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Springbok Flank Pieter-Steph du Toit is one of eight nominees for the World Rugby Player of the Decade that was released Thursday.
Du Toit, the 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year, faces tough competition in a roster that includes the two-time World Cup winning captain Richie McCaw and companion All Black And carter.
Both players, who led New Zealand to World Cup glory in 2011 and 2015, are three-time winners of the World Player of the Year Award.
They were joined in the list by the other winners between 2010 and 2019: three other All Blacks in Kieran Read, Brodie Retallick Y Beauden Barrett, Irish Flyhalf Johnny sexton and former captain of France Thierry Dusautoir.
Similarly, Player of the Year winners since 2010, from Black Fern Carla Hohepa to England’s 2019 winner Emily Scarratt, have been nominated for the Player of the Decade award.
There are also Try of the Decade and Sevens Player of the Decade prizes.
For the sevens award, three South Africans: Cecil Afrika, Werner kok Y Seabelo Senatla – are among the nine nominees.
The others are Perry Baker (USA), Mikaele Pesamino (Samoa), Tomasi Cama, Tim Mikkelson (both from New Zealand), Samisoni Viriviri and Jerry Tuwai (both from Fiji).
Voting is open to the public and will close on October 25.
World Rugby Men’s Player of the Decade 15 Nominees:
Richie McCaw (NZL), Thierry Dusautoir (FRA), Dan Carter (NZL), Kieran Read (NZL), Brodie Retallick (NZL), Beauden Barrett (NZL), Johnny Sexton (IRE), Pieter-Steph du Toit (RSA)
World Rugby Men’s Player of the Decade of Sevens Nominees:
Mikaele Pesamino (SAM), Cecil African (RSA), Tomasi Cama (NZL), Tim Mikkelson (NZL), Samisoni Viriviri (FJI), Werner Kok (RSA), Seabelo Senatla (RSA), Perry Baker (United States), Jerry Tuwai (FJI)
Nominees for the 15s Attempt of International Rugby Players:
Chris Ashton vs. Australia, 2010 (ENG); Radike Samo against New Zealand, 2011 (AUS); Bryan Habana against New Zealand, 2012 (RSA); Beauden Barrett vs. France, 2013 (NZL); Francois Hougaard against New Zealand, 2014 (RSA);
Julian Savea against France, 2015 (NZL); Jamie Heaslip against Italy, 2016 (IRE); Joaquín Tuculet against England, 2017 (ARG); Brodie Retallick vs. Australia, 2018 (NZL); TJ Perenara v Namibia, 2019 (NZL)
Nominees for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Decade:
Carla Hohepa (NZL), Michaela Staniford (ENG), Magali Harvey (CAN), Kendra Cocksedge (NZL), Sarah Hunter (ENG), Jessy Trémoulière (FRA), Emily Scarratt (ENG), Portia Woodman (NZL)
Nominated for World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Decade:
Kayla McAlister (NZL), Emilee Cherry (AUS), Portia Woodman (NZL), Charlotte Caslick (AUS), Michaela Bylde (NZL), Ruby Tui (NZL)
Nominees for Try of the Decade 15 Year Old International Rugby Players:
Alison Miller v New Zealand, 2014 (IRE), Magali Harvey v France, 2014 (CAN), Megan York v France, 2016 (WAL), Danielle Waterman v Canada, 2016 (ENG), Portia Woodman v United States, 2017 (NZL )
The remaining two categories, men’s and women’s teams from the 15’s, will be selected by the World Rugby Awards panel, a stellar team of rugby legends who choose the annual World Rugby Awards player, team and coach.
15-Man Team of the Decade Panel: Maggie Alphonsi (ENG), Fiona Coghlan (IRE), Thierry Dusautoir (FRA), George Gregan (AUS), Richie McCaw (NZL), Brian O’Driscoll (IRE), Melodie Robinson (NZL), John Smit (RSA) and Clive Woodward (ENG)
Panel of the Women’s Decade Team of 15: Maggie Alphonsi (ENG), Liza Burgess (WAL), Lynne Cantwell (IRE), Fiona Coghlan (IRE), Stephen Jones (ENG), Gaëlle Mignot (FRA), Jillion Potter (United States), Melodie Robinson (NZL), Karl TeNana (NZL) and Danielle Waterman (ENG)
