The United Rugby Championship Awards

As the United Rugby Championship edges closer to crowning itsinaugural champions, the winners of the URC Awards will beannounced over the coming weeks.

A total of ten individualprizes are up for grabs, along with places in the end-of-season Dream Team.

While some ofthe awards are determined by URC StatMaster data provided by Oval Insights, others will bevoted on by a panel of media representatives from all five territories involvedin the competition. Players' Player of the Season and Loch Lomond Coach of theSeason are voted for by the Coach and Captain and Vice-Captain of each teamrespectively.

Winners will berevealed via online announcements during the URC Play-Offs, with three prizesset to be dished out in the build-up to the Final Eight.

Semi-finals weekwill see Top Try Scorer, Ironman, Dream Team along with the identity of this season’sNext-Gen Star unveiled. As well as Vodacom Fans' Player of the Season.

The Players’Player of the Season and Loch Lomond Coach of the Season round off the awards season inthe build-up to the Grand Final.

Here is a fulllist of the awards on offer, the winning criteria and when the victors will beannounced.

TackleMachine

Criteria: Playerswho have made 150 or more tackles during the regular season will be eligiblefor the award, with the individual who boasts the highest accuracy taking homethe prize.

Winnerannounced: Tuesday, May 31

TurnoverKing

Criteria: Thisaward will be heading home with the player who has won the most turnoversduring the regular season, with jackal turnovers used as the tie-breaker.

Winnerannounced: Tuesday, May 31

GilbertGolden Boot

Criteria: TheGilbert Golden Boot is awarded in recognition of the most accurateplace-kicker, with all kickers who have attempted a minimum of 30 ranked bytheir success percentage.

Winnerannounced: Wednesday, June 1

Top TryScorer

Criteria: Awardedto the player who has scored the most tries during the regular season.

Winnerannounced: Monday, June 6

Ironman

Criteria: The Ironmanaward is given to the player who has racked up the most minutes in the regularseason.

Winnerannounced: Monday, June 6

DreamTeam

Criteria: TheDream Team will be determined by a media vote. Players must have made nineappearances to be considered, with the media panel provided a shortlist of 10per position by URC StatMaster. The player with the most votes in each positionearns a place in the team.

Winnersannounced: Tuesday, June 7

Next-GenStar of the Season

Criteria: Thisaward is open to players who were aged under 23 at the beginning of the seasonand had earned no more than five international caps at that point. It isanother that will be determined by a media vote and the nine-appearancethreshold also applies here. This award is to recognise young up-and-comingtalent.

Winnerannounced: Wednesday, June 8

VodacomFans' Player of the Season

Criteria: Theprize for the Vodacom Fans Player of the Season will be voted for by rugby fansaround the world. Click Here To Vote.

Winnerannounced: Thursday, June 9

LochLomond Coach of the Season

Criteria: Theprize for the URC’s top coach will be voted for by all 16 of the competition’shead coaches.

Winnerannounced: Tuesday, June 14

Players’Player of the Season

Criteria: Thisprestigious award will be voted on by Captains and Vice-Captains of each URC club, with allnominees again required to have made a minimum of nine appearances.

Winnerannounced: Wednesday, June 15