Cape Town - Springbok captain Siya Kolisi brought a special guest to the BrightRock Players Choice Awards held at Hyde Park in Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.
Kolisi invited 15-year-old Lebo Mogoma from Helpmekaar College in Johannesburg to join in the festivities at the annual event.
This came about after Mogoma warmed the hearts of South Africans when a video of him (WATCH BELOW) in tears of appreciation after Kolisi signed his boots during the Springboks' Champions Tour of the country, went viral.
Want to know what it means for young men and woman to see their hero's on this bus tour? Just look at this young man getting a signature from Siya and the boys, this means the world to these young men.. (Video by @EWNsport ) pic.twitter.com/vW6PkFhKEu
— Ruggaworld ?? ???? (@Ruggaworld) November 9, 2019
Kolisi's wife, Rachel, who was also in attendance on Tuesday, shared a picture on Instagram:
Mogoma accompanied Siya Kolisi in accepting star wing Cheslin Kolbe's award for Backline Player of the Year. Kolbe couldn't attend the ceremony having returned to his French Top 14 club, Toulouse.
BrightRock Player Awards winners:
The Players’ Player of the Year (the flagship award of the evening for the player selected as the best player of the year, as chosen by his peers)
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Nominees: Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Brits, Cheslin Kolbe
Defender of the Year
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Nominees: Franco Mostert, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende
Forward Player of the Year
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Nominees: Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman
Backline Player of the Year
Cheslin Kolbe
Nominees: George Whitehead, Rabz Maxwane, Herschel Jantjies
Best off the Bench
Herschel Jantjies
Nominees: Steven Kitshoff, Bongani Mbonambi, Selvyn Davids
The #LoveChange Award (For the most-improved player over the past year – a true change agent on his way up)
Herschel Jantjies
Nominees: Joseph Dweba, Tyrone Green, Kurt-Lee Arendse
BrightRock Fan's Choice Award
Rosko Specman (nominated charity - Be The Difference Foundation)
Nominees: Scarra Ntubeni (Newborns Trust), Chris Dry (Zanokhanyo Children’s Safety House), Rabz Maxwane (King William’s Town Youth Care Centre)
- Compiled by Herman Mostert