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After Siya Kolisi led the Springboks to Rugby World Cup glory when they beat the All Blacks in the global showpiece’s final in Paris in 2023, the celebrations and admiration have continued pretty much unabated.

Saffas don’t just get proud, we get PROUD.

Now, the Springboks and their captain have been rewarded again by being nominated for prestigious international awards.

Planet Rugby notes that the Boks are in familiar territory as they have been nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year, a prize which they previously won after their triumphs at the 2007 and 2019 World Cups.

They are up against the Manchester City Men’s football team, the Spain Women’s football team, the European Ryder Cup Golf team, the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula-1 team, and Germany’s Men’s Basketball team.

So, the award is in the bag then.

Additionally, Kolisi, who bounced back remarkably after a significant knee injury suffered last April to captain South Africa to their second consecutive World Cup victory, has been put forward for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award.

The Laureus Awards honours, recognises and celebrates the world’s greatest athletes, sport’s inspirational power as well as its ability to change lives. The awards ceremony be held in Madrid in April.

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander is proud of the recognition that the Boks and their captain are receiving:

“The Springboks deserve every ounce of recognition they receive for their massive accomplishment in France last year, and we are delighted to see them in line for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award,” said Alexander.

“Their heroics on and off the field were remarkable, especially considering their tough road to the World Cup final.

“But the victory in France was more than just an 80-minute rugby match – it was a triumph for South Africa both in nation building and social cohesion, and we hope that the effects of the Boks’ success will continue to radiate through the sport and transfer to other sporting codes for years to come.”

Alexander singled Kolisi out for special praise after the 32-year-old fought his way back from his injury setback to lead the Boks to World Cup glory.

“It takes a warrior to do something so remarkable, and that journey made it even more extraordinary to see him lift the cup for the second time in a row.”

He expressed further delight at the nominations and wished the Boks and Kolisi luck for their respective awards.

Yep, us, too. As I said, we are all so PROUD.

[source:planetrugby]