MADRID, May 24 -- The New Zealand national Rugby Union team, known as the "All Blacks", were on Wednesday named as the winners of the 2017 Princess Of Asturias Award for Sports.
The award was made public in the city of Oviedo by the jury which explained that the All Blacks, who are the reigning World Champions, are "the most successful national team in the history of the sport, having won three of the eight World Championships that have taken place to date (1987, 2011 and 2017)."
It also highlighted that since New Zealand's official debut in 1903, "only Australia, England, France, South Africa and Wales have defeated New Zealand in an official test match," and with a winning percentage of 76 percent, "the New Zealand team is among the most successful teams in any sport."
The jury also highlighted that the team "is also considered an example of racial and cultural integration, conveying values of unity, friendship, solidarity and sportsmanship."
The Sports Award is the fourth of eight Princess of Asturias awards to be decided following the naming of musical comedy group "Les Luthiers" as the winners of the Communication and Humanity Award South African artist, William Kentridge as the winner of the Arts prize and the Hispanic Society of America which won the International Co-operation Award.
The Awards are now in their 37th edition and aim to recognize and reward "the scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanitarian work carried out at an international level by individuals, institutions or groups of individuals or institutions."
The remaining awards to be decided over the coming weeks are literature, social services, technical and scientific research and concord.
The award winners receive a cash prize of 50,000 euros (around 55,000 US dollars) and a sculpture from Spanish artist Juan Miro in a ceremony which is held in the city of Oviedo (northern Spain) every October.