Rugby awards
The Van Rooyen Cup
and Brockwell Cup
are collected
byFerdie Hedder of
Mtuba
A proud Thomas
Chilcott collects
the President’s
Trophy and DM Thomas
Trophy on behalf of
Empangeni IV
Ian Wilmot and
Bennie Smit were
rewarded for
achieving five caps
for Zululand
Johannes Oloefse,
Jors Strydom and
Jaco Jacobs received
jerseys celebrating
their 10 Zululand
caps
Mike
Harrison
TWENTY-FOUR
year-old Ian Wilmot
of Inyanga Motors
North Coast Rhinos
is Zululand’s Rugby
Player of the Year.
He received the
Alexander Trophy at
the annual
prize-giving
cocktail party on
Wednesday night at
Empangeni Rugby Club
and now goes forward
as rugby’s
nomination for the
2006 Zululand
Sportsman of the
Year award.
Ian went to school
at St Andrew’s
College in
Grahamstown where he
started his playing
career in the front
row of the scrum.
Incidentally, he
played 20 games for
the first team over
a period of two
years while at
school.
He then moved to
Crusaders Technikon
in Port Elizabeth in
the U21 division
before transferring
to Lowveld
Agricultural
College.
He spent two years
playing for the
Pumas Sub Union,
Lowveld Sub Union
and SA Agricultural
Colleges before
moving to Empangeni
two seasons ago.
In his first season
with Rhinos, his
ability was
immediately
recognised and it
wasn’t long before
he was playing
regularly for the
first team.
He finished the 2005
season as
Empangeni’s Player
of the Year.
Now, after another
successful year
where, at between
110-115kg, is the
strongest man in
Rhinos’ front row,
he has been
nominated as
Zululand’s Player of
the Year.
A fine record indeed
for a player who
always gives his
best, even when the
chips are down.
His nomination was a
popular one and was
well received.
