Pieter-Steph du Toit and Eben Etzebeth are vying for the title of World Rugby Player of the Year. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
Three seasoned Springboks, Cheslin Kolbe, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit, are among the nominees to be named World Rugby Player of the Year for 2024.
The other candidate in the running is new Ireland captain Caelan Doris.
And, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who made his debut earlier this season before a knee injury cut short his season, is among the men nominated in the Breakthrough of the Year category. He will be up against England’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Ireland’s Jamie Osborne and New Zealand’s Wallace Sititi.
France’s Antoine Dupont is among three men nominated to be crowned Sevens Player of the year.
Bok flanker Du Toit won the award in 2019, when the Boks won the World Cup in Japan, while this is Etzebeth’s second successive nomination after also making the shortlist last year. He was also nominated in 2013.
Kolbe, who scored two match-defining tries against England at Twickenham on Saturday, was shortlisted in 2019.
The awards will be hosted in Monaco on Sunday after the conclusion of the November internationals this weekend.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he was proud of the nominated Bok players.
“Congratulations to the players for being nominated and making their mark on the biggest stage in rugby this season.
“Making their nominations even more remarkable is that most of them have won two Rugby World Cup titles already and that they have continued to deliver the high standards we expect at the Springboks over several years.
“Over and above that, we have used 50 players in our Tests so far this season, and to see them shine among the best players in the world is fantastic. We are extremely proud of them, and we wish them luck when the winners are revealed.”
Only two other South Africans have walked away with the top honour – Schalk Burger in 2004, and Bryan Habana in 2009.
Other South Africans who received nominations for the men’s 15s Player of the Year Award in the last decade, are Willie le Roux and Duane Vermeulen (both in 2014), Faf de Klerk and Malcolm Marx (both in 2018), and Lukhanyo Am (2022).
For all the nominees and news.
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