Bulls and Munster dominate 2024/25 URC Elite XV with ‘massive engine’ South African also winning Next-Gen award for ‘supremely powerful’ impact
Cameron Hanekom in action for the Bulls at Munster in April
The Bulls and Munster have secured the most picks – three each – on a 2024/25 United Rugby Championship Elite XV consisting of players from nine of the clubs in the 16-team tournament.
Loosehead Jan-Hendrik Wessels, tighthead Wilco Louw and No8 Cameron Hanekom, the Next-Gen player of the season, were the three Bulls representatives chosen in the dream team XV by a media panel who were provided a shortlist of 10 players per position by the URC StatMaster.
Munster’s three inclusions were centre Tom Farrell, the URC’s playmaker of the year award winner, scrum-half Craig Casey and lock Tadhg Beirne, the Irish club’s lone 2025 British and Irish Lions squad member.
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The URC table-topping Leinster had two players included – full-back Jamie Osborne and second-row RG Snyman – as had the Scarlets, whose picks were Blair Murray, who was chosen at left wing, and hooker Marnus van der Merwe.
The remaining five places on the URC Elite XV were filled by Edinburgh right wing Darcy Graham, Sharks midfielder Andre Esterhuizen, Stormers out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and the back row duo of Ospreys’ Jac Morgan and Glasgow’s Rory Darge.
“Supremely powerful in a thoroughly focused way…”
Beirne, Hanekom and Louw all made the Elite XV for the second season in a row. Meanwhile, Hanekom’s selection as Next-Gen player of the season saw him join Ruben van Heerden (tackle machine), Farrell (playmaker), Ioan Lloyd (Gilbert golden boot), Harri Millard (OFX top try scorer) and Cam Winnett (ironman) in winning individual awards for the season.
“Cameron Hanekom is supremely powerful in a thoroughly focused way, whether ripping the ball off the opposition or carrying it up. He has learned to be more selective at the breakdown and has a massive engine. A thrilling runner in space as well,” read a comment by one of the media who voted for the South African as Next-Gen player of the year.
URC Elite XV 2024/25 in full
15. Jamie Osborne (Leinster Rugby)
14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby)
13. Tom Farrell (Munster Rugby)
12. Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
11. Blair Murray (Scarlets)
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)
9. Craig Casey (Munster Rugby)
8. Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls)
7. Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors)
6. Jac Morgan (Ospreys)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby)
4. RG Snyman (Leinster Rugby)
3. Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls)
2. Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets)
1. Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls)
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