Boks are #BIG in Japan

AWARDS: South African players and coaches dominated the awards at the end of the Japan League One season - taking the two biggest prizes and providing a sizable chunk of the team of the season.

Springbok loose forward Albertus Smith was named Division One's Player of the Season.

The 31-times capped Bok has been playing for the Iwata-based Blue Revs since 2018.

He was joined in the winners' circle by Frans Ludeke, who claimed Division One's coach of the year title as a mentor of the Tokyo-Bay-based Spears.

The team of the tournament is also littered with Springboks - spearheaded by Smith at No.8.

He is joined in the pack by hooker Malcolm Marx (like Ludeke from the title-winning Spears) and loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit (Verblitz).

There is a fourth Bok in the team - scrumhalf Francois de Klerk (Eagles).