Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus lost out on the World Rugby Coach of the Year in stunning – and controversial – fashion on Sunday evening.
This year’s World Rugby Awards took place in Monaco.
No coaches were shortlisted for the award, but it was widely assumed that Erasmus would be favourite having led the Springboks to the Rugby Championship title as well as a clean sweep on their three-match end-of-year tour.
However, it was not to be as unheralded France Sevens coach Jérôme Daret was named World Rugby’s Coach of the Year for 2024 having overseen the team’s gold medal-winning effort at the Paris Olympics.
France only finished fifth (out of 12 teams) in the 2023/24 World Rugby Sevens Series, but on home soil rose to the occasion to defeat Fiji in the battle for gold at the Stade de France in July.
Meanwhile, Springbok loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit was named Player of the Year while France’s Antoine Dupont took the Sevens award.
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It it the second time Du Toit, 32, has picked up the accolade following his success in 2019.
He came out ahead of two of his Springbok team-mates Eben Etzebeth, who was nominated for a third time, and Cheslin Kolbe, as well as Ireland’s Caelan Doris.
He succeeds New Zealander Ardie Savea.
A world champion with the Springboks in 2019 and 2023, Du Toit was again in outstanding form in 2024, a key member of the side that won the Rugby Championship for the first time in five years, finishing with five wins and one defeat.
During the November tour, they easily disposed of Scotland and Wales and also beat England at Twickenham.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has 86 caps, joins New Zealand flyhalf Beauden Barrett as a double winner of the award with All Black greats Dan Carter and Richie McCaw winning three times each.
France captain Antoine Dupont, who won the 15-a-side award in 2021, became the first man to win both categories when he was named Sevens player of the year for his role in helping France to the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
England back Ellie Kildunne, who scored 14 tries in 10 matches, won the women’s 15-a-side award with Australia’s Maddison Levi named as best Sevens player.
The winners in this category were chosen by a panel made up of ex-players, coaches and journalists.
Can Rassie Erasmus consider himself robbed?
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