SA’s standing on the global stage was given another shot in the arm when three Springbok World Cup winners were included in the World Rugby 15’s Team of the Decade.
The Bok stars who cracked the nod for the team were prop Tendai Mtawarira, hooker Bismarck du Plessis and flying wing Bryan Habana.
There was also recognition for Siya Kolisi and his Springbok colleagues for their fundraising efforts through the #StrongerTogether for R32-12 campaign, which raised more than R1m for hunger alleviation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Men’s Team of the Decade features a strong SA front-row presence in Mtawarira, who retired from Test rugby after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and the experienced Du Plessis.
Habana, the Springboks’ most prolific try scorer during his international career, which spanned 12 years, is the third South African named in the side.
Du Plessis and Habana were teammates when SA won the Rugby World Cup in 2007, while all three players were members of the Springboks’ 2-1 series win over the 2009 British & Irish Lions.
“On behalf of the entire South African rugby fraternity, I would like to congratulate all our Springboks who featured in the World Rugby Awards tonight,” SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said.
“Beast, Bismarck and Bryan always gave everything they had for the Springbok jersey and were great ambassadors for our wonderful country.
“Their inclusion in the Team of the Decade is great reward for their consistently high-level of performance in the green and gold.
“To Siya and the Boks of 2019, well done on a great effort to help raise funds for those less fortunate who were hit very hard because of the pandemic earlier this year — we are all very proud of your efforts.
“Congratulations to our other nominees too, for always giving their all when representing South Africa on rugby fields around the globe.”
New Zealand’s two-time Rugby World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw was named World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Decade.
Jamie Heaslip’s try for Ireland against Italy in the 2016 Six Nations was voted International Rugby Players Men’s 15s Try of the Decade by fans after seeing off the competition from scores by Chris Ashton, Radike Samo, Habana, Beauden Barrett, Francois Hougaard, Julian Savea, Joaquín Tuculet, Brodie Retallick and TJ Perenara.
World Rugby chair Sir Bill Beaumont said: “First and foremost, I am deeply proud of how the global rugby family has reacted to what has been an exceptionally challenging year.
“The rugby heroes featured in the ceremony and all the others that provided outstanding service during the pandemic are an inspiration to us all. This special edition of the World Rugby Awards is certainly a tribute to their resilience and solidarity.
“I would like to congratulate all tonight’s recipients for their outstanding contribution to our game over the last decade, and for some of them, for many years to come.
“They are already part of rugby’s history and it is my great privilege to acknowledge their legacy with these awards.”
The team: 1 Tendai Mtawarira (SA), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (SA), 3 Owen Franks (NZ), 4 Brodie Retallick (NZ), 5. Sam Whitelock (NZ), 6 David Pocock (Aust), 7 Richie McCaw (NZ), 8. Sergio Parisse (Italy), 9. Conor Murray (Ire), 10 Dan Carter (NZ), 11 Bryan Habana (SA) 12 Ma’a Nonu (NZ), 13 Brian O’Driscoll (IRE), 14 George North (Wal) 15 Ben Smith (NZ).
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Kolisi’s 2019 Cup winners recognised for fundraising efforts
Three Boks in World Rugby’s Team of the Decade
Rugby writer
Image: (Photo by Ashley Western/MB Media/Getty Images)
SA’s standing on the global stage was given another shot in the arm when three Springbok World Cup winners were included in the World Rugby 15’s Team of the Decade.
The Bok stars who cracked the nod for the team were prop Tendai Mtawarira, hooker Bismarck du Plessis and flying wing Bryan Habana.
There was also recognition for Siya Kolisi and his Springbok colleagues for their fundraising efforts through the #StrongerTogether for R32-12 campaign, which raised more than R1m for hunger alleviation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Men’s Team of the Decade features a strong SA front-row presence in Mtawarira, who retired from Test rugby after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and the experienced Du Plessis.
Habana, the Springboks’ most prolific try scorer during his international career, which spanned 12 years, is the third South African named in the side.
Du Plessis and Habana were teammates when SA won the Rugby World Cup in 2007, while all three players were members of the Springboks’ 2-1 series win over the 2009 British & Irish Lions.
“On behalf of the entire South African rugby fraternity, I would like to congratulate all our Springboks who featured in the World Rugby Awards tonight,” SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said.
“Beast, Bismarck and Bryan always gave everything they had for the Springbok jersey and were great ambassadors for our wonderful country.
“Their inclusion in the Team of the Decade is great reward for their consistently high-level of performance in the green and gold.
“To Siya and the Boks of 2019, well done on a great effort to help raise funds for those less fortunate who were hit very hard because of the pandemic earlier this year — we are all very proud of your efforts.
“Congratulations to our other nominees too, for always giving their all when representing South Africa on rugby fields around the globe.”
New Zealand’s two-time Rugby World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw was named World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Decade.
Jamie Heaslip’s try for Ireland against Italy in the 2016 Six Nations was voted International Rugby Players Men’s 15s Try of the Decade by fans after seeing off the competition from scores by Chris Ashton, Radike Samo, Habana, Beauden Barrett, Francois Hougaard, Julian Savea, Joaquín Tuculet, Brodie Retallick and TJ Perenara.
World Rugby chair Sir Bill Beaumont said: “First and foremost, I am deeply proud of how the global rugby family has reacted to what has been an exceptionally challenging year.
“The rugby heroes featured in the ceremony and all the others that provided outstanding service during the pandemic are an inspiration to us all. This special edition of the World Rugby Awards is certainly a tribute to their resilience and solidarity.
“I would like to congratulate all tonight’s recipients for their outstanding contribution to our game over the last decade, and for some of them, for many years to come.
“They are already part of rugby’s history and it is my great privilege to acknowledge their legacy with these awards.”
The team: 1 Tendai Mtawarira (SA), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (SA), 3 Owen Franks (NZ), 4 Brodie Retallick (NZ), 5. Sam Whitelock (NZ), 6 David Pocock (Aust), 7 Richie McCaw (NZ), 8. Sergio Parisse (Italy), 9. Conor Murray (Ire), 10 Dan Carter (NZ), 11 Bryan Habana (SA) 12 Ma’a Nonu (NZ), 13 Brian O’Driscoll (IRE), 14 George North (Wal) 15 Ben Smith (NZ).
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