Seabelo Senatla has been nominated for the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year award.
Senatla, who was the top try-scorer in the 2015-16 World Rugby Sevens Series, will compete against Fiji's Osea Kolinisau and Frenchman Virimi Vakatawa.
'To see Seabelo’s name amongst the nominees for Sevens Player of the Year is good reward for the Blitzboks,' SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux commented.
'It is always good to be recognised by your peers and confirms that we are doing something right. Our sevens team has consistently delivered good performances despite their hectic schedule, playing in 10 cities around the globe in the space of eight months.
'The team is already getting in shape for the 2016-17 series and we are keen to see them in action in December, when they will play in the Cape Town Sevens tournament. We believe this nomination will inspire all of the guys to again deliver a highly competitive effort in the coming season.'
Along with Senatla, referees Jaco Peyper and Rasta Rasivhenge were the only South Africans among the shortlisted nominees for the 2016 World Rugby Awards.
Peyper and Rasivhenge were shortlisted for the Referee of the Year accolade along with Jérôme Garcès (France) and Alhambra Nievas (Spain).
The All Blacks, England and the Fiji sevens team will battle it out for Team of the Year Award, while their respective coaches – Steve Hansen, Eddie Jones and Ben Ryan – were nominated for the Coach of the Year Award.
New Zealand duo Anton Lienert-Brown and Ardie Savea, and England's Maro Itoje, will contest for the Breakthrough Player of the Year Award, with the shortlist for the overall Player of the Year still to be announced.
World Rugby Awards shortlist:
Sevens Player of the Year
Osea Kolinisau (Fiji)
Seabelo Senatla (South Africa)
Virimi Vakatawa (France)
Women's Sevens Player of the Year
Charlotte Caslick (Australia)
Emily Scarratt (England)
Portia Woodman (New Zealand)
Team of the Year
England
Fiji Sevens
New Zealand
Coach of the Year
Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
Eddie Jones (England)
Ben Ryan (Fiji Sevens)
Breakthrough Player of the Year
Maro Itoje (England)
Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand)
Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
Try of the Year
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland, vs France)
TJ Perenara (New Zealand, vs Argentina)
Kaito Shigeno (Japan, vs Scotland)
Referee of the Year
Jérôme Garcès (France)
Alhambra Nievas (Spain)
Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
Photo: David Becker/Getty Images
