Pieter Steph du Toit has been crowned the best player in the world by respected French publication Midi Olympique.
This comes after the Springboks star was named the 2024 World Rugby Player of the Year, winning the award for a second time after doing so five years prior.
The 33-year-old clinches the award voted for by Midi Olympique readers and ends Antoine Dupont’s four-year reign over the gong.
Pieter-Steph du Toit ends Antoine Dupont’s four-year run
The France captain won the vote from 2021 to 2024, but his injury during the Six Nations has seen his stronghold on the award slip.
Du Toit becomes the fourth South African to win Midi Olympique’s ‘Oscar Monde’, following in the footsteps of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, who jointly claimed the gong in 2009.
In 2019, it was Cheslin Kolbe who claimed the honour, with Owen Farrell winning it a year later before Dupont’s dominance.
Former winners include Dan Carter (twice), Thierry Dusautoir, Richie McCaw, Leigh Halfpenny, Juan MartÃn Fernández Lobbe, Ma’a Nonu, Maro Itoje and Conor Murray.
France u20s hooker Lyam Akrab was another winner on the night as the Montpellier front rower was named the Oscar Espoir, best young player, of the year. This comes after he claimed the U20 Six Nations Player of the Tournament earlier this year.
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Bordeaux and France star winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was unveiled as the Oscar Europe Midi Olympique after helping his club win the Investec Champions Cup, scoring six tries in five appearances.
Joanna Grisez picked up the women’s Oscar award for her efforts with the French Women’s team this year, while Thomas Ramos took home the award for the best men’s French player, beating Francois Cros and Maxime Lucu to the honour.
Ramos lost out on the award in 2023 and 2024 to Dupont, finishing in second place on both occasions, but it’s third time lucky for the sharpshooter who helped France win the Six Nations and Toulouse the Top 14 title.
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Midi Olympique’s Oscar Monde honour roll
2008: Dan Carter
2009: Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield
2010: Dan Carter
2011: Thierry Dusautoir
2012: Richie McCaw
2013: Leigh Halfpenny
2014: Juan MartÃn Fernández Lobbe
2015: Ma’a Nonu
2016: Maro Itoje
2018: Conor Murray
2019: Cheslin Kolbe
2020: Owen Farrell
2021: Antoine Dupont
2022: Antoine Dupont
2023: Antoine Dupont
2024: Antoine Dupont
2025: Pieter Steph du Toit