Rugby earns nominations at 2011 SA Sports Awards
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The achievements of Springbok Sevens star Cecil Afrika and Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke have been acknowledged in the nominations for the 2011 SA Sports Awards.
Furthermore, two of South African rugby’s most decorated players, John Smit and Victor Matfield, were also nominated in special categories when the nominees were announced at a function held at Sun City earlier this week.
Africa has been recognised for his superb displays in the HSBC Sevens World Series in his nomination as Sports Star of the Year. Afrika, who dazzled crowds across the globe with his amazing skills, will come up against some of South Africa’s finest when the winner is announced next month.
The other nominees are Cameron van der Burgh, world and Commonwealth champion in the 50m breaststroke, Masters golf champion Charl Schwartzel, Hashim Amla, currently the world’s top-ranked ODI batsman, and 2009 CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year Noko Matlou.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, who coached the Pretoria franchise to back-to-back Vodacom Super Rugby titles in 2009 and 2010, as well as the Absa Currie Cup crown in 2009, has been nominated as Coach of the Year, alongside Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane and Johan van Heerden (angling).
The Vodacom Bulls were also nominated in the category of Team of the Year, where they will come up against the Commonwealth Games Bowls team and the P750 Inflatable Powerboat Team.
Smit’s name appears on the list of nominees for the Minister’s Award, alongside Caster Semenya (athletics), Noni Tenge (boxing), Siphiwe Tshabalala and Steven Pienaar (both soccer), as well as Louis Oosthuizen (golf).
Matfield is nominated for the Steve Tshwete Lifetime Achievement Award with Peter Sabatha Thage (karate).
The SA Sports Awards were created by the department of Sport and Recreation, together with Sascoc, in a bid to reward the country’s sports stars for their efforts in keeping the passion for sport alive in the hearts of millions of South Africans, through their efforts in local and international sports events.
The awards recognise individuals and teams who have excelled both on and off the field during the period 1 November 2009 to 30 April 2011.
Sixteen awards will be handed out at the awards evening, which will take place at Sun City on Sunday, 21 August. The winner of the Sports Star of the Year award will be decided by the public.
Note: Information on how to vote for Cecil will be made available on our website (www.sarugby.co.za) and via Facebook (www.facebook.com/springboks).
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