Springbok flank Pieter-Steph du Toit is one of eight nominees for World Rugby's Player of the Decade which was published on Thursday.
Du Toit, the 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year, faces stiff competition in a list that includes double World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw and fellow All Black Dan Carter.
Both players, who took New Zealand to World Cup glory in 2011 and 2015, are three-time winners of the World Player of the Year Award.
They have been joined on the list by the other winners between 2010 and 2019 - three other All Blacks in Kieran Read, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett, Irish flyhalf Johnny Sexton and and former France captain Thierry Dusautoir.
Some of the best players to ever play the game, but only one can be crowned the #WorldRugbyAwards Men's Player of the Decade, in association with Tudor. It's time to cast your vote ?? https://t.co/OiU7LjmoGM pic.twitter.com/xBoLr2q54x
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) October 15, 2020
Similarly, the Women's Player of the Year winners since 2010, from Black Fern Carla Hohepa to England's 2019 recipient Emily Scarratt, have been nominated for the Women's Player of the Decade award.
Eight players who helped put the Women's game on the map in the last ten years. Who is your #WorldRugbyAwards Women's Player of the Decade, in association with Tudor? It's time to have your say. VOTE NOW ?? https://t.co/OiU7LjmoGM pic.twitter.com/kjPk7KG0Ko
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) October 15, 2020
There are also awards Try of the Decade and Sevens Player of the Decade.
For the sevens award, three South Africans - Cecil Afrika, Werner Kok and Seabelo Senatla - are among nine nominees.
The others are Perry Baker (USA), Mikaele Pesamino (Samoa), Tomasi Cama, Tim Mikkelson (both New Zealand), Samisoni Viriviri and Jerry Tuwai (both Fiji).
The vote is open to the public and will close on 25 October.
The #WorldRugbyAwards are here. Up next, the Men's Sevens Player of the Decade, in association with @HSBC_Sport. Cast your vote now ?? https://t.co/OiU7LjmoGM pic.twitter.com/jaHELHaAaO
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) October 15, 2020
Nominees for World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Decade:
Richie McCaw (NZL), Thierry Dusautoir (FRA), Dan Carter (NZL), Kieran Read (NZL), Brodie Retallick (NZL), Beauden Barrett (NZL), Johnny Sexton (IRE), Pieter-Steph du Toit (RSA)
Nominees for World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Decade:
Mikaele Pesamino (SAM), Cecil Afrika (RSA), Tomasi Cama (NZL), Tim Mikkelson (NZL), Samisoni Viriviri (FJI), Werner Kok (RSA), Seabelo Senatla (RSA), Perry Baker (USA), Jerry Tuwai (FJI)
Nominees for International Rugby Players Men’s 15s Try of the Decade:
Chris Ashton v Australia, 2010 (ENG); Radike Samo v New Zealand, 2011 (AUS); Bryan Habana v New Zealand, 2012 (RSA); Beauden Barrett v France, 2013 (NZL); Francois Hougaard v New Zealand, 2014 (RSA); Julian Savea v France, 2015 (NZL); Jamie Heaslip v Italy, 2016 (IRE); Joaquin Tuculet v England, 2017 (ARG); Brodie Retallick v Australia, 2018 (NZL); TJ Perenara v Namibia, 2019 (NZL)
Nominees for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Decade:
Carla Hohepa (NZL), Michaela Staniford (ENG), Magali Harvey (CAN), Kendra Cocksedge (NZL), Sarah Hunter (ENG), Jessy Trémoulière (FRA), Emily Scarratt (ENG), Portia Woodman (NZL)
Nominees for World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Decade:
Kayla McAlister (NZL), Emilee Cherry (AUS), Portia Woodman (NZL), Charlotte Caslick (AUS), Michaela Bylde (NZL), Ruby Tui (NZL)
Nominees for International Rugby Players Women’s 15s
Try of the Decade:
Alison Miller v New Zealand, 2014 (IRE), Magali Harvey v France, 2014 (CAN), Megan York v France, 2016 (WAL), Danielle Waterman v Canada, 2016 (ENG), Portia Woodman v USA, 2017 (NZL)
The two remaining two categories, Men's and Women's 15s Teams of the Decade, will be selected by the World Rugby Awards panel, a stellar team of rugby legends who choose the annual World Rugby Awards player, team and coach winners.
Men's 15s Team of the Decade panel: Maggie Alphonsi (ENG), Fiona Coghlan (IRE), Thierry Dusautoir (FRA), George Gregan (AUS), Richie McCaw (NZL), Brian O’Driscoll (IRE), Melodie Robinson (NZL), John Smit (RSA) and Clive Woodward (ENG)
Women's 15s Team of the Decade panel: Maggie Alphonsi (ENG), Liza Burgess (WAL), Lynne Cantwell (IRE), Fiona Coghlan (IRE), Stephen Jones (ENG), Gaëlle Mignot (FRA), Jillion Potter (USA), Melodie Robinson (NZL), Karl TeNana (NZL) and Danielle Waterman (ENG)