By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Springboks’ glorious defence of their Rugby World Cup (RWC) title in Paris last year has earned them a nomination for World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports awards.
The Springboks are nominated for this year’s Laureus World Team of the Year Award following their incredibleh over New Zealand in October.
They won their quarter-final match against France, the semi-final against England and the final against New Zealand by one point on each occasion.
It was second straight World Cup win for the Boks, who also won in 2019, and their fourth World Cup win overall.
The Boks are up against Europe’s Ryder Cup golf team, Germany’s men’s basketball team, Manchester City football club, Red Bull’s F1 racing team, and Spain’s women’s football team.
Siya Kolisi also earned a nomination in the Comeback of the Year category, for his miraculous recovery from knee ligament surgery, just four months before RWC 2023, to lead his team to back-t0-back titles.
He is up against, among others, gymnastics star Simone Biles.
“This is such an overwhelming moment for me — to be nominated with the Springboks for Laureus Team of the Year, and also individually for Comeback of the Year,” Kolisi said.
“I know just what it means to win a Laureus Award. I was lucky enough to be captain of the Springboks in 2019 when we won the World Cup, and as a result, the following year we won Laureus Team of the Year.”
Neuschafer is shortlisted for the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award, marking her extraordinary achievement of becoming the first female to win a solo round-the-world race via the three Great Capes.
Rounding off the South African nominees is Justice Desk Africa, a group in the running for the Laureus Sport for Good Award.
There are six nominees in each category, and the names of the winners will be revealed on April 22, following a vote by the Laureus World Sports Academy – the world’s ultimate sports jury, made up of 69 of the greatest sporting legends of all time.
In the leading categories, the sportsman of the year nominees are Novak Djokovic, Mondo Duplantis, Erling Haaland, Noah Lyles, Lionel Messi and Max Verstappen, and the sportswoman of the year nominees are Aitana Bonmati, Shericka Jackson, Faith Kipyegon, Sha’carri Richardson, Mikaela Shiffrin and Iga Swiatek.