By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The nominees for the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year have been announced, with the World Cup finalists the All Blacks and Springboks both having one nominee each.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber, centurion lock Eben Etzebeth and flyhalf Manie Libbok are among a top-class list of nominees for the 2023 World Rugby Awards.
Nienaber is in line for the World Rugby Coach of the Year award, while Etzebeth and Libbok have been nominated in the categories of World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year and World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year respectively. Etzebeth was also selected for the World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team.
Nienaber, who took up the role as Springbok head coach in 2020 after serving as an assistant coach to Rassie Erasmus, who switched roles from Bok head coach to SA Rugby Director of Rugby after the team’s triumphant 2019 RWC campaign in Japan, will go up against Ian Foster (New Zealand), Andy Farrell (Ireland) and Simon Raiwalui (Fiji) for the world’s most prestigious coaching award.
Etzebeth, who is currently the third most capped Springbok player of all time with 118 test caps, has been nominated for the Player of the Year award alongside Bundee Aki (Ireland centre), Antoine Dupont (France scrumhalf and captain) and Ardie Savea (New Zealand loose forward).
Libbok features on an exciting list of nominees for Breakthrough Player of the Year along with Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France wing), Mark Tele’a and Tamaiti Williams (New Zealand wing and prop respectively).
“We would like to congratulate Jacques, Eben and Manie for being nominated for these prestigious awards and we wish them luck for the awards ceremony,” said SA Rugby President, Mark Alexander.
“These awards recognise the best coaches and players in the world, and to have nominees in three categories is a testament to the class of our coaches and players in South Africa.
“I would also like to use this opportunity wish the Springboks good luck for the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand on Saturday at the Stade de France. It is a massive honour to represent your country on the biggest stage in world rugby and everyone at SA Rugby and the entire nation is behind you. We have full faith in you to continue giving the country hope and putting smiles on people’s faces.”
The winner will be announced on Sunday October 29, the day after the World Cup final.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “All those nominated today deserve not only our congratulations but also our thanks for everything they have contributed, on and off the field, to inspire fans and players worldwide, driving rugby forward in 2023 in line with our sport’s values.”
“The strength of rugby is its players, coaches, officials and volunteers, and these shortlists provide a vivid snapshot of a sport that is thriving globally in its 200th year. One day after we crown the Rugby World Cup 2023 champions, we look forward once again to uniting our global family and presenting a wider cast of winners with the ultimate accolades in our sport – the World Rugby Awards.”