Rugby: Can you name every SA Rugby Player of the Year winner since 1992?

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth became only the second player to win back-to-back SA Rugby’s Player of the Year awards on Thursday evening.

The 32-year-old second rower was recognised for his stellar season at the SA Rugby Awards 2023 at a ceremony in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The other finalists were Pieter-Steph du Toit, the first player to win back-to-back awards in 2018 and 2019, as well as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe and Damian Willemse.

Etzebeth, who made his Test debut in 2012 and was nominated for World Player of the Year last year, won the coveted award for a second successive time after helping the Springboks lift the Webb Ellis Cup for a second time in a row in France last October.

Have a look at this photo gallery as The South African website took a walk down memory lane with SA Rugby Player of the Year winners.

Meanwhile, Etzebeth is among the front-runners to be named Springbok skipper for the team’s first Test of the year against Wales.

The Springboks will take on the Welsh on neutral ground at Twickenham in London on Saturday, 22 June.

One of the reasons for the match not taking place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is that pop icon Taylor Swift has a concert scheduled.

New Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made it clear that he is looking for a South Africa-based national captain.

Current skipper Siya Kolisi is now based in France, while Etzebeth represents the Sharks.

Will Etzebeth make it a hat-trick of Player of the Year awards next year?

Only time will tell …

SA RUGBY PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS (SINCE 1992):

1992: Tiaan Strauss

1993: Gavin Johnson

1994: Chester Williams

1995: Ruben Kruger

1996: André Joubert

1997: Os du Randt

1998: Gary Teichmann

1999: André Venter

2000: Breyton Paulse

2001: André Vos

2002: Joe van Niekerk

2003: Ashwin Willemse

2004: Schalk Burger

2005: Bryan Habana

2006: Fourie du Preez

2007: Bryan Habana

2008: Jean de Villiers

2009: Fourie du Preez

2010: Gurthrö Steenkamp

2011: Schalk Burger

2012: Bryan Habana

2013: Jean de Villiers

2014: Duane Vermeulen

2015: Lood de Jager

2016: Pieter-Steph du Toit

2017: Malcolm Marx

2018: Pieter-Steph du Toit

2019: Pieter-Steph du Toit

2020: Duane Vermeulen

2021: Siya Kolisi

2022: Eben Etzebeth

2023: Eben Etzebeth