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There were wins for Americas players across several categories at the 2024 World Rugby Awards. Held in Monaco, World Rugby Awards panels named one Argentine in the Men’s Team of the Year and another in the Sevens Dream Team. Canada and the USA did well in Womens categories.
Click Here for the full list of winners across all categories.
Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa) won the top Men’s award and Ellie Kildunne (England) won the top Women’s award. Canada’s Alex Tessier was one of four nominees alongside Kildunne.
The 2024 World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year features players from only four countries. Alarmingly, no France player made the team. New Zealand’s Damian McKenzie was named the fly half despite not being assured of the spot in his own team. Fellow New Zealander, Jamison Gibson-Park, who plays for Ireland was included as the scrum-half. A second former Maori All Black, James Lowe, was also included. Lowe and Gibson-Park make-up 50% of Ireland’s four inclusions.
The team contains seven South African players out of eleven from the Rugby Championship. Three All Blacks and one Puma were included. Flanker Pablo Matera made the side. His performance against New Zealand in Wellington was among the best of 2024.
1. Ox Nche (South Africa) 2. Malcolm Marx (South Africa) 3. Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand) 4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa) 5. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland) 6. Pablo Matera (Argentina) 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa) 8. Caelan Doris (Ireland) 9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland) 10. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand) 11. James Lowe (Ireland) 12. Damian de Allende (South Africa) 13. Jesse Kriel (South Africa) 14. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa) 15. Will Jordan (New Zealand).
More countries had players in the Women’s Dream Team. England leads the way with six players. Canada did very well with three players, the same number as New Zealand. The USA, Ireland and France each had one player named.
The four North American players cover different areas of rugby positions. The USA’s Hope Rogers is a front-rower, the second-row included Canadian Laetitia Royer, the back-row features Canadian Sophie de Goede and the mid-field includes Canadian Alex Tessier.
1. Hope Rogers (USA), 2. Georgia Ponsonby (New Zealand) 3. Maud Muir (England) 4. Zoe Aldcroft (England) 5. Laetitia Royer (Canada) 6. Aoife Wafer (Ireland) 7. Sophie de Goede (Canada) 8. Alex Matthews (England) 9. Pauline Bourdon Sansus (France) 10. Holly Aitchison (England) 11. Katelyn Vahaakolo (New Zealand) 12. Alex Tessier (Canada) 13. Sylvia Brunt (New Zealand) 14. Abby Dow (England) 15. Ellie Kildunne (England).
One Americas player made selection for the World Rugby Men’s Sevens Dream Team of the Year. Veteran Matías Osadczuk (Argentina) is the player. Luciano González and Rodrigo Isgró were notably not selected. Argentina was the top team for the season.
Selvyn Davids (South Africa), Antoine Dupont (France), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (France), Terry Kennedy (Ireland), Nathan Lawson (Australia), Ponipate Loganimasi (Fiji), Matías Osadczuk (Argentina).
Where the Americas stood out the most is in the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Dream Team of the Year. Three of the seven players went to North Americans with Canada and the USA both represented. USA players Kristi Kirshe and Llona Maher are joined by Canadian Olivia Apps on the best of the best Women’s Sevens players for 2024.
Olivia Apps (Canada), Michaela Blyde (New Zealand), Kristi Kirshe (USA), Maddison Levi (Australia), Ilona Maher (USA), Jorja Miller (New Zealand), Séraphine Okemba (France).
