South Africa’s Malcolm Marx joins elite list of rugby world players of the year
The global rugby body also confirmed that the World Rugby Dream Team of the Year will be announced on Tuesday, November 25, celebrating the best male players of 2025.
South Africa's Malcolm Marx has been named Men's 15s Player of the Year at the 2025 World Rugby Awards.
The Springbok hooker was instrumental in South Africa’s back-to-back Rugby Championship triumphs, scoring four tries in 11 tests this year, including a decisive double against Argentina in October.
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Marx now joins a select group of South African players to have claimed the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year award, alongside two-time winner Pieter-Steph du Toit, as well as Schalk Burger and Bryan Habana.
"Marx has been a crucial cog in a dominant South Africa squad in 2025, starting 11 tests this year to date, and scoring four tries in the Rugby Championship alone," said World Rugby in a statement on Sunday.
"His second-half brace at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in October, helped the Springboks come from behind against Argentina to claim back-to-back titles for the first time."
Meanwhile, New Zealand's Fabian Holland was named Men's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year following an impressive debut season with the All Blacks.
The 23-year-old second row became a dependable presence, appearing in 11 of New Zealand’s 12 internationals, and won the award over Ethan Hooker, Henry Pollock, and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
"His work-rate and no-backwards-step physicality quickly ensured his name is an early addition to the team sheet, and have made him the sixth All Black to be named Breakthrough Player of the Year, and, after Maro Itoje in 2016, the second second-row to win the award," said World Rugby.
On another note, Chile’s Santiago Pedrero won Men’s 15s Try of the Year for a stunning effort against Samoa during the Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifying play-off.
"A pass off the deck suddenly ignited an attack that the Pacific Islanders seemed to have contained. One offload, then another, an inside pass, then back outside, allowed the second row to waltz to the line," said World Rugby.
The global rugby body also confirmed that the World Rugby Dream Team of the Year will be announced on Tuesday, November 25, celebrating the best male players of 2025.
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