Rugby World Cup 2019: South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit named World Rugby Player of the Year

South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit has been named World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year.

The flanker helped his side to Rugby World Cup victory with a magnificent performance in the final against England, and was a crucial figure on the blindside throughout the tournament.

There were also awards for coach Rassie Erasmus after he guided the Springboks to World Cup victory, and England’s centre Emily Scarratt, who won the Women’s Player of the Year award.

“To my team-mates and our coaching staff, everyone here tonight said it is a team sport and I can’t emphasise it more,” du Toit said after picking up his award.

“To my team-mates, the friendship we made over these last few months is unbelievable and for me personally it is a massive honour for me to accept this award.

“I think if the players around you play good rugby as well and you have got good coaching staff around you and you set your standards a bit higher it is just the way your life goes forward.

“It is an unbelievable feeling and the Springboks mean so much to me, I can’t describe it.”

Du Toit is the third South African winner of the award, following Bryan Habana and Schalk Burger. He succeeds Ireland’s Johnny Sexton, who won the award last year.

Scarratt’s victory comes after the centre returned to the fifteen-a-side game for this year, and helped her side to a Six Nations Grand Slam in the spring.

England also finished second behind New Zealand in the Women’s Rugby Super Series in California during the summer.

“We don’t chase after individual accolades and achievements in a team sport and I have been unbelievably lucky to play with and against some fantastic players over the years and it is pretty cool for sure,” Scarratt said.

“The quality of rugby in England and around the world is going through the roof. It is really exciting,

“I think the women’s game over the last few years has really pushed on and it is definitely down to us to showcase what we are about, put good quality rugby out there for people to see and hopefully New Zealand 2021 is going to be one hell of a spectacle.”

Erasmus and South Africa were named coach and team of the year after the World Cup victory, while Jerry Tuwai of Fiji and Ruby Tui of New Zealand were the men’s and women’s Sevens players of the year.

England’s Wayne Barnes was named referee of the year.

Full list of World Rugby Awards winners

World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year, in association with Mastercard – Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, in association with Mastercard – Emily Scarratt (England)
World Rugby Team of the Year – South Africa
World Rugby Coach of the Year – Rassie Erasmus (South Africa)
World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in association with Tudor – Romain Ntamack (France)
World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Jerry Tuwai (Fiji)
World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Ruby Tui (New Zealand)
World Rugby Referee Award – Wayne Barnes (England)
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service – Bernard Lapasset (France)
Award for Character in association with Land Rover – The city of Kamaishi
IRP Special Merit Award – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
IRP Try of the Year – TJ Perenara (New Zealand, v Namibia)