There are no props on this year’s shortlist for men’s player of the year. You might remember how well Ox Nché has played for the Springboks and quite justifiably find this to be a bit of an surprise,

No prop has ever won World Rugby’s Men’s Player of the Year award and Nche has failed to make a four-player shortlist

Three out of the four players nominated for the coveted World Rugby Player of the Year award are Springbok stars.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris has been nominated for the World Rugby men's player of the year award, alongside the South African trio of Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe and Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Nominated for Men’s 15s Player of the Year are Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe and Pieter-Steph du Toit, while Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu was nominated for Men's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award.

The World Rugby Awards nominations were released on Monday, with three Springboks nominated in the men's Player of the Year category.

Wallace Sititi is the sole All Blacks nomination for this year’s World Rugby awards with the Springboks dominating the Player of the Year category. The young All Blacks number eight is up for Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year,

As the World Rugby awards approach, the Springboks are in the spotlight with Eben Etzebeth and others vying for top honours. Will this be Etzebeth’s year