What a year for Louis van der Westhuizen and what a night at the recent year-end function of the North-West University (NWU) Rugby Institute.

The firebrand no 2’s fiery mop of red hair was a common sight in this year’s Varsity Cup and even on the international stage, resulting in the hooker rightly being awarded the Johan Claassen Trophy as the NWU’s Rugby Institute Player of the Year.

“Chucky” as Louis is affectionately known by his team mates, served as captain for the NWU during the Varsity Cup and was a stalwart for Namibia during the World Cup.

Typhoon Hagibis put a premature end to Nambia’s World Cup tournament in Japan, after their last game against Canada was called off. It will nevertheless be a year to remember for Chucky who also walked away with the award for Forward of the Year.

It was his second World Cup and being just 24 years old it will most certainly not be his last. It was also the second time Chucky faced the All Blacks having also done so at the 2015 World Cup. Not many students can say that.

The Varsity Cup Young Guns was awarded the Matt Proudfoot Trophy for the Rugby Institute Team of the Year and Hannes Esterhuizen, who mentors the team, was named the Coach of the Year.

 Lungelo Gosa was named Sevens Player of the Year and Schalk Hugo was named the Player’s Player of the Year, the Backline Player of the Year as well as the Varsity Cup Player of the Year.

Arminn Posthumus and Sylvester Hassien were respectively named the u19 and u21 Player of the Year.

These are but a few of many awards awarded at what is always an unforgettable evening.  

 Louis van der Westhuizen – or Chucky as he is affectionately known by his team mates – in action.