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Percy pays tribute to teammates
18/02/2008 21:10 - (SA)
St Petersburg - South Africa's brilliant performance in winning their second Rugby World Cup and going through the tournament unbeaten has earned them the 2008 Laureus World Team of the Year Award.
Watched by a global TV audience, coach Jake White and players Bryan Habana, Schalk Burger, Percy Montgomery, Butch James received the world's most prestigious sports Award from Sean Fitzpatrick and Hugo Porta at the Mariinsky Concert Hall in St Petersburg, Russia.
Percy Montgomery said: "This Award goes to all the players who can't be here tonight. I'm sure they would all have liked to be here. It's also a tribute to all those who have played for South Africa since 2004 - this win took a lot of planning. We gelled at the right time and that was the key."
Bryan Habana said: "I was a youngster in 1995 when Joel Stransky kicked that drop goal. To carry on my dream we have inspired the rest of a nation. Hopefully we can help to make a better South Africa for all."
Laureus Academy member Morne du Plessis said: "The country is really proud of you. Comparisons in the team game are complicated and the game has changed. Both teams have written epic chapters in our rugby history and shown that sport can bring people together."
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.
The other nominees for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award were Italian football team AC Milan, the Australian Cricket Team, Ferrari, the German Women's Football Team and the Iraqi Football Team.
The Laureus World Sports Awards is the only global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 43 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, a collection of the world's greatest sportsmen and women.
The Awards were presented in seven categories. The winners were:
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Roger Federer
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Justine Henin
Laureus World Team of the Year: Springboks
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Lewis Hamilton
Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Paula Radcliffe
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Esther Vergeer
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Shaun White
There were three special Awards: The Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Ukraine pole-vault legend Sergey Bubka, while Dick Pound, who retired after eight years as Chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency received the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award. American brothers Brendan and Sean Tuohey were the recipients of the Laureus Sport for Good Award for their work in founding the PeacePlayers International project.
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Rugby
