Bok up for World Rugby player of decade award
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok flank Pieter-Steph du Toit will go up against three-time World Cup winners Dan Carter and Richie McCaw for the Player of the Decade award.
Du Toit, Carter and McCaw are among eight nominees for the prestigious World Rugby Men’s Player of the Decade award.
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.
Chris Ashton, Radike Samo, Bryan Habana, Beauden Barrett, Francois Hougaard, Julian Savea, Jamie Heaslip, Joaquín Tuculet, Brodie Retallick and TJ Perenara are in contention for International Rugby Players (IRP) Men’s 15s Try of the Decade.
Two-time World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year, Perry Baker is one of nine nominees for World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Decade. The USA speedster is up against past World Rugby Men’s Sevens Players of the Year recipients Mikaele Pesamino, Cecil Afrika, Tomasi Cama, Tim Mikkelson, Samisoni Viriviri, Werner Kok, Seabelo Senatla and Jerry Tuwai.
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, December 7. The show will be made available for free to rugby fans globally via World Rugby’s digital channels.
Alphonsi said: “As our sport carefully begins to restart around the world, it is important to keep celebrating what makes rugby so special: its values, communities and best performers. I am truly honoured to co-host the show with Alex, and I look forward to unveiling the winners to rugby fans from around the world in December.”
Fans have until October 25 to vote on the following categories:
- 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
