This one is a favourite for Du Toit
Your South African Rugby Player of the Year ...
WINNING THE South African Rugby Player of the Year award once is an achievement on its own. Bagging the trophy twice in three years is seriously impressive.
According to star lock Pieter-Steph du Toit, the first time he won the award was a “great feeling”. This time, though, having won it after making more appearances in his “favourite position”, it feels even better.
After an outstanding 2018 season, Du Toit was nominated alongside another previous winner, Malcolm Marx, as well as Aphiwe Dyantyi, Franco Mostert and Handre Pollard, becoming only the fifth player since 1992 to claim the crown more than once. The others are Bryan Habana (2005, 2007 and 2012), Schalk Burger (2004 and 2011), Jean de Villiers (2008 and 2013) and Fourie du Preez (2006 and 2009).
The Stormers lock was one of the Springbok standouts in a rather bleak 2016 season, and his impressive individual performances saw him scoop the major award for the first time.
He played in all 12 Tests that season – 11 at lock and one at blindside flank – and in 2018, the No 7 jersey became a regular fit for Du Toit under Rassie Erasmus, while he and Steven Kitshoff were the only Boks to feature in every game of last season.
And the more he played in the back row, the fainter the concerning images of the towering presence being exposed around the fringes became.
“I came off the bench a lot in 2016. It’s a great feeling to win the award, but I feel like it was even better this time around,” Du Toit said at Newlands yesterday.
“I had a lot more game time in that No 7 position in 2018. I started a lot and I started for the most part in my favourite position.”
For the Boks as a collective, there probably aren’t a lot of things that can beat a victory over the All Blacks in Wellington.
It’s a coup Du Toit of course mentioned when he addressed the media yesterday, while “becoming more comfortable” among the loose forwards was a personal highlight.
“Beating the All Blacks in New Zealand last year was special for myself as well as the team. Personally, it was a highlight to become more comfortable in that No 7 position,” he said.
“There’s a lot I can improve on. I want to become a stronger ball-carrier and make more linebreaks. I can also do more to secure the ball at the rucks and ensure that the opposition battles to make the steal.” Full list of winners:
SA Rugby Player of the Year: Pieter-Steph du Toit Other nominees: Aphiwe Dyanyti, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert, Handre Pollard
SA Rugby Young Player of the Year: Sbu Nkosi
Other nominees: Aphelele Fassi, Embrose Papier, RG Snyman, Damian Willemse
Team of the Year: Springbok Sevens
Other nominees: Lions (Super Rugby), Sharks (Currie Cup) Coach of the Year: Neil Powell
Other nominees: Swys de Bruin, Rassie Erasmus Springbok Sevens Player of the Year: Dylan Sage Junior Springbok Player of the Year: Wandisile Simelane Super Rugby Player of the Tournament: Aphiwe Dyantyi (Lions)
Other nominees: Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert (both Lions)
Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year: Sergeal Petersen (Western Province)
Other nominees: SP Marais (Western Province), Akker van der Merwe (Sharks)
Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year: Etienne Taljaard (Valke)
Rugby Challenge Player of the Year: Chris Smith (Pumas) Craven Week Player of the Tournament: Evan Roos (Western Province)
Referee of the Year: Jaco Peyper
Women’s Achiever of the Year: Nolusindiso Booi