Waikato Rugby Union celebrated their end of season awards last week (Thursday 20^th November) at the University of Waikato.

At the club level of the game, Hinuera’s Jackie O’Reilly won the Gallagher Administrator of the Year for her efforts this season beginning at the junior level and helping out through many aspects at the club, playing a huge role during the covid lockdowns.

The PIC Women’s Club Player of the Year went to inspirational Hamilton Old Boys’s vice-captain, Leomie Kloppers, for her role on and off the field during the clubs 2020 campaign. While the Premier club competition top try scorer and powerhouse Hautapu winger, Josh Gascoigne, won the Waikato Draught Men’s Club Player of the Year.

Leamington Colts head coach, Dean Crampton, was awarded the Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year after guiding his team to an Elliot Shield title.

Otorohanga Sports took out the Waikato Draught Club of the Year, after their Premiership A team made the Waikato Breweries Shield final and their B’s won the Rowe Cup final. The club’s player base grow this season and they continued to field a Women’s team plus added a Under 85kgs team this season.

In the Representative awards, halfback, Cortez Ratima, backed up his 2019 men’s Club Player of the Year by taking out the Mark Keesom Ray White Emerging Men’s Player of the Year and Waikato Women’s rookie, Mia Anderson, won The University of Waikato Emerging Women’s Player of the Year.

Representative Player of the Year awards for both the men’s and women’s games were won by loose forwards. Captain Luke Jacobson won the Waikato Draught Mitre 10 Cup Player of the Year and hard-hitting, Kennedy Simon, won the SKYCITY Hamilton Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year.

Finally, the special awards of the evening, the Aaron Hopa Memorial trophy and the Manatiaki award were awarded to Mitch Jacobson and Ariana Bayler respectively, for their outstanding contribution to rugby on and off the field.

The Gallagher Waikato Rugby awards recognise people and teams that have made an outstanding contribution to Waikato Rugby in 2020. The evening covered the entire spectrum of the game including coaches, players, referees, volunteers and administrators.

The finalist and winners are listed below:

Gallagher Administrator of the Year

Winner: Jackie O’Reilly (Hinuera Rugby Club)

Grassroots Amateur Referee of the Year

Winner: Larissa Collingwood

PIC Women’s Club Player of the Year

Winner: Leomie Kloppers

Waikato Draught Club Player of the Year

Winner: Josh Gascoigne

Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year

Winner: Dean Crampton

Waikato Draught Club of the Year

Winner: Otorohanga Sports

Mark Keesom Ray White Emerging Player of the Year – Men’s

Winner: Cortez Ratima

University of Waikato Emerging Player of the Year – Women’s

Winner: Mia Anderson

SKYCITY Hamilton Women’s Representative Player of the Year

Winner: Kennedy Simon

Waikato Draught Mitre 10 Cup Player of the Year

Winner: Luke Jacobson

Lonestar People’s Star Award

Winner: Patrick Osborne

McDonalds Community Spirit Award

Winner: Louis Rogers

Aaron Hopa Memorial Trophy

Recipient: Mitch Jacobson

Manatiaki Award

Recipient: Ariana Bayler

Article added: Monday 23 November 2020