Battle of the Boks: Marx, Du Toit, and Nche lead prestigious player of the year shortlist

Malcolm Marx, the reigning World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year, finds himself in a high-stakes competition for local honours. He has been nominated for the prestigious 2025 SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year Award, alongside fellow Springbok teammates Pieter-Steph du Toit, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ox Nche, and Jasper Wiese.

SA Rugby announced the nominees on Friday, following a vote by members of the media and national team coaching staff across nine distinct categories.

A SEASON OF EXCELLENCE
The competition for the top prize is fierce. Both Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ox Nche were shortlisted for the same award last year and received nominations for World Rugby’s global honours.

Meanwhile, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu joins the elite group after being named in the 2025 World Rugby Dream Team. Jasper Wiese rounds out the list, earning his first-ever nomination for the top South African award following a stellar season in the green and gold.

WOMEN’S AND YOUTH RUGBY MILESTONES
The SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year category features four previous winners: Nadine Roos, Aseza Hele, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, and Babalwa Latsha. The fifth nominee, Byrhandré Dolf, joins them.

In the youth ranks, the Young Player of the Year category is dominated by Test-level talent. Four of the five nominees—Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie, and Zachary Porthen—represented the Springboks in 2025. The fifth, Haashim Pead, was a linchpin in the Junior Boks' World Rugby U20 Championship victory.

DOMESTIC AND SEVENS SUCCESS
The success of the national programs is reflected in the Coach of the Year nominations. Rassie Erasmus (Springboks), Philip Snyman (Blitzboks), and Kevin Foote (Junior Boks) are joined by Swys de Bruin, who guided the Springbok Women to their historic World Cup finish.

On the domestic front, the Carling Currie Cup honours are also up for grabs:

Premier Division: Gurshwin Wehr and George Whitehead (Suzuki Griquas) face off against Donavan Don (Sanlam Boland Kavaliers).

First Division: Andrew Kota and Willem van den Hever (NovaVit Griffons) are nominated alongside Keagan Fortune (Valke).

FNB FANS’ MOMENTS OF THE YEAR
Fans will also have their say in celebrating the year's highlights, including:

The Springboks' successful defence of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title.

The Springbok Women’s historic World Cup performance.

The Springboks’ unbeaten November Outgoing Tour.

The Junior Springboks' U20 World Championship title.

The Springboks’ record-breaking victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand.

The Blitzboks’ HSBC SVNS World Championship win in Los Angeles.