Du Toit Recognized as World's Exceptional Rugby Player of the year

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South African Rugby Star Pieter-Steph du Toit Takes Top Honors at World Rugby Awards

In a spectacular showdown at the World Rugby Awards held in Monaco, Pieter-Steph du Toit, the Springbok loose forward, emerged victorious, being named the Men's 15s Player of the Year. Du Toit outshone teammates Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe, and Ireland captain Caelan Doris to claim the most prestigious award in rugby.

Du Toit's double win makes history as he becomes the first South African to claim the coveted award twice, having first earned it in 2019. The only other Springboks to win the award are Schalk Burger (in 2004) and Bryan Habana (in 2009).

Du Toit's relentless performances at flank and lock played a crucial role in powering the back-to-back world champions to an impressive 2024 campaign. The Springboks clinched the Rugby Championship, won 11 of their 13 Tests, with the only defeats by a single point each to Ireland and Argentina.

Seven Springboks were included in the 2024 Dream Team, with Du Toit, Etzebeth, and Kolbe joining Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Damian de Allende, and Jesse Kriel in the prestigious lineup. Meanwhile, Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu, who stormed onto the Test arena with style before a knee injury cut his season short, missed out on the Men's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award.

All Blacks blue-chipper Wallace Sititi scooped the award, with England's Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Ireland's Jamie Osborne falling behind. Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks' mentor, praised his players and the entire team for their hard work and dedication to the Springbok brand, emphasizing the significance of the achievement given the vast player depth in the squad and regular rotation.

The Springboks' impressive season saw them win the Qatar Airways Cup, Mandela Challenge Plate, Freedom Cup, Prince William Cup, and finish the year atop the world rankings. However, Erasmus was overlooked as the Coach of the Year, with the award going to Jérôme Daret, who led the French men's sevens team to SVNS series glory and Olympic gold in Paris.

Selvyn Davids, captain of the Blitzboks, earned a spot in the Men's Sevens Dream Team, while SA Rugby won the Rugby for All Award, which celebrates impactful initiatives that uphold rugby's core values. SA Rugby's "The Bag That Builds" project was commended for promoting sustainability by repurposing tournament waste into building materials for community housing projects.

France's Antoine Dupont, who helped France win their first SVNS titles since 2007 as well as Olympic gold on home soil in Paris, won the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, becoming the first male player in history to be named World Rugby Player of the Year in both sevens and 15s (2021 and 2024).

Four Frenchmen, two men, and two women, were inducted in the World Rugby Hall of Fame, while Vickii Cornborough received the International Rugby Players Special Merit Award.

Sources:

[1] World Rugby (2024). World Rugby Awards 2024: Men's 15s Player of the Year. https://www.worldrugby.org/news/481731

[2] SA Rugby (2024). SA Rugby Men's Player of the Year. https://www.sarugby.com/news/1156250/sarugby-men-s-player-of-the-year-shortlisted

[3] SA Rugby (2024). World Rugby Awards 2024: SA Players on Nominees List. https://www.sarugby.com/news/1150966/world-rugby-awards-2024-sa-players-on-nominees-list

[4] SA Rugby (2024). Springbok Kolbe Up for World Rugby Awards. https://www.sarugby.com/news/1093979/springbok-kolbe-up-for-world-rugby-awards

[5] SA Rugby (2023). Pollard and Du Toit Quartet Recognized at lavie Awards. https://www.sarugby.com/news/1073724/pollard-and-du-toit-quartet-recognized-at-lavie-awards

Du Toit's impressive rugby career was once again recognized at the World Rugby Awards, earning him the title of Men's 15s Player of the Year for the second time, joining an exclusive list that includes Schalk Burger and Bryan Habana.
In the same event, Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe, and team captain Caelan Doris were commended for their contributions to the Springboks' successful 2024 season, but it was Du Toit who took the top honor.
Rugby fans and sports predictions alike were captivated by Du Toit's outstanding performances in both the flank and lock positions during the Springboks' back-to-back world championship campaign.
Despite not claiming the Men's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award, Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu demonstrated promise and potential in his limited time on the Test arena, leaving rugby enthusiasts eager to see his development in future European-leagues and Premier-League matches.
Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks' mentor, praised the team's hard work and dedication to the Springbok brand, highlighting their achievement as significant given the immense player depth and regular rotation in the squad.
England's Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Ireland's Jamie Osborne fell behind in the race for the Men's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award, which was ultimately won by All Blacks blue-chipper Wallace Sititi.