Nizaam Carr

Handré Pollard

Nizaam Carr and Handré Pollard lead the full list of nominees released by SARU on Wednesday for their annual Player of the Year Awards, which will take place on 8 February in Midrand.

Carr and Pollard, both of whom made their Test debuts for the Springboks this season, have both been nominated in three categories.

The 23-year-old Carr has been nominated in for the SARU Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Currie Cup Player of the Year.

Pollard, who is only 20, has been nominated in the categories for SARU Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and SA Under 20 Player of the Year.

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Hot on their heels, with two nominations each, are fellow Springboks Duane Vermeulen and Marcell Coetzee (both in the categories for SARU Player and Super Rugby Player of the Year), as well as Springbok Sevens ace Seabelo Senatla (Young Player and SA Sevens Player of the Year).

Neil Powell, Allister Coetzee and Johann Ackermann will battle it out for the title of Coach of the Year while their respective teams, the Springbok Sevens, Western Province and Golden Lions have been nominated with the Springboks and Junior Springboks in the category for Team of the Year.

The public vote in the SARU Rugby Player, Young Player and Team of the Year categories, through a number of online channels, will come to an end at on Friday.

Other awards that will be presented on 8 February are in the categories of SARPA Players’ Player of the Year, Try of the Year, Craven Week Player of the Year, Referee Award, Women’s Player of the Year and Community Cup Player of the Tournament.

All the nominations for 2014:

Player of the Year:

Nizaam Carr, Marcell Coetzee, Willie le Roux, Handré Pollard, Duane Vermeulen.

Young Player of the Year:

Nizaam Carr, Cheslin Kolbe, Handré Pollard, Seabelo Senatla, Jan Serfontein.

Team of the Year:

Springboks, Junior Springboks, Springbok Sevens, Golden Lions (Currie Cup), Western Province (Currie Cup).

Coach of the Year:

Johann Ackermann (Golden Lions), Allister Coetzee (DHL Western Province), Neil Powell (Springbok Sevens)

SA Under 20 Player of the Year:

Thomas du Toit, Jesse Kriel, Handré Pollard

SA Sevens Player of the Year:

Branco du Preez, Frankie Horne, Seabelo Senatla

Super Rugby Player of Year:

Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), Duane Vermeulen (Stormers), Warren Whiteley (Lions)

Vodacom Cup Player of the Year:

Renaldo Bothma (Pumas), Jonathan Francke (Griquas), Lizo Gqoboka (EP Kings)

Currie Cup Player of the Year:

Nizaam Carr (Western Province), Juan de Jongh (Western Province), Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions)

First Division Player of the Year:

Boela Abrahams (Griffons), Sylvian Mahuza (Leopards), Dillon Smit (Leopards)