Rugby’s night of news has arrived as the 2026 Rugby Australia Awards celebrate the year that was.
It’s a stacked night that recognises all levels of Rugby, with the top awards coming towards the end of the proceedings.
Follow all the action from the 2026 Rugby Australia Awards below
Rob Valetini is looking to make a three in a row for the John Eales Medals, whilst a new Wallaroos Player of the Year will be crowned.
There are also a host of new awards, including the expanded Rookie and Junior Players of the Year, alongside the renamed Peter Meagher Spirit of Rugby award.
Rugby.com.au is your only place to follow the action LIVE from Sydney.
FOLLOW BELOW FOR ALL THE ACTION FROM THE 2026 RUGBY AUSTRALIA AWARDS
9:55 pm – Full awards list
John Eales Medal – Fraser McReight
Wallaroos Player of the Year – Faitala Moleka
Shawn Mackay Award for Men’s Sevens Player of the Year – Henry Hutchison
Shawn Mackay Award for Women’s Sevens Player of the Year – Isabella Nasser
Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year – Jock Campbell, Queensland Reds
Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year – Siokapesi Palu Sekona
Santos Men’s Rookie of the Year Award – Treyvon Pritchard, Queensland Reds
Santos Women’s Rookie of the Year Award – Amelia Whitaker, Wallaroos
Junior Men’s Player of the Year – Edwin Langi, Australia U20 and NSW Waratahs
Junior Women’s Player of the Year – Waiaria Ellis, Wallaroos and NSW Waratahs
Cadbury Try of the Year – Siokapesi Palu Sekona, Wallaroos vs. Scotland, Canberra
Defender of the Year – Fraser McReight, Wallabies vs. France, Brisbane
Fedex Referee of the Year – Nic Berry
Peter Meagher Spirit of Rugby Award – Paula Watkins, Queensland Rugby Union
Joe French Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rugby – Craig Robberds, ACT Rugby
Geoff ‘Bunter’ Shaw Community Coach of the Year Award – Kieran Smith, NSW Rugby
Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year – Julius Ambat, NSW Rugby
9:45 pm – McReight wins the John Eales Medal
A crowning night for flanker Fraser McReight as he claims his maiden John Eales Medal.
He wins the award over Jeremy Williams and Rob Valetini, with Valetini denied a third-straight medal.
The Reds superstar joins the likes of Michael Hooper, David Pocock and George Smith amongst legendary opensides to claim the nod.
It’s a busy night for McReight, who won Defender of the Year earlier in the proceedings.
9:40 pm – Moleka’s moment as top Wallaroo
Faitala Moleka wins the race as the playmaker claims Wallaroos Player of the Year.
Moleka bests teammates Piper Duck and Siokapesi Palu Sekona to continue the trend of first time winners.
The Brumbies star isn’t in the room to accept the honour, instead over in New Zealand with Australia U21 ahead of Saturday’s trans-Tasman match in Christchurch
9:35 pm – Captains crusade for Shawn Mackay Medals
It’s a captain’s sweep as Henry Hutchison and Isabella Nasser win the Shawn Mackay Awards, both of who are currently in New Zealand ahead of this weekend’s pre-season hitout.
Hutchison was a clear choice for the Men’s as the only Australian in the SVNS Dream Team, also nominated for World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year.
It’s Hutchison’s second award, first claiming it in 2021, getting the nod over Maurice Longbottom and Aden Ekanayake.
As for Nasser, she claims her maiden gong after guiding Australia to the World Championship crown.
Fellow Dream Team nominees Maddison Levi and Heidi Dennis were also up for the award and whilst Levi was nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year, the honour goes to the skipper.
9:30 pm – Retirees honoured
A nice little video package for the retiring players of 2026.
This includes Wallabies fullback Andrew Kellaway, Wallaroos stars Emily Chancellor and Cecilia Smith along with former Sevens captain Demi Kennewell.
Chancellor collects a special award from RA CEO Phil Waugh.
