{"id":194995,"date":"2025-11-22T21:46:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T21:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/194995\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T21:46:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T21:46:10","slug":"malcolm-marx-beats-fellow-springboks-to-top-gong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/194995\/","title":{"rendered":"Malcolm Marx beats fellow Springboks to top gong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx has been crowned World Rugby Men\u2019s 15s Player of the Year for the first time in his career after the award was announced on Saturday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rugby\u2019s brightest stars were celebrated today during an exciting day of international rugby, with South Africa\u2019s Marx, New Zealand\u2019s Fabian Holland and Chile\u2019s Santiago Pedrero taking home top honours in the men\u2019s categories.<\/p>\n

The annual World Rugby awards recognised the outstanding performances and breakthrough talents that have lit up the international stage in the past calendar year.<\/p>\n

The highly anticipated World Rugby Dream Team of the Year will be unveiled on Tuesday, 25 November, showcasing the standout performers from across the rugby world, while the women\u2019s categories were unveiled last September after Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup 2025.<\/p>\n

World Rugby Men\u2019s 15s Player of the Year: Malcolm Marx (South Africa)<\/p>\n

At the second time of asking and seven years after his first nomination, Springboks<\/a> hooker Marx<\/a> joins two-time winner and fellow 2025 nominee Pieter-Steph du Toit, as well as Schalk Burger and Bryan Habana in an exclusive club of South African World Rugby Men\u2019s 15s Player of the Year winners.<\/p>\n

Marx has been a crucial cog in a dominant South Africa squad in 2025, starting 11 Tests this year to date, and scoring four tries in the Rugby Championship alone.<\/p>\n

His second-half brace at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in October, helped the Springboks come from behind against Argentina to claim back-to-back titles for the first time.<\/p>\n

Nominees:<\/b> Pieter-Steph du Toit, Ox Nche, Louis Bielle-Biarrey<\/p>\n

Ireland v Springboks: Five takeaways as South Africa show why they are \u2018clear of the rest\u2019 but officials get it \u2018horrifically wrong\u2019 yet again<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Ireland player ratings: Caelan Doris the \u2018soldier in the trenches\u2019 on a \u2018dreadful day\u2019 against the Springboks after James Ryan\u2019s \u2018thuggery\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Springboks player ratings: Malcolm Marx spearheads \u2018sheer massacre\u2019 as Ireland choked into submission<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

World Rugby Men\u2019s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year: Fabian Holland (New Zealand)<\/p>\n

Modest Dutch-born All Black<\/a> Holland<\/a> has insisted he\u2019s \u201cjust the middle part\u201d of a world-class lineout set-up who only \u201chas to jump and catch the ball\u201d, but the 23-year-old Highlander has made the step up to Test rugby look much easier than jumping and catching.<\/p>\n

He has rapidly become the go-to player at the lineout and has featured in 11 of New Zealand\u2019s 12 internationals this year, only missing November\u2019s loss to England with illness.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just his undeniable aerial skills that have caught the eye. His work-rate and no-backwards-step physicality quickly ensured his name is an early addition to the team sheet, and have made him the sixth All Black to be named Breakthrough Player of the Year, and, after Maro Itoje in 2016, the second lock to win the award.<\/p>\n

Nominees:<\/b> Ethan Hooker, Henry Pollock, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii<\/p>\n

International Rugby Players Association Men\u2019s 15s Try of the Year: Santiago Pedrero (Chile, v Samoa, South America\/Pacific Play-off, RWC 2027 qualifier \u2013 September)<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddf1 Santiago Pedrero vs. Samoa. pic.twitter.com\/5unPJGRgXG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ScrumRugby (@ScrumESPN) November 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Team tries don\u2019t come any better than the one scored by Chile\u2019s Pedrero against Samoa in the Men\u2019s Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifying play-off.<\/p>\n

A pass off the deck suddenly ignited an attack that the Pacific Islanders seemed to have contained. One offload, then another, an inside pass, then back outside, allowed the second-row to waltz to the line.<\/p>\n

Nominees:<\/b> Santiago Cordero (Argentina, v British and Irish Lions \u2013 June), Lekima Tagitagivalu (Fiji, v Australia, men\u2019s international \u2013 July), Tupou Vaa\u2019i (New Zealand, v France, men\u2019s international \u2013 July)<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Dominant Springboks win with plenty to spare after bruised Ireland left drowning in card farce<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n