Van den Berg, Ntlabakanye win big at Lions awards

Springboks Morne van den Berg and Asenathi Ntlabakanye were the big winners at the Lions Players awards hosted at Ellis Park on Tuesday night.

The scrumhalf walked away the International Backline Player of the 2024/25 season and topped it off with the main award of the evening, the prestigious Emirates Lions Player of the Year for the 2024/25 season.

“Such an honour for me to be recognised for these awards,” said the nuggety halfback.

“A huge credit to my teammates at the Lions and the incredible coaching staff who allow us to express ourselves on the field. The mindset in our environment is ‘team first’ which is why I believe that these accolades mean nothing without the team behind me.”

Crowd favorite Ntlabakanye, who is back training with the Lions, claimed the International Forward Player of the Year for his standout performances in the previous season, as well as the coveted Players’ Player of the Year- an award voted for by his teammates.

Also acknowledged on the evening was winger Kelly Mpeku who walked away with the Fidelity ADT Lions Currie Player of the Year. Mpeku, who is a product of the franchises’ successful junior system has made a name for himself in the senior rugby ranks.

In other awards, Junior Springbok Haashim Pead was crowned the Lions’ Junior Player of the Year, with fellow international representatives Siba Mahashe and schoolboy sensation Alzeadon Felix notching up the Under-21 Forward of the Year and Under-19 Backline Player of the Year respectively.

The Fidelity ADT Lions face up to the Suzuki Griquas in the 2025 Carling Currie Cup final hosted at Ellis Park on Saturday.

FULL 2024/25 LIONS AWARDS WINNERS

Fidelity ADT Lions Under-19

Back of the Year: Alzeadon Felix

Forward of the Year: Luke Cannon

** 2025 U19 season currently in progress

Fidelity ADT Lions Under-21

Back of the Year: Jason Hugo

Forward of the Year: Sibabalwe Mahashe

Junior Player of the Year: Haashim Pead

** 2025 season currently in progress

Senior Awards (Domestic)

Fidelity ADT Lions Back of the Year: Gianni Lombard

Fidelity ADT Lions Forward of the Year: SJ Kotze

Breakthrough Player of the Year: SJ Kotze

Player of the Year (Currie Cup): Kelly Mpeku

**2025 Currie Cup Final taking place 20 September 2025

Senior Awards (International)

International Backline Player of the Year: Morne van den Berg

International Forward of the Year: Asenathi Ntlabakanye

International Breakthrough Player of the Year: RF Schoeman

Players’ Player of the Year: Asenathi Ntlabakanye

Emirates Lions Player of the Year: Morne van den Berg

** Vodacom URC and EPCR Challenge Cup