World Rugby Awards: The full list of winners as Antoine Dupont claims top gong but Rassie Erasmus snubbed

The World Rugby Awards took place in Monaco on Sunday where some of the best in the game received recognition for their efforts in 2024.

South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ellie Kildunne of England took home the main prizes after being crowned World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year and World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year respectively.

Du Toit won it for a second time, having also claimed the award in 2019, and beat off competition from fellow Springboks Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe, as well as Ireland captain Caelan Doris.

Kildunne was rewarded for a series of stunning displays in a Red Roses side which continues to dominate the sport. She beat team-mate Alex Matthews to the gong, with France’s Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Canada’s Alex Tessier also nominated.

Best youngsters

As for breakthrough players, there were no surprises in the men’s category as Wallace Sititi picked up the honour after a superb campaign for the All Blacks.

Sititi made his first Test start against the Springboks in the Rugby Championship and never looked back, becoming a key part of that back-row, playing at both blindside and number eight.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Springboks), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England) and Jamie Osborne (Ireland) were also nominated, but the New Zealand starlet was the clear standout.

The women’s category was a tighter call as Maddie Feaunati (England), Caitlyn Halse (Australia) and Hannah King (New Zealand) were superb for their respective countries, but in the end, Ireland’s Erin King took home the award.

Elsewhere, France superstar Antoine Dupont may not have played many international XVs this year, but he was rewarded for his brief switch to the shorter form of the game as he was named World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year.

Dupont missed the Six Nations in order to prepare for the Olympics and it paid off as they claimed a gold medal by beating Fiji in the final.

Coach of the year

France also celebrated in the World Rugby Coach of the Year category as sevens head honcho Jérôme Daret picked up the trophy.

They claimed their first series title in 19 years when they triumphed in Los Angeles in March and followed it up with Grand Final success in Spain before going on to succeed at their home Olympics in Paris.

It meant that Boks boss Rassie Erasmus was snubbed despite leading his side to their first Rugby Championship title since 2019 and a record of 11 wins and two losses – both by just one point – in their 13 Tests.

As for the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year, that was given to Australia’s Maddison Levi, despite the nation’s Olympic disappointment.

Levi was absolutely superb as the Aussies were crowned the SVNS Series champions for 2024 before she again starred at the Olympics, but that ended in disappointment as they missed out on a medal following shock defeats to North American duo Canada and USA.

Springboks star Pieter-Steph du Toit named World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year and follows in the footsteps of three All Blacks legends

World Rugby Awards winners and nominees

World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year

Winner: Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
Nominees: Caelan Doris (Ireland), Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)

World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year

Winner: Ellie Kildunne (England)
Nominees: Pauline Bourdon Sansus (France), Alex Matthews (England), Alex Tessier (Canada)

World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year

Winner: Antoine Dupont (France)
Nominees: Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (France), Terry Kennedy (Ireland)

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year

Winner: Maddison Levi (Australia)
Nominees: Michaela Blyde (New Zealand), Jorja Miller (New Zealand)

World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year

Winner: Wallace Sititi (New Zealand)
Nominees: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England), Jamie Osborne (Ireland)

World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year

Winner: Erin King (Ireland)
Nominees: Maddie Feaunati (England), Caitlyn Halse (Australia), Hannah King (New Zealand)

International Rugby Players Men’s Try of the Year

Winner: Nolann Le Garrec (France, v England, Men’s Six Nations, 17 March)
Nominees: James Lowe (Ireland, v England, Men’s Six Nations), Lorenzo Pani (Italy, v Wales, Men’s Six Nations), Akaki Tabutsadze (Georgia, v Australia, July series)

International Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year

Winner: Marine Ménager (France, v Canada, WXV 1, 29 September)

International Rugby Players Special Merit Award

Winner: Vickii Cornborough (England)

World Rugby Coach of the Year

Winner: Jérôme Daret (France)

READ MORE: Full list of past winners and nominees for the World Rugby Player of the Year