South African rugby was among the major beneficiaries at the 2025 South African Sports Awards, with the Junior Springboks, Test referee Aimee Barrett-Theron and Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick all receiving national recognition at the gala event held at the Sun City Superbowl in North West on Sunday evening.
The Junior Springboks were crowned Youth/Junior Sport Team of the Year following their impressive triumph at the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.
Coached by Kevin Foote and captained by Riley Norton, the SA U20 side defeated New Zealand in a thrilling final in Rovigo to secure South Africa’s first Junior World Championship title in 13 years.
The victory marked the Junior Boks’ first world title since 2012 and represented a significant milestone for South African rugby.
Barrett-Theron was also recognised for her contribution to the sport after being named Technical Official of the Year.
The experienced referee made history at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, where she took charge of the semi-final between Canada and New Zealand.
She has also become one of only four South African match officials to referee 50 Tests. With 52 Tests to her name, Barrett-Theron is the most capped female referee and has broken significant barriers throughout her career.
She was the first woman to referee a men’s match in South Africa, further cementing her status as one of the country’s pioneering match officials.
Stick, meanwhile, received the Minister’s Excellence Recognition Award for his outstanding contribution to South African sport.
The former Springbok Sevens captain has been an important member of the Springboks’ coaching setup and served as assistant coach during the team’s Rugby World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023.
He continues to play a key role within the national team’s coaching structures as the Springboks build on their recent success.
SA Rugby President Mark Alexander congratulated the three recipients, describing their recognition as richly deserved.
“South African rugby salutes the Junior Boks, Aimee and Mzwandile on these richly deserved accolades,” Alexander said.
“The Junior Boks’ triumph in Italy last year was a magnificent team effort, and it is fitting that their achievement has now been recognised nationally.
“Aimee’s award is another milestone in a pioneering refereeing career, while Mzwandile’s recognition reflects his invaluable contribution to the Springboks’ success.”
The awards ceremony also celebrated achievements across the wider South African sporting landscape.
The Proteas Men’s Test cricket team, following their historic ICC World Test Championship triumph, were named Team of the Year.
Olympic medallist Akani Simbine claimed the prestigious Sports Star of the Year award, beating fellow nominees Malcolm Marx and Temba Bavuma.
The annual South African Sports Awards recognise the country’s leading athletes, teams, coaches, technical officials and other contributors whose achievements have helped elevate South African sport on the international stage.
For SA Rugby, the latest recognition further highlights the strength of the country’s rugby structures, from the Junior Springboks and match officials to the coaching staff supporting the senior national team.