17 October 2026
The official winners of the prestigious 2026 Ruggas Awards were crowned at a gala evening hosted at Stellenberg Hoërskool. The event marked the culmination of a massive public voting campaign that saw a record-breaking 262,188 digital votes cast by school rugby fans across South Africa. Following the public selection of three finalists per category, an expert rugby panel finalised the decisions to honour the top performers of the school rugby season.
It was a historic night for the host school, with Stellenberg Hoërskool securing six major accolades. Lock Juvan Burden earned the marquee Player of the Year title after a dominant individual season on the pitch. Tactician Divan Batt earned the Coach of the Year award for orchestrating Stellenberg's clinical performances, while Ethan van Biljon and Yanos Molnar claimed Backline Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, respectively.
The premier institutional honours were divided between traditional Western Cape powerhouses and a rising upcountry force. Paul Roos Gymnasium stood tall above a fiercely competitive field to claim the School of the Year title for the second time in 3 years. Meanwhile, Paarl Gimnasium’s relentless performances throughout the year earned them the 1stXV Team of the Year crown, and Mpumalanga’s Hoërskool Nelspruit walked away with the School of the Year (Most Improved) award.
The awards evening also highlighted the growing diversity and physical depth of the schoolboy and schoolgirl structures. Jacobus de Villiers from Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale won Forward of the Year for his abrasive performances in the trenches, while DF Akademie's Jessie Schoeman was named Female Player of the Year, and Westcliff School of Skills standout Jean McEwan accepted the LSEN Player of the Year award.
Administrative excellence and lifelong contributions to the sport were recognised for brilliance behind the scenes. Stellenberg's Duppie du Preez received the Administrator of the Year award for his management and development of Stellenberg's rise to a now recognised school rugby powerhouse. Rounding out the host school's historic haul, Kiewiet Vermeulen was presented with the highly respected Award of Excellence for outstanding service to school rugby development.
2026 Ruggas Awards: The Official Winners List
* Player of the Year: Juvan Burden (Stellenberg Hoërskool)
* School of the Year: Paul Roos Gymnasium
* 1stXV Team of the Year: Paarl Gimnasium
* Coach of the Year: Divan Batt (Stellenberg Hoërskool)
* Most Valuable Player (MVP): Yanos Molnar (Stellenberg Hoërskool)
* Backline Player of the Year: Ethan van Biljon (Stellenberg Hoërskool)
* Forward of the Year: Jacobus de Villiers (Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale)
* School of the Year (Most Improved): Hoërskool Nelspruit
* Female Player of the Year: Jessie Schoeman (DF Akademie)
* LSEN Player of the Year: Jean McEwan (Westcliff School of Skills)
* Administrator of the Year: Duppie du Preez (Stellenberg Hoërskool)
* Award of Excellence: Kiewiet Vermeulen (Stellenberg Hoërskool)