9:20 pm – Brief chats
A brief Q & A with a host of stars from the respective teams, starting with newbie Teddy Wilson chatting about his first Wallabies camp.
Desiree Miller also talks about the growth of the Wallaroos and the rise in Test matches, having missed the last game against Canberra. Fun fact, Miller is currently doing a double degree whilst scorching teams on the field!
The chats finish with new Wallaby James Ramm, still sporting an English twang from his time in Northampton.
8:37 pm – Campbell’s last statement
Queensland Reds star Jock Campbell has been rewarded for his strong season as Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year.
In a year that saw Campbell return to the Wallabies setup, the fullback beat Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams and Max Jorgensen to the award.
The honour comes after the Reds said goodbye to the fullback, who is set to join a Japanese club.
A break before the main awards
8:35 pm – Palu Sekona creates history
Brumbies skipper Siokapesi Palu Sekona becomes the first player to win multiple Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year honours.
Palu Sekona makes it two in three years as she earns the nod over Wallaroos debutant Jemma Bemrose and Michaela Leonard.
The Test skipper is also up for Wallaroos Player of the Year. Having claimed Try of the Year, will it be three from three?
8:30 pm – Berry on top for Referee of the Year
Nic Berry has added to his tally, piling on another Referee of the Year award.
It’s Berry’s third Referee of the Year award, also winning in 2019 and 2021, taking the Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final.
He takes the award over the likes of Angus Gardner, Ella Goldsmith and Reuben Keane.
8:27 pm – Pesi charges to Try of the Year
Siokpaesi Palu Sekona and the Wallaroos have claimed Try of the Year, continuing her good fortune.
In a true embodiment of leaving the best until last, the Wallaroos skipper gets the nod after finishing off a remarkable 80 metre effort that the flanker started and finished in the final match of the eligible year in Canberra.
Watch it and the rest of the nominees below
8:23 pm – McReight man to claim Defender of the Year
Fraser McReight has been named Defender of the Year after a freakish scramble against France.
McReight produced an unbelievable chase-down during the Brisbane defeat to stop a certain try, then somehow got out of his in-goal, allowing the Aussies to boot the ball clear and hang on.
The other nominees included Nicole Ledington’s chase down against Fiji, with Jayden Blake and Maddison Levi nominated for their respective efforts against New Zealand in New York and Valladolid
8:20 pm – Langi, Ellis crowned stars to watch
NSW Waratahs duo Edwin Langi and Waiara Ellis have been named players of the future after taking out the Junior Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year.
It’s a timely honour for Langi, who was called iinto the Australia A squad to face the USA in New York and couldn’t accept his award in person. He takes the gong over Australia U20 teammates Wallace Charlie and Treyvon Pritchard.
Ellis’s meteoric rise continues after she stepped into the starting flyhalf role for the Wallaroos in 2026.
She is also overseas, named to start for Australia U21 against New Zealand U21.
7:40 pm – Pritchard, Whitaker crowned Rookie of the Years
Treyvon Pritchard and Amelia Whitaker have been honoured for their strong seasons as they take out Rookie of the Year.
It’s a sign of the esteem Pritchard is held in as he edges out Super Rugby Pacific Rookie of the Year Sid Harvey, along with Sevens star Harry Wilson.
As for Whitaker, her dream week continues following her nomination for World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year thanks to a brilliant season for the Wallaroos.
Fellow Wallaroos teammates Lily Bone and Nicole Ledington were the other nominees.
Another break before more awards
7:30 pm – Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year – Julius Ambat
NSW official Julius Ambat wins the Community Match Official of the Year after his life-long service to the game.
Ambat has been a consistent figure around Sydney Rugby Union for forever, giving back to the game in several facets.
This spans across 14 years, helping develop the next generation of referees.
7:25 pm – Geoff ‘Bunter’ Shaw Community Coach of the Year Award – Kieran Smith
Dubbo local Kieran Smith is a popular winner of the Community Coach of the Year.
Smith has held several titles within the coaching role, including serving as assistant coach for the Australian Schoolgirls at the Global Youth Sevens.
