Marx and De Klerk get nods as two of the world’s best
The influential Springbok duo have been shortlisted for World Rugby's Player-of-the-Year award, joining Aphiwe Dyantyi, who'll compete in the rookie category.
Faf de Klerk. Photo: SA Rugby.
Two Springboks, Malcolm Marx and Faf de Klerk, are amongst a group of five players nominated for the prestigious 2018 World Rugby Player-of-the-Year Award.
Marx (hooker) and De Klerk (scrumhalf) join their Springbok colleague Aphiwe Dyantyi as South African nominees for the various 2018 World Rugby accolades, after the Bok speedster was shortlisted as one of three candidates for the Breakthrough-of-the-Year prize.
Following a stellar year for international rugby, the shortlists for the ultimate accolade feature players who have excited and inspired fans around the world with their feats in 2018.
The Springbok duo will be up against All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane, as well as Ireland’s Johnny Sexton for 2018 World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Award, in association with Mastercard.
Marx, the Boks’ a dynamic ball-carrying hooker, has played the fewest tests of the nominees with only six, having missed the June internationals through injury.
With five starts and a try in the win over New Zealand in Wellington, the 24-year-old Marx has picked up where he left off in 2017, combining athleticism, power, pace and a wide skill-set in attack with the breakdown skills to turnover many a ball for South Africa.
De Klerk returned to the Springbok jersey after missing the 2017 Test season and quickly made himself indispensable, showing why rugby is a sport for all with his ferocious defence and fearless play despite his small stature.
The 27-year-old played virtually every minute of South Africa’s Rugby Championship campaign, scoring tries against Argentina and Australia and proving a constant thorn in the side of his opposite numbers across his nine starts.
The shortlist was selected by the star-studded World Rugby Awards panel which comprises Rugby World Cup winners Richie McCaw, John Smit, George Gregan, Maggie Alphonsi and former England coach Clive Woodward alongside Brian O’Driscoll, Fabien Galthié and Agustín Pichot.
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