Waikato Rugby Union celebrated their end of season awards last night (Friday 10^th December) with a virtual prize giving.

Blackferns XV and Sevens player, Stacey Fluhler, was the big winner of the night picking up both the Gallagher Sportsperson of the Year and the supreme award, the Ian Clarke trophy. The Ian Clarke Trophy is awarded to a Waikato person who has achieved the most outstanding results over the past 12 months and Fluhler is the first women’s player to be awarded the supreme award since it was first presented in 1998.

In the Community and Club awards, Dale Cooper was named the Gallagher Administrator of the Year, for his tireless efforts throughout the year for Cambridge Junior Rugby Sports.

After another strong season with the whistle and achieving a refereeing milestone of 50 first class matches, Michael Winter, was awarded the Grassroots Trust Amateur Referee of the Year.

There were seven recipients of the Leigh Cooksley WRU Service to Rugby; These recipients were Kevin Alderman, Bill Heslop, Wayne Bootten, Kevin Clarke, Rawinia Peters, Nadine Stafford and John Williamson.

In the coaching awards, Hamilton Old Boys, Brigham Nordstrom won the Mark Keesom Ray White Junior Coach of the Year, and 2021 New Zealand Secondary Schools Super 8 championship winning coach, Nigel Hotham, was named Kukri Secondary Schools Coach of the Year.

At club level, K’Lee Begbie picked the PIC Insurance Brokers Women’s Club Player of the Year after her strong club season, while we saw her rewarded by being named in the Waitomo Group: Waikato Farah Palmer Cup squad.

Fraser Tech Rugby Club was the biggest winner on the night as players and coaches from the club were winners in all categories they were nominated in. Patrick McCurran was awarded the Waikato Draught Men’s Club Player of the Year, Daniel Teka won the Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year after he coached his team to their first Premiership title in 10 seasons.

Fraser Tech’s Premiership side claimed the Power Farming Club Team of the Year and the Club was named the Waikato Draught Club of the year.

In the Representative awards, Bunnings NPC Premiership winning coach, Ross Filipo, claimed the Kukri Representative Coach of the Year award.  

The Waitomo Group: Waikato FPC team were named the Hendl & Murray Representative Team of the Year after claiming their maiden Farah Palmer Cup title, avenging last season narrow defeat against the same opponents Canterbury at the same venue.

The RoomMates Cabins Emerging Men’s Player of the Year went to D’Angelo Leuila, after he played in all 11 games for Waikato in the NPC. K’Lee Begbie claimed her second award of the evening by winning the University of Waikato Emerging Women’s Player of the Year award.

Two-time captain in 2021 and the NPC second top tackler Mitch Jacobson (Waikato Draught Mitre 10 Cup Player of the Year) and young utility back, Kelsey Teneti (Waitomo Group Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year) were both named players of the year for their respective campaigns.

After being called in as a loose forward replacement during the season and going on to play seven matches for Waikato, Rupeni Tamani took home the Aaron Hopa award while the first women’s player to achieve 50 provincial caps for Waikato, Victoria Edmonds, received the Manatiaki Award. Both players received these awards 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 2021. The evening covered the entire spectrum of the game including coaches, players, referees, volunteers and administrators from junior, school, club, and representative levels.

The finalist and winners are listed below:

Gallagher Administrator of the Year

Finalists: Graham Chubb, Dale Cooper, Selina Heke

Winner: Dale Cooper

Grassroots Trust Amateur Referee of the Year

Finalists: Tim Baker, Michael Winter, Ben Woolerton

Winner: Michael Winter

Leigh Cooksley WRU Service to Rugby

Recipients: Kevin Alderman, Bill Heslop, Wayne Bootten, Kevin Clarke, Rawinia Peters, Nadine Stafford, John Williamson

Mark Keesom Ray White Junior Coach of the Year

Finalists: Brigham Nordstrom, Baz Vevers, Ryan Kirby

Winners: Brigham Nordstrom

Kukri Secondary School Coach of the Year

Finalists: Daryl Bennison, Nigel Hotham, Matt Jones

Winner: Nigel Hotham

Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year

Finalists: Geoff Burgess, Reuben Samuel, Daniel Teka

Winner: Daniel Teka

PIC Women’s Club Player of the Year

Finalists: Ariana Bayler, K’Lee Begbie, Chyna Hohepa

Winner: K’Lee Begbie

Waikato Draught Club Player of the Year

Finalists: D’Angelo Leuila, Patrick McCurran, Coby Miln

Winner: Patrick McCurran

Power Farming Club Team of the Year

Finalists: Fraser Tech Premiers, Hamilton Marist Colts, Hamilton Old Boys Women’s

Winner: Fraser Tech Premiers

Waikato Draught Club of the Year

Finalists: Fraser Tech, Hamilton Marist, Hamilton Old Boys

Winner: Fraser Tech

Kukri Representative Coach of the Year

Finalists: Ross Filipo, James Semple

Winner: Ross Filipo

Hendl & Murray Representative Team of the Year

Finalists: WaikatoFPC, Waikato NPC

Winner: Waikato FPC

RoomMate Cabins Emerging Men’s Player of the Year

Finalists: George Dyer, D’Angelo Leuila, Gideon Wrampling

Winner: D’Angelo Leuila

University of Waikato Emerging Women’s Player of the Year

Finalists: K’Lee Begbie, Claudia Hobbs, Gabby Wainohu

Winner: K’Lee Begbie

Waikato Draught Bunnings NPC Player of the Year

Finalists: Samipeni Finau, Mitch Jacobson, James Tucker

Winner: Mitch Jacobson

Waitomo Group Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year

Finalists: Victoria Edmonds, Grace Houpapa-Barrett, Kelsey Teneti

Winner: Kelsey Teneti

Lone Star Rototuna People’s Star Award

Winner: Sefo Kautai

McDonald’s Community Spirit Award

Winner: Laghlan McWhannell

Aaron Hopa Memorial Trophy

Recipient: Rupeni Tamani

Manatiaki Award

Recipient: Victoria Edmonds

Hare Puke Memorial Trophy Tainui Waka Maori Player of the Year

Recipient: Cheyelle Robins-Reti

Gallagher Sportsperson of the Year

Finalists: Stacey Fluhler, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Quinn Tupaea

Winner: Stacey Fluhler

Ian Clarke Trophy

Recipient: Stacey Fluhler

Waikato Supporter Club Awards

NPC Forward of the Year: George Dyer

NPC Back of the Year: Bailyn Sullivan

NPC Player of the Year: James Tucker

FPC Forward of the Year: Leomie Kloppers

FPC Back of the Year: Kelsey Teneti

FPC Player of the Year: Chyna Hohepa

Article added: Friday 10 December 2021