Springboks Make Clean Sweep At 2019 World Rugby Awards

South Africa flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit was named World Rugby’s Player of the Year as the newly crowned World Cup champions sealed a trio of honours at the World Rugby Awards in Tokyo, Japan.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ZB_MFpBtu/

Pieter-Steph du Toit joins Schalk Burger 2004 and Bryan Habana 2007 as the only Springbok players who have won the global individual men’s rugby award.

The Springboks fresh from a triumphant 2019 Rugby World Cup exit further bagged the: Player of the Year , Coach of the Year and Team of the Year accolades.

Siya Kolisi speaks about the special bond in the @Springboks team after they were awarded Team of the Year for 2019 at the #WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/A6yk2ff471

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 3, 2019

The World Rugby panel picked South Africa as men’s team of the year and coach Rassie Erasmus as top coach after the Springboks won the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time and also secured the Rugby Championship for the first time since 2009.

🎂 No better way to celebrate your birthday (even if it's a few days after lifting the cup)
🥳 Happy Birthday Rassie Erasmus pic.twitter.com/HPNnFhSUGP

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 5, 2019

Erasmus took over as director of rugby at the end of 2017 and shortly afterwards doubled his responsibilities by becoming head coach following the sacking of Allister Coetzee after a miserable run of 12 losses from 25 games but he has turned the team’s fortunes around in remarkable culminating to their ascension to the global title on Saturday.

World Rugby Awards Winners

• Men’s 15s Player Of The Year: Pieter-Steph Du Toit
• Women’s 15s Player Of The Year: Emily Scarratt
• Team of the Year: South Africa men’s 15s
• Coach of the Year: Rassie Erasmus
• Referee of the Year: Wayne Barnes

By Gerald Dandah