Cape Town Knights halfback Andre Muller has capped a stellar season – one which won the club its first Western Province Rugby League Challenge – by winning the award as the club’s best player.
Muller was crowned Player of the Year after being judged to have made the most outstanding on field contribution to the Knights over the course of the season by their team mates and coaching staff.
The classy playmaker played a pivotal part in the success of the club’s first year of existence, with his lethal, striking runs and bone crunching tackles.
Knights’ skipper Pieter Slabbert also did not go home empty-handed, with the lively hooker winning the Best Back award. The North West University product led from the front and revelled around the ruck behind a dominant forward pack.
Second row Schalk Jooste took home the Best Forward award – after many solid performances at second row and in the centres this season, including being a key member of head coach Carel van Lill’s player leadership group.
Also honoured was winger Jason Barrish, who was awarded the Club Person of the Year for his outstanding contribution both on and off the field throughout season 2015/16. Barrish also holds the record for being the most capped Knights player.
Elusive second row Joe van Zyl won the Most Improved Knight award following an impressive opening season at the club, which also earned him a call-up to the national training squad.
Tiaan Roelofse’s tireless efforts and contribution to the Knights community were recognised with the 28-year-old receiving the 2015/16 Coaches’ Award.
Teammate Divan Lotz claimed the titles of Top Points and Try Scorer, to round out the awards as the club put the icing on a successful season, which saw it win its first Western Province Rugby League Challenge title.
2015/16 KNIGHTS PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS:
Player of the Year — Andre Muller
Best Forward — Schalk Jooste
Best Back — Pieter Slabbert
Most Improved — Joe van Zyl
Clubman of the Year — Jason Barrish
Coaches’ Award — Tiaan Roelofse
Top Points-Scorers — Divan Lotz, Heinrich Schlunz & Meyer Jv Rensburg (28 points)
Top Try-Scorer — Divan Lotz (7 tries)
Provincial Squad Representatives — Tiaan Roelofse, Neliaan Harmse, Pieter Slabbert, Jacques Roux, Mike Pfeil, Heinrich Schlunz, Schalk Jooste, JP Swanepoel & Brandon Meyer
National Squad Representatives — Billy van Lill, Carel van Lill, JP Swanepoel & Joe van Zyl

South African Rugby League today announced the formation of another club, the Pretoria East Rabbitohs. The Rabbitohs will play under the Northwest Province, along with the Stilfontein Hurricanes. The Rabbitohs might be a new club, but they boast several Rhino (National Team) players and have very experienced coaches and management in Tjaart van der Walt, Jonothan Soares and Deon Kraemer. The club will play from their home base in Potchefstroom and big things are expected of them, especially with such a strong roster of players.
“The board and myself are very excited about the second club to join the Northwest Province” Kobus Botha, President of SARL, said, adding that the formation  of the two new clubs gives legitimacy to SARL’s intent to grow provinces and clubs throughout South Africa. SARL does not want to open clubs to simply make up numbers, but rather focus on sustainable club development, linked to regional tertiary institutions.

The Rabbitohs will be competing with two new clubs, the Stilfontein Hurricans, and the Bethal Bronco’s, in the Protea Cup Competition. For more information, please visit www.sarugbyleague.co.za  or the club’s Facebook page at : https://www.facebook.com/Rabbithohs.

SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY LEAGUE is please to announce the registration of a new rugby league club to play in the National Club Championships this year. 

The Bethal Broncos will be based in Bethal, Mpumalanga, and play in the Mpumalanga regional competition as well as the National Club Championships in the Protea Cup. Gerry Gendal, chairman of the Broncos, is very excited about the year ahead and plans to mount a strong campaign to end up top of the log of the Protea Cup. 

The club has some excellent credentials, with Gerry having played at all levels, including internationally for the London Bronco’s in the early 90’s. He was also a prominent Rhino Player and the coach for the National Team. We can expect a very physical team as the area is renowned for their strong players.

Kobus Botha, President of SARL, is very excited about the new club: “The registration of new clubs is important to the growth of rugby league in South Africa, and the new National Club Championship is designed to promote, cultivate and entrench new clubs in the national set up. This forms part of SARL’s strategy for expansion into undeveloped territories and I for one am very happy with the excellent work being done by so many unsung heroes to promote the sport.”

For queries and information, please contact news@sarugbyleague.co.za
For information on practises and venues, please contact geraldgendall@gmail.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/Bethal-Broncos