Tackle Machine And Turnover King URC Award Winners Announced

John Hodnett and Thomas Young have added their names to the United Rugby Championship Awards roll of honour by collecting the Tackle Machine and Turnover King prizes respectively.

Munster back-row Hodnett and Cardiff Rugby flanker Young landed the Tackle Machine and Turnover King prizes, joining Ulster’s Tom Stewart who scooped up OFX Top Try Scorer yesterday.

The awards kicked off three weeks of announcements in the build-up to the BKT URC Grand Final on Saturday May 27.

The Elite XV, Next-Gen Player of the Season and Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season will be disclosed next week.

Try of the Season, Gilbert Golden Boot and Ironman will be awarded after the Semi-Final. While the BKT Coach of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season will be divulged in the week of the Grand Final.

Here, we take a closer look at the first three winners and the performances which led to their achievements, which were determined using URC StatMaster data provided by Oval Insights.

Tackle Machine: John Hodnett (Munster with 151 tackles and 96% accuracy)

This award is given to the player who boasts the best tackle success rate among those who have attempted 150 or more over the course of the campaign. 

Hodnett takes home the prize having made 151 tackles at a success rate of 96%. 

The 24-year-old edged out Young, who made the second-highest number of tackles in the BKT URC this season with 199, and Ulster’s Nick Timoney, who both had 95%. 

Timoney finished fifth in this category last season with 94.64% having made a competition-high 247 tackles.

Turnover King: Thomas Young (Cardiff Rugby)

Awarded to the player who has won the most turnovers during the regular season, a Jackal tie-breaker was required to ratify the winner. 

Thomas Young and Marco Van Staden were tied on 17, with the Cardiff player - who scored two tries in the victory over the Ospreys in Round 18 which clinched the Welsh Shield - winning the decider 7-6 on Jackal decider.

Deon Fourie, of the DHL Stormers, came second behind Jac Morgan (Ospreys) last season and was two adrift with 15 this time around.

URC Awards 2022-23

OFX Top Try Scorer: Tom Stewart (Ulster)

Tackle Machine: John Hodnett (Munster)

Turnover King: Thomas Young (Cardiff Rugby)