Cape Town - Springbok captain Siya Kolisi dedicated his World Peace and Sport Champion for 2019 award, which he received in Monaco on Thursday evening, to the 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok squad.
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Kolisi led South Africa to the World Cup title when they beat England 32-12 in the final in Yokohama last month.
"It's a great honour and a privilege for me and it's great to see people recognise people that use their voice and use their platform and do some work off the field as well and it will inspire people to do more,” the Bok skipper said, as quoted by SA Rugby.
"We're not just sportsmen. We can do much more off the field."
Kolisi also praised the impact of the Springboks at the World Cup in Japan and back home in South Africa, saying the momentous win in Japan was a collective effort.
"You're playing a team sport and that always makes it hard to get individual accolades because there are so many people around me that have helped me," he said.
"Among my team-mates there are so many other leaders. I don't like taking all the credit because it's not just me, the coaches, the physios, everybody adds value to anything the team achieves."
The South African skipper is also a nominee for the prestigious BBC World Sports Star of the Year award. Kolisi faces stiff competition for the award though, with golf icon Tiger Woods, Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge, Olympic gold medallist in gymnastics Simone Biles, Australian cricketer Steve Smith and USA women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe also nominated.
- SA Rugby