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The Scarlets’ Blair Murray, Ellis Mee, and Macs Page lead the charge among 16 nominees for the prestigious United Rugby Championship (URC) Next-Gen Player of the Season award.
The award recognizes players aged 23 or under at the season’s start, with no more than five international caps and at least nine league appearances.
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Blair Murray, joint second top-try scorer in the BKT URC with eight tries, made his international debut this season alongside teammate Ellis Mee.
Macs Page, a 20-year-old standout, earned a spot on Wales’s summer tour of Japan, marking him as a rising star in Welsh rugby.
The Scarlets boast the most nominees, with three players, while the Vodacom Bulls, DHL Stormers, Emirates Lions, and Edinburgh Rugby each have two.
Vodacom Bulls’ Cameron Hanekom, who debuted against Wales at the Principality Stadium in November, joins the list of nominees with first Test caps this season.
Ospreys’ fly-half Dan Edwards, the third-highest point scorer in the league with 112 points, also secures a nomination.
Zebre Parma’s Simone Gesi leads the BKT URC with 22 clean breaks, showcasing his flair as a fleet-footed wing.
Emirates Lions’ Quan Horn ranks fourth in defenders beaten with 51, highlighting his elusive play at full-back.
Cardiff Rugby’s Gabe Hamer-Webb, Welsh-qualified, scored seven tries, including a hat-trick against Ospreys on Judgement Day.
Edinburgh Rugby’s Matt Currie and Paddy Harrison represent Scotland, adding to the diverse pool of talent.
Leinster’s Jack Boyle, the sole Irish nominee, debuted for Ireland in this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
Other nominees include Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Henco van Wyk (Emirates Lions), Suleiman Hartzenberg (DHL Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers), and Aneurin Owen (Dragons RFC).
The winner will be decided by a media vote, continuing the legacy of past Irish winners like Luke Marshall (2013), Joey Carbery (2017), Jordan Larmour (2018), Caelan Doris (2020), Scott Penny (2021), Tom Stewart (2023), and Jack Crowley (2024).
