World Rugby Awards 2025 XV Men’s Winners Confirmed

South Africa’s Malcolm Marx, New Zealand’s Fabian Holland and Chile’s Santiago Pedrero were winners in the World Rugby Awards 2025 XV Men’s categories.

Feature Photo Credit – SARU

The World Rugby Dream Team of the Year will be unveiled on Tuesday, 25 November.

World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year 2025 – Malcolm Marx (South Africa)

Double Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx became the fourth South African to be crowned the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year  (the others being Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Bryan Habana, and Schalk Burger).

The 31-year old hooker, who has been a key figure for the Springboks in the lineouts, scrums, at the breakdowns, and in general play this season, scooped the award for the first time after being nominated alongside his teammates Pieter Steph Du Toit – the 2024 and 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year – as well as Ox Nche (prop) for the world’s most prestigious player award.

Marx previously had been nominated for the award in 2018 and was the SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year in 2017.

SARU President Mark Alexander said, “On behalf of SA Rugby, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Malcolm. His work ethic is simply unbelievable, and he embodies everything we value in a Springbok – resilience, commitment and character. This award is a fitting recognition of his contribution to our team and to the sport of rugby.

To have three of the four nominees for World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year and a Breakthrough Player nominee from our country is a testament to the class of this team. We are immensely proud of them all,” Mr Alexander added.

Marx started 11 tests in 2025, scoring four tries in the Rugby Championship alone. He plays in the Japan Rugby League One for the Kubota Spears, who he has been with since 2021.

Nominees: Pieter-Steph du Toit, Ox Nché, Louis Bielle-Biarrey

World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year 2025 – Fabian Holland (New Zealand)

23-year-old, Dutch-born All Black Fabian Holland has insisted he’s “just the middle part” of a world-class lineout set-up who only “has to jump and catch the ball”.

All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson said the award was fitting recognition for one of New Zealand rugby’s most promising young talents, saying, “Fabian’s story is like something out of a movie. He has grown up in the Netherlands dreaming of playing for a team on the other side of the world, taken the brave move to shift to New Zealand at the age of 16, and then made his dream a reality.  None of this is by chance or luck; Fabian works incredibly hard to meet his goals and is one of the most determined and focused players I have come across.  It is that work ethic that will see him continue to succeed.

We are just so proud of him and so pleased for him and his family to receive this special acknowledgement of what he has achieved this year.”

He has featured in 11 of New Zealand’s 12 internationals this year and became the sixth All Black to be named Breakthrough Player of the Year.

Nominees: Ethan Hooker, Henry Pollock, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii

International Rugby Players Association Men’s 15s Try of the Year 2025 – Santiago Pedrero (Chile, v Samoa, South America/Pacific Play-off, RWC 2027 qualifier – September)

Chile’s Santiago Pedrero finished off the team try against Samoa in the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifying play-off.

Nominees: Santiago Cordero (Argentina, v British and Irish Lions – June), Lekima Tagitagivalu (Fiji, v Australia, men’s international – July), Tupou Vaa’i (New Zealand, v France, men’s international – July)

World Rugby Awards 2025

• World Rugby Awards 2025 Men’s Nominees – Winners To Be Confirmed on 22 November
• Dan Carter Presented the International Rugby Players Association Special Merit Award.
• Hollie Davidson Wins 2025 World Rugby Referee Award.
• Women’s 15s Player of the Year and the Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year Nominees.