Waikato Rugby Union celebrated their end of season awards last night (Tuesday 22^nd October) at the Wintec Atrium.

All Blacks mid-fielder Anton Lienert-Brown was the big winner of the night picking up 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.

At club level most of the awards were spread across several clubs. The PIC Women’s Club Player of the Year went to Kihikihi’s Chyna Hohepa and the Waikato Draught Men’s Club Player of the Year went to Otorohanga’s Cortez Ratima, after both players had strong club seasons in 2019.

Hautapu Premiership A side claimed two awards on the night. The first award went to their Head Coach, Craig Stevenson, who claimed the Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year. The second award went to the team as they won the Vodafone Club team of the year. This was due to their undefeated season, winning the Waikato Breweries Shield for the first time since 2007.

Morrinsville Sports took out the Waikato Draught Club of the Year, after their Championship A’s, B’s and the Under 85kgs team all won their respective divisions.

In the Representative awards, YMCA Hamilton Waikato Women’s Under 18’s Head Coach, David Fox, won the Kukri Representative Coach of the Year, after his side undefeated run and maiden Chiefs Northern Region U18s competition title.

After back to back National Sevens finals appearances, the Waikato Women’s Sevens team won the Hendl & Murray Representative Team of the Year.

Chyna Hohepa received her second award of the evening when she collected the Manatiaki Award and Declan O’Donnell won the Aaron Hopa award. Both players received these awards for their outstanding contribution to rugby on and off the field.

Powerhouse forwards, Samisoni Taukei’aho (Waikato Draught Mitre 10 Cup Player of the Year) and Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (SKYCITY Hamilton Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year) were both named players of the year for their respective campaigns.

Youth was once again on display, as Mitre 10 Cup fullback, Rivez Reihana, and YMCA Hamilton Waikato Women’s Under 18’s prop, Vici-Rose Green, took home the BCITO and The University of Waikato Emerging Player of the Year awards respectively.

The Gallagher Waikato Rugby awards recognise people and teams that have made an outstanding contribution to Waikato Rugby in 2019. 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: Angela Bishop, Latisha Kelly, Toby & Jackie O’Reilly

Winner: Latisha Kelly

Grassroots Amateur Referee of the Year

Finalists: Larissa Collingwood, James Houghton, Michael Winter

Winner: Larissa Collingwood

WRU Service to Rugby

Recipients: Allen Grainger, Solomone Korovata, Donald Love, Dean Nicholson, Jack Pickett

PIC Women’s Club Player of the Year

Finalists: Chyna Hohepa, Leomie Kloppers, Sophie Miller

Winner: Chyna Hohepa

Waikato Draught Club Player of the Year

Finalists: Cortez Ratima, Louis Rogers, James Thompson

Winner: Cortez Ratima

WEL Networks Junior coach of the Year

Finalists: Kerry Balsom, Mainu Huirama/Jason Thompson, Craig Taylor

Winners: Craig Taylor

Kukri Secondary School Coach of the Year

Finalists: Tanirau Manawati, Todd Miller, Karl Thornton

Winner: Todd Miller

Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year

Finalists: Honey Hireme-Smiler, Damon McKinnon, Craig Stevenson

Winner: Craig Stevenson

Vodafone Club Team of the Year

Finalists: Hautapu Senior A, Melville Women

Winner: Hautapu Senior A

Waikato Draught Club of the Year

Finalists: Leamington Rugby Sport Club, Morrinsville Sports

Winner: Morrinsville Sports

Hare Wakaraka Puke Memorial Trophy - Tainui Waka Maori Player of the Year 

Winner: Terina Te Tamki

Kukri Representative Coach of the Year

Finalists: Wayne Bootten, David Fox, Teresa Te Tamaki

Winner: David Fox

Hendl & Murray Representative Team of the Year

Finalists: Waikato Roller Mills, YMCA Hamilton Waikato Women’s Under 18’s, Waikato Women’s Sevens

Winner: Waikato Women’s Sevens

BCITO Emerging Player of the Year – Men’s

Finalists: Rob Cobb, Ollie Norris, Simon Parker, Rivez Reihana

Winner: Rivez Reihana

University of Waikato Emerging Player of the Year – Women’s

Finalists: K’Lee Begbie, Melenaite Toofohe, Vici-Rose Green

Winner: Vici-Rose Green

SKYCITY Hamilton Women’s Representative Player of the Year

Finalists: Chyna Hohepa , Renee Holmes, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu

Winner: Awhina Tangen-Wainohu

Waikato Draught Mitre 10 Cup Player of the Year

Finalists: Fletcher Smith, Samisoni Taukei’aho, James Tucker, Quinn Tupaea

Winner: Samisoni Taukei’aho

Gallagher Sportsperson of the Year

Finalists: Anton Lienert-Brown, Luke Jacobson, Sevu Reece

Winner: Anton Lienert-Brown

Aaron Hopa Memorial Trophy

Recipient: Declan O’Donnell

Manatiaki Award

Recipient: Chyna Hohepa

Ian Clarke Trophy

Recipient: Anton Lienert-Brown

Article added: Wednesday 23 October 2019