Six Boks, seven nations, in 2025 World Rugby Dream Team

The final category of the World Rugby Awards 2025 has been revealed on Tuesday, celebrating the Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year. This announcement caps off an extraordinary season of international rugby and sets the stage for a new era beginning in 2026, with the launch of the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup and Nations Championship.

Men’s 15s Player of the Year Malcolm Marx is one of six South Africans in the World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team at the end of another successful year for Rassie Erasmus’ world champions, who claimed back-to-back Rugby Championship titles for the first time this year and stand tall at the top of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings after winning all their November internationals to date.

Marx makes up one-third of an all-Springbok front-row, alongside Ox Nché and Thomas du Toit, while two-time Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit is named in the back-row.

Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and winger Cheslin Kolbe complete the South African contingent in the 2025 dream team, a year after seven were named in the 2024 list. Marx, Nché, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kolbe were also in the 2024 team, along with Eben Etzebeth, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel.

Fullback Will Jordan, another who was named in last year’s XV and scrumhalf Cam Roigard are the All Blacks in this year’s dream team. New Zealand are one of three nations to supply two players, along with Australia, who have centre Len Ikitau and No 8 Harry Wilson lining up; and England, who are represented by second-row Maro Itoje and flanker Tom Curry.

Scotland’s outside centre Huw Jones, France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Ireland second-row Tadhg Beirne, the sixth player named two years in a row, complete this year’s dream team.

Meanwhile, Mark Alexander, the President of SA Rugby, congratulated Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Nche, Thomas du Toit, Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Kolbe for being named in the 2025 World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team on Tuesday.

All six players delivered stand-out performances on the international stage this season, in which the Springboks have won 11 out of their 13 Tests to date, with their final fixture of the year being against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.

The Boks successfully defended the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title, as well as the Freedom Cup and Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate trophies. They also won all three matches in the Castle Lager Incoming Series in July to add to victories against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland on the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour, which saw them retain the top spot on the world rankings going into their closing match of the season.

“I’d like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Malcolm, Pieter-Steph, Ox, Thomas, Sacha and Cheslin on behalf of SA Rugby and the entire country for being named in the Dream Team,” said Alexander.

“They have all played exceptionally well this season and deserve this honour. Being named in this team is a massive achievement, especially since it consists of the best players throughout the world. To see six Springboks included is a testament to the quality of players we have in South Africa.

“Making this achievement even more remarkable, Malcolm became the second South African player in a row to win the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year award, after being nominated alongside Pieter-Steph and Ox. In addition, Ethan Hooker was nominated for the World Rugby Breakthrough Men’s 15s Player of the Year award. As SA Rugby, we could not be prouder of them and the entire Springbok team.

“The Springboks are a true symbol of what we can achieve as a country and as a team when everyone works together. It is a brotherhood more than anything else and I’d like to congratulate coach Rassie Erasmus, his coaching staff and management team for ensuring that the players remain the best version of themselves on and off the field.”

Alexander also congratulated the Springboks on their season to date and wished them well for their final Test of the year.

“Once again, the Springboks have had a remarkable season, with only two defeats in 13 matches. To retain the top place on the world rankings in such a competitive year is exceptional,” he said.

“They still have one match to play and everyone at SA Rugby and across the country will be behind them on Saturday when they line up against Wales. We wish them luck as they aim to finish their November tour unbeaten for the second consecutive year.”

World Rugby Awards 2025 recipients

• World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year: Malcolm Marx (South Africa)

• World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year in partnership with HSBC: Sophie de Goede (Canada)

• World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year: Fabian Holland (New Zealand)

• World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year: Braxton Sorensen-McGee (New Zealand)

• World Rugby Coach of the Year: John Mitchell (England)

• World Rugby Referee Award in partnership with Emirates: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

• International Rugby Players Association Special Merit Award: Dan Carter (New Zealand)

• International Rugby Players Association Men’s 15s Try of the Year: Santiago Pedrero

• International Rugby Players Association Women’s 15s Try of the Year: Maia Joseph (New Zealand)

World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year: 15 Will Jordan (New Zealand), 14 Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa), 13 Huw Jones (Scotland), 12 Len Ikitau (Australia), 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France); 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa), 9 Cam Roigard (New Zealand); 8 Harry Wilson (Australia), 7 Tom Curry (England),6 Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa); 5 Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), 4 Maro Itoje (England); 3 Thomas du Toit (South Africa), 2 Malcolm Marx (South Africa), 1 Ox Nché (South Africa).

World Rugby Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year in partnership with Asahi: 15 Ellie Kildunne (England), 14 Braxton Sorensen-McGee (New Zealand), 13 Megan Zones (England), 12 Sylvia Brunt (New Zealand), 11 Joanna Grisez (France); 10 Zoe Harrison (England), 9 Justine Pelletier (Canada); 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker (New Zealand), 7 Jorja Miller (New Zealand), 6 Alex Matthews (England); 5 Abbie Ward (England), 4 Sophie de Goede (Canada); 3 Maud Muir (England), 2 Emily Tuttosi (Canada), 1 Hannah Botterman (England).