Rangimarie Sturmey and Brayden Iose have swept the supreme awards at the recent Manawatū Rugby awards dinner.

Sturmey was a triple award-winner for the Cyclones, picking up Best Back, Players’ Player of the Year, and Player of the Year.

For the Turbos, Iose was voted Players’ Player of the Year and Manawatu Rugby Supporters’ Club Player of the Year.

Sturmey made a seamless return from a knee injury which saw her sidelined for the entirety of the Cyclones’ 2022 campaign. Having spent her first couple of seasons as an outside back,  Sturmey found a new home this season at second five-eighth and quickly established herself as one of the first players to be added to the team list. Her form was rewarded with selection in the Black Ferns XV.

Other finalists for Cyclone of the Year were new Black Fern Layla Sae and Kaipo Olsen-Baker

Sturmey’s Cyclone of the Year win marks back-to-back years where sisters have won the award – her older sister Kahurangi was named Cyclone of the Year in 2022.

Turbos captain and double award-winner Brayden Iose.

This was the third straight year Iose was named Manawatu Rugby Supporters’ Club Player of the Year. He was one of the most destructive ball carriers in the NPC and dotted down for five tries, which topped the Turbos’ charts. Iose’s leadership and consistency were key factors in him picking up the two major Turbos awards.

Iose beat out fellow finalists TK Howden and Johan Momsen for the Manawatū Rugby Supporters’ Club Player of the Year.

Full back Beaudein Waaka and loose forward TK Howden were named Turbos Best Back and Best Forward respectively, while Layla Sae took out the Cyclones Best Forward award.  

Sam Taylor and Johan Momsen picked up the Rookie of the Year awards for their teams. For Taylor, this was her first season in rugby after converting from netball. She capped off a great season by representing the Black Ferns XV.

Manawatū Rugby Union Life Memberships were awarded to Ron Eglinton and Shane O'Brien. Eglinton served as Manawatū Rugby’s auditor for nearly 50 years. O’Brien was a Manawatū Rugby Board Member, longtime sponsor through his company Colspec Construction, and key figure in the Save the Turbos campaign in 2009.

For the first time, Manawatū Rugby presented a series of community rugby awards at the dinner. College Old Boys’ Jayden Keelan was named Best and Fairest for the Senior 1 grade, while Old Boys’ Marist’s Brianna Wallace took out the Best and Fairest award for the Prue Christie Cup.

Stu Curran was voted Players’ Choice Referee of the Year - Senior 1, while Brittany Andrew won the same award for the Prue Christie Cup.

College OId Boys received the Abraham Cup for the senior club with the most overall wins across all grades.

Blair van Stipriann was named Community Rugby Coach of the Year after coaching Varsity to a Hankins Sheild victory and the Palmerston North Boys’ High School First XV to third place at the National First XV finals. Van Stipriann also served as assistant coach of the Manawatū Under 16s.

Te Kawau club secretary Deborah Heappey was named Volunteer of the Year for the huge amount of time and energy she puts into ensuring her club’s players have great experiences on and off the field.

Article added: Thursday 12 October 2023