Johan Goosen picks up the Gilbert Golden Boot Award

Johan Goosen has been named the winner at the 2022/23 URC Awards picking up the Gilbert Golden Boot.

This prize recognises the season’s most accurate place-kicker, with all kickers who have attempted a minimum of 30 ranked by their success percentage. Vodacom Bulls fly-half Goosen claims the Gilbert Golden Boot accolade.

Vodacom Fans' Player of the Season will be announced later today. While the BKT Coach of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season will be divulged next week in the lead up to the Vodacom URC Grand Final.

Here, we take a closer look at the Gilbert Golden Boot winner and the performances that led to Goosen’s achievements, which were determined using URC StatMaster data provided by Oval Insights.

Gilbert Golden Boot: Johan Goosen (Vodacom Bulls) - 90% kick accuracy

After the URC StatMaster numbers - provided by Oval Insights - were crunched, Goosen finished top of the tree with a 90% success rate having kicked 36 out of 40.

Capped 13 times by the Springboks, Goosen saw his 2021/22 season cut short by a knee injury and missed half of the current campaign due to shoulder surgery.

The 30-year-old converted 10 of the Vodacom Bulls' 11 tries in the 78-12 Round 17 victory over Zebre Parma on April 15 to equal the record number set by Duncan Weir for Glasgow Warriors in 2016.

Vodacom Bulls team-mate Chris Smith was just behind on 89.09% while Ospreys’ Gareth Anscombe, last season’s winner, had a 100% success rate from his 10 kicks but wasn’t eligible this time.

URC Awards 2022-23 Winners

OFX Top Try Scorer: Tom Stewart (Ulster)

Tackle Machine: John Hodnett (Munster)

Turnover King: Thomas Young (Cardiff Rugby)

Next-Gen Player of the Season: Tom Stewart (Ulster)

Elite XV: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Daniel du Plessis (DHL Stormers), Simone Gesi (Zebre Parma), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Scott Penny (Leinster), Vaea Fifita (Scarlets), Federico Ruzza (Benetton), Niall Murray (Connacht), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers)

Try of the Season powered by URC.tv: Joaquin Riera (Benetton)

Ironman: Quan Horn (Emirates Lions)

Gilbert Golden Boot: Johan Goosen (Vodacom Bulls)