Munster fly-half Jack Crowley and Hollywoodbets Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi are the latest URC Awards 2023/24 winners with the pair winning Next-Gen Player of the Season and Try of the Season, respectively.
Crowley’s award was voted for by members of the media across all five nations, while Fassi’s effort was voted as the Try of the Season by the fans following an extended social media vote.
They join Alessandro Izekor (Tackle Machine), Jamie Ritchie (Turnover King), Chris Smith (Gilbert Golden Boot), Johnny Matthews (OFX Top Try Scorer), and Shane Daly (Ironman) in winning awards for their monumental efforts this season.
Next-Gen Player of the Season: Jack Crowley (Munster Rugby)
This award is to recognise young up-and-coming talent. This category is open to players who were aged 23 and under at the start of the season, and had earned no more than five international caps at the end of the 2022/23 season.
They must also have played at least nine games in the 2023/24 Vodacom URC season.
Crowley has been a key player for Munster Rugby this season, helping them to finish top of the regular season table with 97 points, including two tries in 12 games at the helm for the Irish province. In voting for Crowley, members of the media have dubbed him as “central” to Munster’s incredible run of form in 2024.
One member of the voting media panel wrote:
“Having nailed down the Munster No.10 jersey at the end of last season, Crowley’s all-round game and leadership has rapidly matured in the role in 23/24. Not only an excellent game manager but with the ability and vision to be a game-changer.”
Try of the Season Powered by URC.tv: Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Aphelele Fassi’s incredible solo effort against Edinburgh in Round 13 has been voted as Try of the Season following a social media vote by Vodacom URC fans with over 5,000 people having their say. The electric fullback garnered double the votes of his nearest competition for his world-class effort.
Fassi has been in excellent form all season, and also leads the way for metres made in the regular season, with an astonishing 1232 metres made, over 200 metres ahead of his nearest challenger.
There were 10 tries in total nominated, with Fassi beating some stiff competition to the award.
Try of the Season Nominees:
- Craig Casey (Munster) v Leinster
- Quan Horn (Emirates Lions) v Dragons RFC
- Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) v Vodacom Bulls
- Warrick Gelant (DHL Stormers) v Leinster
- Theo Cabango (Cardiff Rugby) v Scarlets
- Diarmuid Kilgallen (Connacht) v Glasgow Warriors
- Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) v Edinburgh
- JC Pretorius (Emirates Lions) v Glasgow Warriors
- Embrose Papier (Vodacom Bulls) v Cardiff Rugby
- Sebastián Cancelliere (Glasgow Warriors) v Leinster
URC Awards Winners 2023-24
- Tackle Machine: Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby)
- Turnover King: Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby)
- Gilbert Golden Boot: Chris Smith (Vodacom Bulls)
- OFX Top Try Scorer: Johnny Matthews (Glasgow Warriors)
- Ironman Award: Shane Daly (Munster Rugby)
- Next-Gen Player of the Season: Jack Crowley (Munster Rugby)
- Try of the Season Powered by URC.tv: Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Eye Devil
Sport Trivia: At the 2007 Cricket World cup, this South African batsman made history when he became the first player to hit six sixes in an over in a ODI match. Answer: Herschelle Gibbs. Herschelle is one of the Protea\’s best batsmen with over 5000 Test runs and over 6000 ODI runs. He is also an excellent fielder, and bowls in first class matches. When Herschelle is on form there is no stopping him, with many centuries and half centuries to his name. However, he also has a fair share of ducks and many matches where he has failed to make 10 runs.
Foot-Long Fry
Jonah Lomu, a former New Zealand rugby player, is considered one of the greatest wingers in rugby history. Despite being diagnosed with a kidney disorder, he scored 37 tries in 63 tests for the All Blacks between 1994 and 2002.