The Dubbo group under Smith won their fifth straight title in the women’s program.
7:22 pm – Joe French Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rugby – Craig Robberds
Back to the awards, Wests legend Craig Robberds has been recognised for his service with the Joe French Award.
Robberds has given close to a quarter of a decade to the ACT Rugby scene and the Wests club, first joining the club in 1995.
6:50 pm – Peter Meagher Spirit of Rugby Award – Paula Watkins
A special award to begin with as Paula Watkins is named the Peter Meagher Spirit of Rugby Award winner.
Randwick legend Turinui introduces the new award, renamed after Meagher’s tragic passing during the Bondi attacks.
Watkins is a life member of Ipswich Rangers Rugby Club and its only female life member to date. Her commitment is summarised by her willingness to give her time freely, including declining payment for four days of Match Manager duties so the funds could be returned to the community.
She also is a massive part of the Bingham Cup, which was held in Brisbane this year.
A quick break for now before more community awards.
6:40 pm – We’re underway
The awards are underway with Morgan Turinui and Allana Ferguson your hosts for the evening.
Turinui calls himself the ‘Temu Matt Burke’ after the Wallaby great hosted last year.
RA CEO Phil Waugh opens the night with a quick speech about the year that was.
5:30 pm – Welcome
Welcome to Rugby.com.au’s coverage of the 2026 Rugby Australia Awards from the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney
Rugby’s superstars are just about to walk the red carpet, with the ceremony set to commence in just over an hour.
Follow this blog to find out the award winners from the night or Rugby AU socials.
As a reminder, here are the nominees for the major awards for the night, with the John Eales Medal shortlist to be announced later in the night.
2026 RUGBY AUSTRALIA AWARDS FINALISTS
John Eales Medal
To be announced on the night
Wallaroos Player of the Year
Faitala Moleka
Piper Duck
Siokapesi Palu Sekona
Shawn Mackay Medal
Men’s
Aden Ekanayake
Henry Hutchison
Maurice Longbottom
Women’s
Heidi Dennis
Isabella Nasser
Maddison Levi
Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year
Jeremy Williams (Western Force)
Jock Campbell (Queensland Reds)
Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs)
Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies)
Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year
Jemma Bemrose (Queensland Reds)
Michaela Leonard (Western Force)
Siokapesi Palu Sekona (ACT Brumbies)
Santos Men’s Rookie of the Year
Harry Wilson (Australia Sevens)
Sid Harvey (NSW Waratahs)
Treyvon Pritchard (Queensland Reds)
Santos Women’s Rookie of the Year
Amelia Whitaker (Wallaroos)
Lily Bone (Wallaroos)
Nicole Ledington (Wallaroos)
Junior Men’s Player of the Year
Edwin Langi (Australia U20 and NSW Waratahs)
Treyvon Pritchard (Australia U20 and Queensland Reds)
Wallace Charlie (Australia Sevens, Australia U20, signed Western Force)
Junior Women’s Player of the Year
Amahli Hala (Australia Sevens)
Amelia Whitaker (Wallaroos and NSW Waratahs)
Waiaria Ellis (Wallaroos and NSW Waratahs)
Cadbury Try of the Year
Super Rugby Pacific: Joe Brial, Queensland Reds v ChiefsSuper Rugby Women’s: Eva Karpani, Queensland Reds v Fijian DruaSevens Men’s: Henry Hutchison v RSA, Valladolid FinalSevens Women’s: Kaitlin Shave v NZ, Valladolid Semi-FinalWallabies: Filipo Daugunu v NZWallaroos: Siokapesi Palu Sekona v Scotland
Defender of the Year
Wallabies: Fraser McReight v France
Wallaroos: Nicole Ledington v Fiji
Sevens Men’s: Jayden Blake v NZ, New York
Sevens Women’s: Maddison Levi v NZ, Valladolid Final
FedEx Referee of the Year
Angus Gardner
Ella Goldsmith
Nic Berry
Reuben Keane