Embrose Papier wins two top honours at Bulls annual awards night

Embrose Papier collected two of the main prizes at the Bulls’ annual awards at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday night, being named both Players’ Player of the Year and Senior MVP/Player of the Year. The Springbok scrumhalf had already been recognised as the South African URC Player of the Season after his 2025-26 campaign.

Papier was one of several multiple winners as the Bulls honoured contributions across their senior, Currie Cup, women’s and junior teams. Jeandré Rudolph also received two awards, taking the 2025 Currie Cup Player of the Year prize and the Champions Cup Forward of the Year honour. Sebastian de Klerk was named Champions Cup Back of the Year.

The Bulls’ URC awards went to Harold Vorster and Johan Grobbelaar, who were selected as Back of the Year and Forward of the Year respectively. Junior Pokomela and Zak Burger won the equivalent forward and back awards for the 2025 Currie Cup season. JJ Theron was recognised as Forward of the Year at both U21 and U23 level.

Cheswill Jooste was the Bulls’ Newcomer of the Year, while Springbok flank Marco van Staden received the Team Man of the Year award. The club’s other honours included Chantell Prinsloo as Blue Bulls Company Employee of the Year and Marcell Coetzee as the recipient of the Feel Good Award.

The Bulls Daisies also featured prominently. Chuma Qawe was named Player of the Year, Yonela Ngxingolo won the MVP award and Thobile Msizazwe was selected as Back of the Year. Vainah Ubisi collected both Try of the Year and Forward of the Year, while Camelitha Malone won Players’ Player of the Year and the Pulse of the Team award.

At age-group level, Heinrich Theron and Pieter van der Merwe were the Bulls U19 forwards and backs of the year, with Kebotile Maake taking their Player of the Year award. The U21 winners were JJ Theron, Demitre Erasmus and Cephas van Biljon, while the U23 forward and back prizes went to JJ Theron and Neil Le Roux.