‘It is the ultimate honour to be recognised by your fellow players and I am humbled by this award. The United Rugby Championship is such a high standard of rugby and there are so many talented players involved, so this award is huge for me. Thanks to every single person who has helped me along the way this season, this award is for all of them too.’
The award is voted for by the competition’s captains and vice-captains, with the DHL Stormers number eight coming out on top in a poll that was conducted at the end of the regular season.
Roos, 22, adds this latest accolade to a personal haul that already includes the prizes for Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season, Next-Gen Player of the Season and a place in the Dream Team.
This is the final award to be announced and rounds off a successful showing from the DHL Stormers, who also boast Top Try Scorer Leolin Zas and five Dream Team representatives.
Roos will be looking to cap a memorable season by lifting the inaugural URC title when the DHL Stormers host the Vodacom Bulls in the Grand Final on Saturday June 18.
The back-row forward has had a stand-out campaign for the Cape Town outfit, proving himself a destructive ball carrier with more successful carries (126) and defenders beaten (49) than any other player in the competition over the 18 rounds of the regular season.
He has carried that form into the play-offs, putting on a Vodacom Man of the Match display as the DHL Stormers overcame Edinburgh Rugby in the Final Eight and scoring a try in their semi-final clash with Ulster.
Roos’ URC performances saw him earn a Springboks call-up over the weekend and he is on course to make his Test debut during next month’s home series against Wales.
URC Awards Winners List 2021-22
Tackle Machine: Alan O’Connor (Ulster)
Turnover King: Jac Morgan (Ospreys)
Gilbert Golden Boot: Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys)
Top Try Scorer: Leolin Zas (DHL Stormers)
Ironman: Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls)
Next-Gen Player of the Season: Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)
Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season: Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)
Loch Lomond Coach of the Season: Leo Cullen (Leinster)
Players’ Player of the Season: Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)
Dream Team: Warrick Gelant (DHL Stormers), Seabelo Senatla (DHL Stormers), James Hume (Ulster), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), Leolin Zas (DHL Stormers), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster); Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Marcell Coetzee (Vodacom Bulls), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)
