By I-Net, www.inet.co.za, Updated: 2009/11/03

Fourie's a jolly good fella

Fourie du Preez is South Africa's rugby player of the year; It is the second time that the Bulls and Bok scrumhalf has won the award.

By Craig Ray

Fourie du Preez is South Africa's rugby player of the year. It is the second time that the Bulls and Bok scrumhalf has won the award.

At the awards ceremony last night, Du Preez held off challenges from nominees Morne Steyn, Heinrich Brussow, John Smit and Victor Matfield in a stellar year for South African rugby.

Steyn was the leading points-scorer in the Super 14 and Tri-Nations and kicked the series-winning penalty from 53m against the British & Irish Lions at Loftus Versfeld. He also landed a last-minute penalty from the touchline to win the Currie Cup semifinal against Western Province.

Brussow was a revelation in his first full year of Test rugby and redefined the way South Africans viewed the open-side flank position. His peerless ball-stealing ability, his superb handling and strong ball-carrying made him a leading candidate for the award.

Matfield and Smit were colossal in their leadership roles, while the former continued to be the dominant lineout force in world rugby. Smit underlined his leadership qualities in an acrimonious series against the Lions, though he struggled in the tighthead position.

But it was Du Preez who won the main prize for his brilliant tactical understanding of the game and his striking ability to produce moments of brilliance at crucial times.

He also won the award in 2006 and is one of only two scrumhalves [Divan Serfontein was the other in 1982] to have won the award. He also becomes one of only four players to win a second time.

The others were Gerald Bosch (1973, 1975), Naas Botha (1979, 1981, 1985, 1987), and Uli Schmidt (1990, 1991).

Among the other main awards, which are voted for by rugby journalists, Brussow was named as young player of the year; the Springboks were team of the year and Peter de Villiers was chosen as coach of the year.

His peers selected Morné Steyn as players' player of the year.

Steyn collected three awards. He was also named as Test player of the series against the British & Irish Lions, while his record-breaking performances for the Bulls in their march to the Super 14 title earned him the player of the competition award.

Brussow also claimed a second award as provincial player of the Lions series, following his performance for the Free State Cheetahs that helped to propel him into the Springbok team.

RUGBY AWARDS: THE FULL LIST

Player of the year: Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls)

Players' player of the year: Morne Steyn (Bulls)

Young player of the year: Heinrich Brussow (Free State Cheetahs)

Best player in Lions series: Morne Steyn (Bulls)

Provincial player in Lions series: Heinrich Brussow (Free State Cheetahs)

Team of the year: The Springboks

Coach of the year: Peter de Villiers

Super 14 best player: Morne Steyn (Bulls)

Currie Cup best player: Luke Watson (Western Province)

Currie Cup first division best player: Allistair Kettledas (Pumas)

Best try: Jaque Fourie, second Test v British & Irish Lions (Loftus Versfeld)