Papier wins big at Bulls awards

South African URC Player of the Season Embrose Papier picked up more silverware at the Vodacom Bulls’ annual awards at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday night.

The Springbok scrumhalf walked away with two of the biggest honours after an outstanding 2025-26 campaign, being named both the Bulls’ Players’ Player of the Year and Senior MVP/Player of the Year.

Papier was among several multiple award winners as the Bulls recognised performances across their senior, Currie Cup, women’s and age-group teams.

Loose forward Jeandré Rudolph was another player to earn two honours, having been named the Bulls’ 2025 Currie Cup Player of the Year as well as their Forward of the Year in the 2025-26 Champions Cup. Winger Sebastian de Klerk was named the Bulls’ Champions Cup Back of the Year.

In the URC categories, centre Harold Vorster was named Back of the Year, while hooker Johan Grobbelaar took the Forward of the Year award, while loose forward Junior Pokomela and scrumhalf Zak Burger received the respective forward and back awards for the 2025 Currie Cup campaign.

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Loose forward JJ Theron‘s progress through the Bulls’ junior ranks was rewarded with the Forward of the Year award at both U21 and U23 level.

Winger Cheswill Jooste was recognised as the Bulls’ Newcomer of the Year, with Springbok flank Marco van Staden receiving the Team Man of the Year award.

The Bulls Daisies also featured prominently on the honours list. Vainah Ubisi claimed Try of the Year and Forward of the Year, while Camelitha Malone was voted Players’ Player of the Year and received the Pulse of the Team award.

Chuma Qawe was named the Daisies’ Player of the Year, with Yonela Ngxingolo taking the MVP award and Thobile Msizazwe recognised as Back of the Year.

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2025-26 Bulls award winners

Bulls U19s 2025
Forward of the Year: Heinrich Theron
Back of the Year: Pieter van der Merwe
Player of the Year: Kebotile Maake

Bulls U21s 2025
Forward of the Year: JJ Theron
Back of the Year: Demitre Erasmus
Player of the Year: Cephas van Biljon

Bulls U23 2026
Forward of the Year: JJ Theron
Back of the Year: Neil Le Roux

Currie Cup 2025
Forward of the Year: Junior Pokomela
Back of the Year: Zak Burger
Player of the Year: Jeandré Rudolph

Bulls Daisies 2026
Try of the Year: Vainah Ubisi
Pulse of the Team: Camelitha Malone
Back of the Year: Thobile Msizazwe
Forward of the Year: Vainah Ubisi
Player of the Year: Chuma Qawe
Players’ Player of the Year: Camelitha Malone
MVP: Yonela Ngxingolo

Champions Cup 2025-26
Back of the Year: Sebastian de Klerk
Forward of the Year: Jeandré Rudolph

URC 2025-26
Back of the Year: Harold Vorster
Forward of the Year: Johan Grobbelaar

Bulls
Newcomer of the Year: Cheswill Jooste
Team Man of the Year: Marco van Staden
Players’ Player of the Year: Embrose Papier
Senior MVP/Player of the Year: Embrose Papier

Blue Bulls Company
Employee of the Year: Chantell Prinsloo
Feel Good Award: Marcell Coetzee

Photo: Kian Abdullah/Gallo Images