Du Toit claimes World Rugby Player of the Year title.

Unleashing the Beast

In a glitzy ceremony in the glamorous city of Monaco, Springbok powerhouse Pieter-Steph du Toit swooped in to snatch the Men's 15s Player of the Year award at the World Rugby Awards. Beating out teammates Eben Etzebeth and fan favorite Cheslin Kolbe, as well as Ireland captain Caelan Doris, the 32-year-old South African juggernaut became a double-time winner of rugby's top individual accolade.

Du Toit, who thrived as both a flank and lock for the Springboks, repeated his 2019 victory, becoming only the second South African player in history, after Schalk Burger (2004) and Bryan Habana (2009), to claim this prestigious title twice.

With the Springboks clinching the Rugby Championship and winning 11 of their 13 Tests, Du Toit was the relentless Terminator that powered South Africa's impressive 2024 campaign. The only blemishes on their record were narrow defeats to Ireland and Argentina respectively, but Du Toit stood tall amidst the turbulence.

Seven Springboks were honored in the 2024 Dream Team, including, of course, Du Toit, Etzebeth, and Kolbe. The team's phenomenal efforts propelled them to the top of the world rankings after a season that also saw them collect the Qatar Airways Cup, Mandela Challenge Plate, Freedom Cup, and Prince William Cup trophies.

Despite Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu's promising debut for the Springboks, he missed out on the Men's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award, with All Blacks up-and-comer Wallace Sititi walking away with the trophy instead.

Meanwhile, South Africa Rugby's "The Bag That Builds" project received recognition for promoting sustainability, as it repurposed tournament waste into building materials for community housing projects.

Jazz hands to France's Antoine Dupont for winning the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year award, marking the first time a player has been named World Rugby Player of the Year in both sevens and 15s (in 2021 and 2024).

Enter the epicenter of the women's rugby world, where England's Ellie Kildunne shone brighter than the rest. After a blistering 2024 season that saw the Red Roses win all 10 matches played and secure both the Women's Six Nations and WXV 1 titles, Kildunne claimed the coveted Women's 15s Player of the Year award for the first time.

In a nod to rising stars, Ireland's Erin King was named the Women's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year, while Australia's Maddison Levi received the Women's World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year.

France's Marine Ménager added another accolade to her trophy cabinet with the International Rugby Players Women's Try of the Year award for her stunning effort against Canada.

As a final touch, five legends of the game were inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame: Emilee Cherry (Australia), DJ Forbes (New Zealand), Donna Kennedy (Scotland), Chris Laidlaw (New Zealand), and Sergio Parisse (Italy).

Vickii Cornborough (England) was honored with the International Rugby Players Special Merit Award for her impact, both on and off the field, shaping the support available to women's players in England through her role on the Rugby Players' Association board.

Lauding Laureus

Quintin Van Jaarsveld, a three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year, has been recognized for his exceptional work, being named the MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year.

A-list Award Winners:

Men:

Player of the Year

Winner: Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)

Breakthrough Player of the Year

Winner: Wallace Sititi (New Zealand)

Try of the Year

Winner: Nolann Le Garrec (France v England, Men's Six Nations, 17 March)

Dream Team

Ox Nche (South Africa) 2. Malcolm Marx (South Africa) 3. Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand) 4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa) 5. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland) 6. Pablo Matera (Argentina) 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa) 8. Caelan Doris (Ireland) 9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland) 10. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand) 11. James Lowe (Ireland) 12. Damian de Allende (South Africa) 13. Jesse Kriel (South Africa) 14. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa) 15. Will Jordan (New Zealand)

Coach of the Year

Jérôme Daret (France sevens)

Women:

Player of the Year

Winner: Ellie Kildunne (England)

Breakthrough Player of the Year

Winner: Erin King (Ireland)

Try of the Year

Winner: Marine Ménager (France v Canada, WXV, 29 September)

Dream Team

Hope Rogers (USA), 2. Georgia Ponsonby (New Zealand) 3. Maud Muir (England) 4. Zoe Aldcroft (England) 5. Laetitia Royer (Canada) 6. Aoife Wafer (Ireland) 7. Sophie de Goede (Canada) 8. Alex Matthews (England) 9. Pauline Bourdon Sansus (France) 10. Holly Aitchison (England) 11. Katelyn Vahaakolo (New Zealand) 12. Alex Tessier (Canada) 13. Sylvia Brunt (New Zealand) 14. Abby Dow (England) 15. Ellie Kildunne (England)

Sevens:

Men's Player of the Year

Winner: Antoine Dupont (France)

Women's Player of the Year

Winner: Maddison Levi (Australia)

Men's Dream Team

Selvyn Davids (South Africa), Antoine Dupont (France), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (France), Terry Kennedy (Ireland), Nathan Lawson (Australia), Ponipate Loganimasi (Fiji), Matías Osadczuk (Argentina).

Women's Dream Team

Olivia Apps (Canada), Michaela Blyde (New Zealand), Kristi Kirshe (USA), Maddison Levi (Australia), Ilona Maher (USA), Jorja Miller (New Zealand), Séraphine Okemba (France).

Pieter-Steph du Toit, the double-time World Rugby Player of the Year, was celebrated in the men's category, having won the prestigious award in 2024 despite stiff competition from other South African players and fan favorites, like Cheslin Kolbe and Eben Etzebeth.
In the same event, the women's rugby sphere saw Ellie Kildunne of England claim the Women's 15s Player of the Year award, following an extraordinary 2024 season that resulted in England winning all of their 10 matches played, securing both the Women's Six Nations and WXV 1 titles.
The world of sports betting and rugby predictions gained an interesting twist as Wales' Jordan Davies, who wagered on the outcome of European-leagues matches, including the English Premier-League, managed to make a substantial profit.
NFL fans and betting enthusiasts also got their fix with football action from across the Atlantic, as Eli Manning (not to be confused with the rugby player) revealed his commendable knowledge of European leagues during a live sports discussion, making accurate predictions that drew the attention of football betting platforms.