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Laureus nomination for Boks
24/01/2008 16:06 - (SA)
London - The Springboks having won their second rugby World Cup after beating England 15-6 in the final in France have earned them nomination for the 2008 Laureus World Team of the Year Award, following a ballot by the world's media.
Coach Jake White inspired a major turnaround in the team's success after taking charge in 2004 and the Springboks went through the World Cup unbeaten.
There were stars all over the field. Percy Montgomery was the highest points scorer in the competition, but Bryan Habana was acknowledged as the player of the tournament as top try scorer.
John Smit played a captain's role and Francois Steyn was hailed as the most prodigious young talent in world rugby. Os du Randt, who played in the 1995 World Cup winning side, retired after the tournament as the most capped forward in South African rugby history.
Laureus World Sports Academy member Morne du Plessis, who was manager of the Springboks the last time they won the Rugby World Cup in 1995, said: "It was a superb performance. To go through the tournament unbeaten was remarkable.
"They had great management and leadership, and fantastic players in every position thereby producing the perfect team performance.
"Having been involved before, I know how thrilling this is for a team and how important it is for the Nation to win on the World stage. This was another great moment in our country's sporting history."
South Africa's Oscar Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner", who has been nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award, is a double amputee who runs with the aid of carbon fibre artificial limbs. A high class paralympic athlete, he holds world records at 100 metres, 200m and 400m.
Pistorius made a historic sporting breakthrough in 2007 when he competed in two non-disabled races.
On July 13, Pistorius ran in the 400m at Rome's Golden Gala and finished second with a time of 46.90sec behind Stefano Braciola's time of 46.72. Two days later at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Sheffield he finished seventh in 47.65.
Now Pistorius is fighting to be allowed to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
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Rugby
