Player of the Year – Travis Dixon
For the second year running, Vice Captain Travis Dixon was voted Player of the Year at the Crusaders Awards Dinner at ANA Continental Hotel on 7 June, 2014. Not only that, Travis received the Shuto Player of the Year Award by the Shuto League earlier in March. There’s no reason his prowess won’t continue as he takes on the captaincy of the team for the 2014/-15 season.
- Position: Fly-half
- Points scored: 114
Cru Iron Man – Roy Yorke
Yorkie’s dedication to the Cru shows on and off the field. Apart from his position as Kit Manager, making sure we have great jerseys and training wear, he’s a team stalwart who always shows up for practice and games. With 16 tries throughout the season he finished a respectable 4th in overall scoring for the Cru.
- Position: Fullback
- Speed: Enough to make Japanese backs call out ‘hayai!!’ as he leaves them in the dust.
Rookie of the Year – Chris Ekstrom
Scoring a hat-trick in his first ever rugby game, fly-boy Chris has been a marvel on the wing this season. Running circles around the opposition and beating almost anyone 1-on-1, Chris contributed to the team with 19 tries in only 12 games. Being selected for the Shuto All Star Team that beat Santama League on 1 December, Chris was selected ‘Man-of-the-Match by the opposition.
- Position: Wing
- Secret Weapon: Warp speed button in the heel of his boot.
Most Improved Player of the Year – Eric Wilkinson
Eric has turned into one of the most versatile forwards on the team and made any number of bone-crunching tackles throughout the season (not least felt by Cru member Jamie Payne as Eric switched sides for a half in a friendly against All France). Reliable as a rock, Eric has left his american footballing background firmly behind. Who needs pads when you’re made of steel?
- Position: Prop
- Best match in the animal kingdom: Rhino
Captain’s Award – Gen ‘Glen’ & ‘Gary’ Hirano
Gen came back to the team mid-season after some unfortunate rambling in the southern regions. He’s been a pillar of the team on and off the field, succeeding with the feat of leading 15 crusaders into the sticks for a no-game Tokyo Cup collaboration day. Gen is a true ‘Rich Williams’, who can play any position on the team.
- Position: Hooker/Flanker (or just about anything else)
- Don’t be surprised if: Gen gets his own 7-inch action figure.
Club Man of the Year – Jonas Hult
In spite of his viking heritage, Jonas has helped build one of the best websites in amateur rugby. Stricken with a shoulder injury early in the season he grabbed a camera and launched the CRUtube channel with game video summaries and post-match interviews. Back on the field since January, he struggles to keep up with the young, new players but keeps fighting for his 15 minutes in the second half.
- Position: Webmaster, Lock
- Amazing fact: Has cooked for the King of Sweden