The Toyota Cheetahs walked away with two accolades in Glasgow on Monday night when Fred Zeilinga (flyhalf) and Torsten van Jaarsveld (hooker) featured among a handful of players rewarded for their outstanding performances in the 2017/18 Guinness PRO14 season.

Zeilinga won the Gilbert Golden Boot, with his accurate kicking rate of 85.37% seeing him outshine all of the other place-kickers who had a minimum of 30 attempts at goal, while Torsten Van Jaarsveld was named in the Guinness PRO14 Dream Team. Both players have subsequently moved on from the Toyota Cheetahs.

 

The awards ceremony, which doubled up as the 2018/19 Guinness PRO14 Launch Party, was hosted at the Argyle Street Arches in Glasgow.

Over 75 media, which included former players and coaches, were involved in the Dream Team voting process, with players who featured in nine or more matches being eligible for selection.

Five players from each of last season’s finalists, Leinster Rugby and Scarlets, were named in the team, while the Glasgow Warriors earned two places, with Callum Gibbins nominated as the Dream Team captain. Van Jaarsveld, John Cooney (Ulster Rugby) and Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) made up the final places.

The 2018/19 season kicks off on Friday, 31 August, with the Southern Kings meeting Zebre Rugby Club in Parma, while the Toyota Cheetahs will go up against Munster Rugby in Limerick on Saturday, 1 September.

2017/2018 Guinness PRO14 Award Winners:
• Guinness Players’ Player of the Season: Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets)
• Guinness PRO14 Coach of the Season: Leo Cullen (Leinster Rugby)
• Honda Young Player of the Season: Jordan Larmour (Leinster Rugby)
• Guinness PRO14 Chairman’s Award: Ed Jackson (Dragons)
• Gilbert Golden Boot Award: Fred Zeilinga (Toyota Cheetahs)
• Guinness PRO14 Dream Team Captain: Callum Gibbins (Glasgow Warriors)
• Guinness PRO14 Top Try Scorer: Barry Daly (Leinster Rugby)
• Guinness PRO14 Tackle Machine: Olly Robinson (Cardiff Blues)
• Guinness PRO14 Ironman: Giulio Bisegni (Zebre Rugby Club)
• Specsavers FairPlay Award: Scarlets

2017/2018 Guinness PRO14 Dream Team: 
1 – Rob Evans (Scarlets)
2 – Torsten van Jaarsveld (Toyota Cheetahs)
3 – Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby)
4 – Scott Fardy (Leinster Rugby)
5 – Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets)
6 – Aaron Shingler (Scarlets)
7 – Callum Gibbins (Captain – Glasgow Warriors)
8 – Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby)
9 – John Cooney (Ulster Rugby)
10 – Rhys Patchell (Scarlets)
11 – James Lowe (Leinster Rugby)
12 – Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets)
13 – Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors)
14 – Jordan Larmour (Leinster Rugby)
15 – Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby)

 

Story By: JAY J BOTES / Twitter: @jayjbotes

SOURCE: SA RUGBY MEDIA