Pieter-Steph du Toit/ Picture: Instagram
It’s been one hell of a ride for South African rugby as the Springboks have been riding the wave of dominance since their gritty performance at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
This year specifically has been exciting for the team, particularly for Pieter-Steph du Toit as he caps the year with a ‘Player of the Year’ award.
One can not boast enough about what coach Rassie Erasmus and the Springboks have managed to accomplish, especially throughout this year. Although as a unit, the team has displayed nothing but cohesion and improvement, however one man in particular has consistently stood out as a star among the crowd.
That man is Pieter-Steph du Toit, or PSDT as known by his weary opponents and for the second time in his career, he has been crowned the men’s 15s player of the year award. He becomes just the fourth player to achieve this accomplishment, joining All-Black legends Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Beauden Barrett.
An all-time great 🇿🇦
Pieter-Steph Du Toit is the 2024 Men’s 15s Player of the Year #WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/LdFdp0C8xX
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 24, 2024
Similarly to his teammate Ox Nche, PSDT has been an anchor in the Springbok team for some years now. However, his commanding performance at the 2023 World Cup was when his defensive capabilities were on full display.
He garnered a reputation for tackling anything that was not in a Springbok jersey. He consistently wreaked havoc on his opponents, who dreaded facing him.
His skills at the lock position were also tested when the Springboks faced the All-Blacks, proving that PSDT is indeed a jack of all trades and possibly a master of all.
While fans, supporters and lovers of the sport celebrate this unforgettable attainment along with mzansi’s loose forward, it is also a bitter-sweet moment as some can’t help but notice that coach Rassie Erasmus was not rightfully recognised for his being the mastermind behind the well-oiled machine that is the Boks with a ‘Coach of the Year’ award.
Rassie Erasmus not named Coach of the Year. I guess building a 51-man squad with essentially 3 teams in it, 5 trophies, top rank in the world and consistent innovation wasn’t enough 🤐
— Brandon Portnoy (@BrandonPortnoy) November 24, 2024
Also see: Internet in a frenzy as Rassie Erasmus misses out on Coach of the Year award
