The Springboks have been named as contenders for the title of Team of the Year while Erasmus is among the five nominations for Coach of the Year. Erasmus was also nominated for the award in 2018. The winners will be announced at the World Rugby Awards dinner in Tokyo on Sunday evening.
The finalists in both categories are the four Rugby World Cup semi-finalists and Japan.
The Springboks were last named Team of the Year a decade ago (2009) and the last South African to be named Coach of the Year was Jake White, 12 years ago.
The nominees for Team of the Year are: South Africa, England, Wales, New Zealand and Japan.
The Coach of the Year nominees are: Erasmus, Eddie Jones, Warren Gatland, Steve Hansen and Jamie Joseph.
The shortlists were selected by a panel comprising former international players Maggie Alphonsi, Brian O’Driscoll and Agustín Pichot, alongside former coaches Nick Mallett and Clive Woodward, the World Rugby Coach of the Year in 2003 after guiding England to the Rugby World Cup in Sydney.
In the citation regarding the Springboks, World Rugby said:
“The Rugby Championship winners are bidding to create Rugby World Cup history by becoming the first team to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after losing a match, against New Zealand in their Pool B opener. That loss, 23-13, is their only one of the year, having won nine and drawn the other of their 11 tests.
"The Springboks have risen to number two in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time in more than four years after reaching a first RWC final since 2007.”
World Rugby said of Erasmus:
“It might not have been Rassie Erasmus’ intention to become Springbok head coach when he returned to South Africa but he has taken to the role with aplomb. An astute tactician, he has bonded the team together impressively and been rewarded with results. This year South Africa have won the Rugby Championship title and recovered from a pool-stage defeat to the All Blacks to power into the Rugby World Cup 2019 final.”
The nominations follow the listing of Herschel Jantjies as one of the three contenders for the award of Breakthrough Player of the Year and Cobus Reinach’s hat-trick score against Canada as Try of the Year.
Nominations for World Player of the Year will be announced on Friday.
Previous World Rugby Team of the Year Award winners:
2018 – Ireland
2017 – New Zealand Women’s 15s
2016 – New Zealand
2015 – New Zealand
2014 – New Zealand
2013 – New Zealand
2012 – New Zealand
2011 – New Zealand
2010 – New Zealand
2009 – South Africa
2008 – New Zealand
2007 – South Africa
2006 – New Zealand
2005 – New Zealand
2004 – South Africa
2003 – England
2002 – France
2001 – Australia
Previous World Rugby Coach of the Year Award winners:
2018 – Joe Schmidt (Ireland)
2017 – Eddie Jones (England)
2016 – Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
2015 – Michael Cheika (Australia)
2014 – Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
2013 – Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
2012 – Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
2011 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2010 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2009 – Declan Kidney (Ireland)
2008 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2007 – Jake White (South Africa)
2006 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2005 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2004 – Jake White (South Africa)
2003 – Clive Woodward (England)
2002 – Bernard Laporte (France)
2001 – Rod Macqueen (Australia)
