Murray Kinsella Reports from Tokyo

SOUTH AFRICA FLANKER Pieter-Steph du Toit has been named World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year after helping his team to World Cup glory in Japan.

The 27-year-old collected his award at a World Rugby ceremony in Tokyo tonight after yesterday’s superb 32-12 win over England in the World Cup final.

Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

Du Toit was also superb in the Springboks’ success in this year’s Rugby Championship, with the South Africans’ brilliant year recognised with their clean sweep of the top World Rugby awards tonight.

Rassie Erasmus was named Coach of the Year for the excellent job he has done in guiding the team to their two trophies, while the Springboks were named Team of the Year.

Meanwhile, England’s Emily Scarratt was named Women’s 15s Player of the Year, having helped her team to a superb Grand Slam in 2019.

Englishman Wayne Barnes was named Referee of the Year as he bows out of professional refereeing, while France out-half Romain Ntamack won Breakthrough Player of the Year after impressing for les Bleus at the age of just 20. 

Former Ireland number eight Jamie Heaslip collected a Special Merit award in honour of his performances on the pitch and his work with International Rugby Players since retiring from playing.

Try of the Year went to New Zealand scrum-half TJ Perenara for a wonderful team effort against Namibia at the World Cup, while Women’s 7s Player of the Year went to Ruby Tui of New Zealand and Men’s 7s Player of the Year was Fiji’s Jerry Tuwai.

France’s Bernard Lapasset picked up the Vernon Pugh Award for distinguished service to rugby, while the City of Kamaishi in Japan was honoured with the Award for Character.

Finally, there were six new inductees into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in the shape of New Zealanders Graham Henry and Richie McCaw, Japan’s Shiggy Kono, South Africa’s Os du Randt, Samoa’s Peter Fatialofa, and Diego Ormaecha of Uruguay.