As you can see from that picture above, the Springboks were chuffed when they won World Team of the Year at the 2020 Laureus World Sports Awards, held last night in Berlin.

It’s impossible to say that they weren’t deserved winners, having triumphed at the 2019 Rugby World Cup after being given little chance in the build-up by fans and pundits alike.

This win is the second time the Boks have taken home the World Team of the Year award, having done so in 2007 (the Awards weren’t around in 1995, or else that was in the bag, too)

During his acceptance speech, and flanked by some of his superstar teammates (Cheslin Kolbe, winger / flyhalf in the house), as well as new coach Jacques Nienaber and Laureus founder Johann Rupert, skipper Siya Kolisi spoke with passion about how sport has the ability to unite in a way that politics never will.

Let’s hand over to Siya, who can deliver the goods himself:

If you’re wondering where World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus is, he decided to stay at home, having long since stopped being ‘an entitled dickhead’ in favour of keeping a low profile as SA Rugby’s director of rugby.

Here is the full list of winners via the Daily Maverick:

• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Lewis Hamilton and Lionel Messi
• Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Simone Biles
• Laureus World Team of the Year: South Africa Men’s Rugby Team
• Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Egan Bernal
• Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Sophia Flörsch
• Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Oksana Masters
• Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Chloe Kim
• Laureus Best Sporting Moment: “Carried on the shoulders of a nation” – Sachin Tendulkar
• Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: Dirk Nowitzki
• Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award: Spanish Basketball Federation
• Laureus Sport for Good Award: South Bronx United.

Here’s to a good Tuesday, world champions and Laureus World Team of the Year winners.

[source:dailymaverick]