Springboks snubbed at World Rugby awards

The Springboks’ players and coach lost out on all the big awards at the glitzy annual awards ceremony which took place in Paris on Sunday night.

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WORLD RUGBY SNUB SPRINGBOKS

Three members of the Springbok set-up, Eben Etzebeth, Manie Libbok and Jacques Nienaber, were in contention to win awards, but none of them did.

Etzebeth was shortlisted in the World Rugby Player of the Year category, but lost out to All Blacks flank Ardie Savea, who scooped the biggest prize of the night.

Libbok was nominated for Breakthrough Player of the Year, but that award went to South African-born All Blacks wing Mark Telea.

And Nienaber was among the World Rugby Coach of the Year nominees, but he too was overlooked as the award went to Andy Farrell of Ireland.

Additionally, many of the Springboks’ history-making stars were overlooked for selection in Men’s Test Dream Team of the Year for 2023, with France and Ireland represented by five players despite falling out in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, and the All Blacks taking four spots in the composite team.

The only Springbok to make the Dream Team is Etzebeth.

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OTHER SOUTH AFRICANS RECOGNISED

During the ceremony, former Bok captain John Smit received a Special Merit Award for his service since retiring, while Bryan Habana was inducted into World Rugby’s Hall of Fame.

South African-born Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe’s try against England in the Six Nations was named the Try of the Year.

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