SA Rugby president Mark Alexander has congratulated Springboks Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende and Malcolm Marx in addition to former Bok wing Bryan Habana and former referee Tappe Henning for his or her recognition at Sunday evening’s World Rugby Awards in Monaco.
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Am and De Allende have fashioned a formidable midfield mixture for the Springboks in the previous few seasons, which included the triumphant 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Unfortunately for the Springboks, Am – who was additionally nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year award – suffered a season-ending knee damage in August, however he’ll look to return to this high-quality kind with an eye fixed on subsequent yr’s Rugby World Cup in France.
Marx, in the meantime, has been a stalwart from the Springboks, making his presence felt within the lineouts, on the rucks and basically play because of his arduous operating on assault, stable defence, and skill to cross the tryline.
Am and Marx had been included within the World Rugby Dream Team for the second successive yr.
Ireland, with 4 gamers within the Dream Team, had the most important illustration within the composite facet, adopted by South Africa with three.
New Zealand, England and France every have two gamers within the group, whereas Australia and Argentina offered one every.
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Habana, who performed 124 Tests for the Springboks and scored 67 tries between 2004 to 2016, obtained the International Rugby Players Special Merit Award for setting a benchmark for what it means to serve the sport past the pitch.
Henning, who was a high Test referee between 1995 and 2005 and has been actively working with match officers in each South Africa and Scotland and extra not too long ago main the best way within the United Rugby Championship, earned the World Rugby Referee Award for his integral function in refereeing and its improvement within the skilled and novice sport for greater than 20 years.
“We are very proud of these men and their achievements at the World Rugby awards,” mentioned SA Rugby president mentioned.
“This awards ceremony celebrates the cream of the crop in the game of rugby, and to have five South Africans feature in the respective categories is a massive feather in our cap and in it shows the class of those individuals both on and off the field.”
“It was equally pleasing to have two gamers, Am and Springbok Women’s wing Nomawethu Mabenge nominated for 2 of the most important awards, World Rugby Player of the Year and International Women’s Try of the Year respectively, and it reveals the calibre of the gamers inside our system.
“The 2023 season is building up to be quite monumental for South Africa with the Rugby World Cup in France, and we certainly hope to see our players again making their presence felt as the Springboks attempt to defend their title.”
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World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year:
15 Freddie Steward (England), 14 Will Jordan (New Zealand), 13 Lukhanyo Am (South Africa), 12 Damian de Allende (South Africa), 11 Marika Koroibete (Australia), 10 Johnny Sexton (Ireland), 9 Antoine Dupont (France), 8 Gregory Alldritt (France), 7 Josh van der Flier (Ireland), 6 Pablo Matera (Argentina), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), 3 Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), 2 Malcolm Marx (South Africa), 1 Ellis Genge (England).
Full checklist of World Rugby Awards winners
- World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year – Ruahei Demant (New Zealand)
- World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year – Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
- World Rugby Coach of the Year – Wayne Smith (New Zealand Women’s 15s)
- World Rugby Men’s Breakthrough Player of the Year – Ange Capuozzo (Italy)
- World Rugby Women’s Breakthrough Player of the Year – Ruby Tui (New Zealand)
- World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year – Terry Kennedy (Ireland)
- World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year – Charlotte Caslick (Australia)
- World Rugby Referee Award – Tappe Henning (South Africa)
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service – Dr Farah Palmer (New Zealand)
- International Rugby Players Special Merit Award – Bryan Habana (South Africa)
- International Rugby Players Men’s Try of the Year – Rodrigo Fernandez (Chile, v USA on 9 July)
- International Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year – Abby Dow (England, v Canada on 5 November)
