Du Toit Recognized as the Year's Outstanding Rugby Player by World Rugby

Unleashing the Beast: Pieter-Steph du Toit Roars to Another World Rugby Award

After tearing through the 2024 rugby season, Springbok titan Pieter-Steph du Toit has once again etched his name in the record books as the Men's 15s Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards.

Du Toit, the 32-year-old South African powerhouse, swatted away contenders like Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe from his own team, as well as Ireland captain Caelan Doris, to secure rugby's most coveted individual accolade for a second time since 2019. Joining an exclusive club comprising of Schalk Burger (2004) and Bryan Habana (2009), the Springboks standout proved his mettle on the international stage yet again.

Butchering the pitch with a relentless Terminator-like approach, du Toit's formidable presence helped propel the back-to-back world champions to an awe-inspiring 2024 campaign featuring 11 victories in 13 Tests. Despite narrow defeats to Ireland and Argentina, the South African stalwart contributed significantly towards a golden year that saw the Springboks secure the Rugby Championship and clutch a series of prestigious trophies such as the Qatar Airways Cup, Mandela Challenge Plate, Freedom Cup, and Prince William Cup.

To cherry on top, seven Springbok players earned places in the 2024 Dream Team, including du Toit, Etzebeth, Kolbe, Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Damian de Allende, and Jesse Kriel.

Meanwhile, the promise of Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu, the Springbok flyhalf, went unfulfilled in the Men's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year category, with Wallace Sititi of the All Blacks scooping the award instead.

Another year of Springbok dominance, Rassie Erasmus' team finished the season at the top of the world rankings. Remarkably, team mentor Erasmus was overlooked for the Coach of the Year honor, with French coach Jérôme Daret earning recognition for leading Les Bleus to SVNS series glory and Olympic gold in Paris.

Erasmus was magnanimous in his praise, demonstrating his acceptance of the uneven accolades. "It takes a village to raise a champion. Our players are the ones who have brought the hardware home, but it's the collective effort of the squad, including the coaches, medical team, and team management, that makes our achievements possible."

Outside of the Springbok success, Selvyn Davids, captain of the Blitzboks, secured a spot in the Men's Sevens Dream Team, while SA Rugby nabbed the Rugby for All Award for its 'The Bag That Builds' project, which repurposes tournament waste into building materials for community housing projects, further highlighting its commitment to sustainability.

France dominated the women's awards with Antoine Dupont claiming the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, becoming the first in history to be named World Rugby Player of the Year in both sevens and 15s (2021 and 2024). Frenchwoman Marine Ménager also won the International Rugby Players Women's Try of the Year award for her dot down against Canada.

England's Ellie Kildunne, who played a pivotal role in the Red Roses' perfect 2024 season, triumphed in the Women's 15s Player of the Year competition, while Ireland's Erin King was rewarded as the Women's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year, and Australia's Maddison Levi received the Women's World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year.

Five icons of the sport were inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, including Australia's Emilee Cherry and Italy's Sergio Parisse, while Vickii Cornborough (England) received the International Rugby Players Special Merit Award for her substantial impact on and off the field.

By Quintin van Jaarsveld, Former SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year

Key Takeaways:- Pieter-Steph du Toit earned a second World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year award- Overlooked for Coach of the Year despite a successful season- Seven Springboks selected for the Dream Team- France swept the women's awards, and international icons inducted in World Rugby Hall of Fame

[1] https://www.worldrugby.org/news/325002[2] https://www.sportskeeda.com/rugby/news-pieter-stef-du-toit-named-world-rugby-player-year-2024[3] https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/35915611/springboks-pieter-stef-du-toit-men-15s-rugby-player-year-world-rugby-awards[4] https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/its-all-star-acting-from-springboks-in-dream-team-announcement/

Pieter-Steph du Toit was commended as the Men's 15s Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards for the second time, having previously won in 2019.
Despite a successful season, Rassie Erasmus, the coach of the Springboks, was overlooked for the Coach of the Year honor, with French coach Jérôme Daret earning recognition instead.
Alongside du Toit, six other Springbok players were recognized by being named in the 2024 Dream Team.
France dominated the women's awards, with Antoine Dupont and Marine Ménager claiming the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year and International Rugby Players Women's Try of the Year awards, respectively.
In addition to the individual awards, England's Ellie Kildunne was named Women's 15s Player of the Year, while Ireland's Erin King received the Women's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award, and Australia's Maddison Levi was recognized as the Women's World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year.
Five icons of the sport, including Australia's Emilee Cherry and Italy's Sergio Parisse, were inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, while Vickii Cornborough (England) received the International Rugby Players Special Merit Award.