Springbok flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit was named as World Rugby’s Player of the Year, in a ceremony held over the weekend.
Two other South Africans – Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe – had also been nominated for the award, as well as Irishman, Caelan Doris.
Du Toit has previously won the award, in 2019. He becomes the first South African to win the award twice. The only other players to have been awarded it more than once are all New Zealanders, with Beauden Barrett having won it twice, and Dan Carter and Richie McCaw each winning it three times.
World Rugby also named a 2024 “Dream Team” with seven Springboks being named in it. The South Africans named were Etzebeth, Du Toit, Kolbe, Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Damian de Allende, and Jesse Kriel.