Springbok flank Pieter-Steph du Toit is among eight nominees for the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Decade award.
The World Rugby Awards Special Edition voting is now open, giving fans across the globe the opportunity to have their say on who should walk away with six awards on 7 December.
Due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on the global game, it was announced last month that the usual 12 World Rugby awards would not be presented this year.
Instead, a special edition World Rugby Awards will celebrate members of the rugby family who have provided incredible service to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic and players and teams who have starred over the last decade.
Fans have until 25 October to vote on the following categories, which will be decided by the public:
- Men’s 15s Player of the Decade
- Women’s 15s Player of the Decade
- International Rugby Players Men’s 15s Try of the Decade
- International Rugby Players Women’s 15s Try of the Decade
- Men’s Sevens Player of the Decade
- Women’s Sevens Player of the Decade
While fans will pick the winners of these six categories, the task of selecting a Men’s 15s Team of the Decade and Women’s 15s Team of the Decade falls to the World Rugby Awards panel, a stellar team of rugby greats who historically choose the World Rugby Awards winners.
The World Rugby Awards Special Edition will be co-hosted by former England international and World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Maggie Alphonsi and rugby presenter Alex Payne on Monday, 7 December. The show will be made available for free to rugby fans globally via World Rugby’s digital channels.
Each World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year since 2010, including three-time winners Dan Carter and Richie McCaw and 2019 recipient Pieter-Steph du Toit, have been shortlisted for the Men’s 15s Player of the Decade.
Meanwhile, Springboks Bryan Habana and Francois Hougaard are in contention for International Rugby Players (IRP) Men’s 15s Try of the Decade. Other nominees for the award include Chris Ashton, Radike Samo, Beauden Barrett, Julian Savea, Jamie Heaslip, Joaquín Tuculet, Brodie Retallick and TJ Perenara.
There are three former Blitzboks who have been nominated for the Men’s Sevens Player of the Decade. Cecil Afrika, Werner Kok and Seabelo Senatla will go up against Perry Baker, Mikaele Pesamino, Tomasi Cama, Tim Mikkelson, Samisoni Viriviri and Jerry Tuwai for the award.
Photo: Getty Images
