende score tries and Esterhuizen does not. For instance when Sacha made a break in the wallabies test last month De Allende was theere to cary the ball further -drew in the remainder defenders and passed the ball to Reinach who scored, Sacha has a lot of pace and so does Reinach,- De Allende wa there Esterhuizen would not have been,

The tyope of arguent on this site is typical - Esterhuizen is not a Erasmus favorite, Reason because he was given ample opportunities and never produced the goods.Erasmus picked the inexperienced Willemse to replace Kiel in the 2019 WC squad. He picked him t play at center against Georgia nad Tonga and produced nothing positive in the matches. He then picked him to play next to Sacha in the Portugal tests and the idiot three minutes from tehs tart of the match made a very bad illegal tackle and aside from the red card he was gven a four week ban. After the ban lapsed Erasmus did not want him anywhere near the Sprngbok squad in the RC.

Why is Esterhuizen virtually never where the action is? Well the answer is simple - he is not a thinking player with ball sense.

Kinderagtige reaksie ouMaaik ... jy bly onberispelik.

‘He then picked him to play next to Sacha in the Portugal tests and the idiot three minutes from tehs tart of the match made a very bad illegal tackle and aside from the red card he was gven a four week ban. After the ban lapsed Erasmus did not want him anywhere near the Sprngbok squad in the RC.’

……

And yet he picked him for the subsequent test against Scotland at YE,

Dave, you think JJ is quick...which kinda tells us that you have no idea of what pace is.

Three random Toulouse backs all ran him down when he was in the clear. When three random backs all catch up to you, then you can hardly be considered to have any pace.

As long as you "glide", am I right ;)

For instance when Sacha made a break in the wallabies test last month De Allende was theere to cary the ball further -drew in the remainder defenders and passed the ball to Reinach who scored, Sacha has a lot of pace and so does Reinach,- De Allende wa there Esterhuizen would not have been,

Ah yes, still the mythical Reinach try against Australia that is nowhere to be found in the real world. Reinach scored one try in the past three Rugby Championships - a tap and go against Argentina.

So how many tries have St Esterhuizen scored in the 21 tests he played in idiot? And why was that? Because Esterhuizen was never near the action and if he is aso good why does he fuck up he functionng of the Sharks - both in attack and defense totally.

But all kind of mythical attributes in rugby is dreamed up by you lot and then given as actual facts. Eterhuizen played in 21 tests for the Springboks and was failure in 21 tests where he fcontribted nothing and fucked up royally - both in defense and attack. Why is it that on this site Esterhuizen is a rugby great - while rugby experts rate De Allende highly and Esterhuizen is not even mentioned.as a test player?

You mention JJ as being slow - he is exaactly like Esterhuizen - strong in muscles and fucked up in rugby thinking. He is always out of position and never where he should be. In one attack De Klerk ran between the space between Hendriks nd Estehuizen with Estehizen freezing up and the guy ran within 2 meters from him and he did bugger-all,

When Esterhuizen caried the ball and ran three meter before reaching the gain line and get tackled and the ecovery of the ball was slow - e gets credited for a nn-existing and ineffective ball carry as if he gained 10 metrs for the Sharks, Always the same refrain - so lets face facts - he was a failue when playing for the Under 20's - he as a failure for the Sharks in 2014 and 2015. He went to play rugby in England where slow felds made im look better - but eh enver really ever produced anything consistent for the Springboks on test level. Justy name me one incident in the tests he played in here he mde a valuable contribution that had an impact on the match outocm and tere as just ONE BIG ZERO. Go back to the Wales test in May 2018 in ashingtn. he as slow - but caried the ball twice for a total 40 mete gain. At the end of each cary ball turover followed and nstead o a 40 meter teritory gain the Springboks lost territory as a result.

Why was Eserhuizen in te test last year tied out as a center partner for Sacha to see wht e cold bring to the party lasted 3 minutes and ten eh destoyed is chances b etting red-carded and a 4 week ban. After that ban expired he was supposed to be available for the Springboks - but Erasmus who according to some on site knows bugger-all of rugby - did not use him in the RC in 2024. Why was that the case? The man is 31 years old and never esatblised himself as a first choice 12 since 2018 - so how would that change at the age of 31 years?

.

. .

That was a really clumsy way of admitting the Reinach try against Australia exists only in your imagination.

Mike, you are the only person on this board that doesn't rate Esterhuizen highly.

You're going to be very disappointed but Rassie has been saving AE for this run to the WC.

AE and Hooker have been the standout performers in a totally dysfunctional Sharks line this season.

Admittedly, AE did have a game where he made some mistakes, we called it on the game thread at the time. But he's still easily been the best 12 in SA this year.

His solid performances in midfield were a major reason the Sharks made it to the semis despite not deserving to.

Let's see what happens this year, but I think the "genius" is gonna make some calls that will leave you red faced.

Plum

None of the site members - me included are rugby experts and it is a b lessi ng that we are not invovled in Springbok seectionm

Wrong - I believe that Esterhuizen is a 6,5 to 7 rating player on Club-Franchise level - but I have not seen any positive rating of Esterhuizen on test level by any rugby expert, As a matter of fact I do believe his rating on test level he is just about 5 out of ten based on his performances in teh 21 tests he played in. He never showed anything in the matches he played in insofar as both attack and defense,

When it comes to test level performances real experts bwelieve that De Allnde is the top player in the world as a 12, So the attack came from site members who believe all kind of unproven allegations are made up by members, An example is the allegation that Eterhuizen out-pace De Allende and when you look at matches on franchise level it is clear that Esterhuizen is as much a crashballer as people declare De Allende is and even more so,

When Pollard openly say De Allende is the best inside center he ever played with then I believe Pollard in that regard, When people like the expet captains of the past picj a team fo the eyar and whout exception rate De Allende top class 12 - I know whom to believe and that is not the kind fo tripe coming up on this site,

Personally I have never seen a sign of any ball sense of Esterhuizen. Maybe you do nt knw that specific expression means - Ball sense players by instinct knows where the ball is going and they are alays present to benefit from that knowledge, That is why De Allende is a better 12 than Esterhuizen That is why Esterhuizen in 21 tests did not score a single try,

That is why when Whte ad the money to recruit Esterhuizen to play for the Bulls, That is why Erasmus gave Esterhuizen plenty opportunities ti play test rugby and he never perfored on high enough level to be a permanet and not a fringe player for teh Springboks/ It goes back to the 2019 RWC when Willemse were called up to replace Kriel and not Esterhuizen. In July last year Etserhuizen was given an opportuity what he can do next to Sacha as flyhalf and after 3 minutes into the game Estehuizen was red-carded 3 minutes into the match and als got a 4 week ban. Erasmus must hav been annoyed by theat one - so Erasmus did not include Esterhuizen in the RC squad, . .