Sport | World Rugby Awards: Champions Springboks snubbed as Farrell, Savea win big

Jacques Nienaber (Gallo Images)

• The World Cup-winning Springboks were largely snubbed at the World Rugby Awards on Sunday.
• New Zealand forward Ardie Savea, Ireland coach Andy Farrell and All Blacks wing Mark Tele’a won big on the night.
• Former World Cup-winning Bok captain John Smit received the International Rugby Players Special Merit Award, acknowledging his exceptional contributions to the sport.
• For more, please visit News24’s Rugby World Cup Zone.

A mere day after the Springboks secured their title as back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions and clinched the Webb Ellis trophy for a record-breaking fourth time, Jacques Nienaber, Eben Etzebeth, and Manie Libbok left the World Rugby Awards on Sunday evening in Paris, France, without any accolades in hand.

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The trio, flanked by the entire Bok squad, wearing their national suits and sporting their well-deserved gold medals as a fitting accessory, had received nominations for the Coach of the Year (Nie