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Rugby Canada’s annual Awards Banquet took place in downtown Victoria over the weekend. Honored at the event were 13 award winners for the 2018 season, four Hall of Fame inductees, and three special award winners.
Taking home Coach of the Year honors were Kailyn Jones of the Oakville Crusaders and Kévin Rouet of the Laval Rouge et Or. Young player of the year winners were a pair of Sevens standouts, Keyara Wardley and Brock Webster.
Senior Sevens awards were handed out to Bianca Farella and Nathan Hirayama, while the big winners for the XVs programs were Janna Slevinsky and DTH van der Merwe. Peer-voted awards went to Laura Russell and Kyle Baillie.
Three former men’s senior team legends were formally inducted into the Rugby Canada Hall of Fame. 1987 World Cup captain Hans de Goede, 1991 World Cup captain Mark Wyatt, and three-time World Cup select Scott Stewart. Sevens and XVs standout Julie Foster, herself a veteran of three World Cups, was the lone women’s inductee.
Special Chairman’s awards were given to outgoing BC Rugby Union president Samantha Shorter and long-time Rugby Americas North Training Manager Mike Luke. Finally, former Canadian Rugby Union President Barry Giffen was named an honorary life member.
2018 AWARD WINNERS
Provincial Union of the Year – Rugby Ontario
Volunteer of the Year – Andrew Davies
Match Official of the Year – Chris Assmus
Female Coach of the Year – Kailyn Jones
Male Coach of the Year – Kevin Rouet
Female Young Player of the Year – Keyara Wardley
Male Young Player of the Year – Brock Webster
Women’s Sevens Player of the Year – Bianca Farella
Men’s Sevens Player of the Year – Nathan Hirayama
Women’s XVs Player of the Year – Janna Slevinsky
Men’s XVs Player of the Year – DTH van der Merwe
Gillian Florence Award – Laura Russell
Canadian Shield Award – Kyle Baillie
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Hans de Goede
Julie Foster
Scott Stewart
Mark Wyatt
CHAIRMAN’S AWARDS
Mike Luke
Samantha Shorter
HONORARY LIFE MEMBER
Barry Giffen
