2024/25 URC Team of the Season

Front rankers: Jan-Hendrik-Wessels (Bulls), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets) and Wilco Louw (Bulls)

This writer’s pick for URC Player of the Season, Louw has taken his game to new heights this season and looks on course to usurp the ageing and injury-prone Frans Malherbe by the time of the next World Cup with his scrummaging prowess simply second to none. His loosehead buddy Wessels, who is equally at home at hooker, has also been a standout for the Bulls and should also heavily feature for the Springboks in the years to come. Stats don’t do justice to the value these two create for Jake White’s men.
The former Cheetah van der Merwe has come out of the blue to force his way into the Bok setup by the sheer weight of his performances for Scarlets this season. The 28-year-old won the third-most turnovers this season (19), made the 29th-most tackles (160) and the 49th-most successful carries (50) in a huge campaign.

Second rowers: Sam Lousi (Scarlets) and Teddy Williams (Cardiff)

He may have picked up the joint-second most yellow cards this season (three), but Lousi’s influence for Scarlets in other areas makes up for it. The Auckland-born Tonga international ranked second in the competition for tackles made (238) and turnovers won (21), while he also flung 11 offloads (55th).
Cardiff’s Williams finished third for most tackles made this season (232) at a fantastic success rate of 85%, while he also made the 16th-most lineout steals (5) and racked up 99-carries for the men from the Welsh capital.

Back rowers: Marcel Theunissen (Stormers), Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks) and Cameron Hanekom (Bulls)

Able to play on either side of the scrum, Theunissen was an invaluable member of the Stormers’ campaign, particularly after the departure of Hacjivah Dayimani and injury to Ben-Jason Dixon. He played all 19 of his side’s game this season and finished with the tournament’s fifth-most successful carries (85) and lineout steals (seventh), while making 81-tackles.
Tshituka finished with the most lineout steals of the competition (11), 22nd most turnovers won (11), 28th most tackles made (161) and 19th most offloads (16) while Hanekom, who’s unfortunately set to miss the title decider, was picked up the URC Next-Gen Player of the Season for his efforts. He racked up the fifth-most offloads (27), seventh-most turnovers won (16), 15th-most defenders beaten (39) and 31st-most tackles made (153).

Halfbacks: Embrose Papier (Bulls) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers)

Papier may not be everyone’s cup of tea, as illustrated by his absence from Rassie Erasmus’ Bok squad, but the wily Bulls No 9 remains a class player at URC level. The speedster’s decision-making on attack has been game-shaping at times, particularly in his side’s semi-final defeat of the Sharks. Ahead of the final he’s ranked 13th for offloads (17), while having made seven clean breaks and beating 18 defenders.
Opting for Sacha at flyhalf may seem like a pretty uninspired pick, but a few of his performances this season were simply stunning, with some even going so far as to compare him to Carter the Great and Powerful. In just 10 games, the 23-year-old ranked first in the competition for drop goals (four), fifth for points scored (98), 21st for clean breaks (16) and 34th for offloads (13).

Midfield: Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) and Tom Farrell (Munster)

Hulking Esterhuizen was often the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ best player during some trying performances over the course of the season, and he finished the campaign with the most defenders beaten (63), second-most successful carries (96) and 13th-most offloads (17).
It’s a shame Farrell has been deemed surplus to requirements with the Ireland national side, with the Munsterman consistently producing the goods for his club. He ranked first in four separate categories such was his form this season, topping the charts for successful carries (110), carries (244), offloads (43) and tries scored (nine – jointly held). He was also second for defenders beaten (62). Absolute scenes.

Back three: Simone Gesi (Zebre), Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) and Geronimo Prisciantelli (Zebre)

Such has been the attacking verve shown by Zebre this season that two of their back three make the cut here. Italy international Gesi ranked second for clean breaks this season (23) and ninth for defenders beaten (45) in a sublime campaign which also included four tries.
The Italian club certainly missed Prisciantelli’s presence in their final few games, with the excellent 25-year-old fullback sparking a number of attacking chances for Zebre during the season as he finished with the second-most metres gained (932) as well as the third-most carries (211), while touching down four times.
Hooker, one of South Africa’s most exciting young talents, topped the charts for clean breaks (25) and ranked eighth for defenders beaten (46). He was also joint-second for tries scored (eight) in a breakout season.