Seven Springboks make World Rugby men’s 15s dream team of the year
Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks have dominated World Rugby men’s 15s dream team of the year with a seven-strong representation. Just four countries gained selection, with Andy Farrell’s Ireland providing four players, New Zealand three and Argentina one.
World Rugby’s 2024 player of year award winner Pieter-Steph du Toit was one of four South African forwards included in the selection announced in Monaco on Sunday night. He was joined in the pack by fellow countrymen Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Eben Etzebeth.
The three South African backs who made the cut were Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Cheslin Kolbe. Etzebeth and Kolbe were du Toit’s challengers for the player of the year award along with Caelan Doris, who headed up his Ireland team’s four-strong dream team picks.
Tadhg Beirne, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe were the three other Irish selected, while the three All Blacks recognised were Tyrel Lomax, Damian McKenzie and Will Jordan. The final place on the dream team was filled by Argentina forward Pablo Matera.
World Rugby men’s 15s dream team of the year: 15. Will Jordan (New Zealand); 14. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa), 13. Jesse Kriel (South Africa), 12. Damian de Allende (South Africa), 11. James Lowe (Ireland); 10. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand), 9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland); 1. Ox Nche (South Africa), 2. Malcolm Marx (South Africa), 3. Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand), 4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), 5. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), 6. Pablo Matera (Argentina), 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa), 8. Caelan Doris (Ireland).
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He’s Back: Springboks players return, after upsetting Erasmus
Springboks prodigy Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is set to return from injury for the Stormers against the Sharks next weekend.
The talented playmaker has enjoyed an outstanding rookie season for South Africa where he took part in eight of 13 Tests, including three starts against Australia and New Zealand respectively.
His efforts on the field earned him a nomination for World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year which will be chosen later today.
Withheld the injury
While the Stormer shone on the pitch and had what was more or less a dream season, it wasn’t without hiccup after the 22-year-old angered veteran coach Rassie Erasmus by keeping his knee injury to himself in order to face the All Blacks earlier this year.
“He injured his knee before the first Test against the All Blacks and he played in that game,” Erasmus said at the time.
“The next week on Wednesday, I asked him why he was limping and he said he injured his knee last week. I wanted to pull him out of that team because he was limping, on the field even.”
Erasmus unpacked why it was bad for Feinberg-Mngomezulu not to reveal his injury, highlighting that it could negatively impact the team.
“That’s what our players must understand; we have respect for everybody, but we must be honest when it comes to injuries,” he added.
“Nobody who’s got an injury and 80% ready is better than a Springbok who has no injuries and is 100% ready. So Sacha is lucky that we won those Test matches because he gambled a bit.”
Important time
The timeline for his return to the field of play was delayed from the original date as Feinberg-Mngomezulu had recently injured the same knee.
However, he is back, according to Rapport, and it is a timely boost for Stormers boss John Dobson given that Damian Willemse is out until March after a rough run of injuries. Still, Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be desperate to hit the ground running again with his club side.
