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The Americas missed out at the World Rugby awards. It ended a year of highs and lows in international competition for the four Americas competitors at RWC 2019.
The 2019 World Rugby Awards ceremony was held in Tokyo, Japan and saw the USA having three nominees. Joe Taufete’e was up for the Men’s Player of the Year award while Folau Niua and Stephen Tomasin were nominated for the Men’s Sevens Player of the Year award. All would miss out.
Taufete’e became the first USA player to be nominated for the Men’s Player of the Year award. He was just the third ever from the Americas following the 2007 nomination of Felipe Contepomi and Juan Martín Hernández.
As expected the Men’s Team of the Year, Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year awards all went to South Africa. It was a reflection of the country’s achievements in winning RWC 2019.
WORLD RUGBY AWARDS – 2019
TEAM OF THE YEAR – South Africa
MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR , Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
WOMEN’S PLAYER OF TEHE YEAR – Emily Scarratt (England)
COACH OF THE YEAR – Rassie Erasmus (South Africa)
BREAKTHROUGH PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Romain Ntamack (France)
MEN’S SEVENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Jerry Tuwai (Fiji)
WOMEN’S SEVENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Ruby Tui (New Zealand)
REFEREE AWARD – Wayne Barnes (England)
VERNON PUGH AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE – Bernard Lapasset (France)
AWARD FOR CHARACTER – The city of Kamaishi
IRP SPECIAL MERIT AWARD – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
IRP TRY OF THE YEAR – TJ Perenara (New Zealand vs Namibia)
