Can anyone stop England from scooping the player of the year award?
Next week, rugby royalty from across the globe will gather to dish out a range of coveted awards.
Chief amongst those awards is the World Rugby Player of the Year, a prize handed to the player that has stood out from amongst his peers throughout the international season.
Since it was first conceived in 2001, the award has been given to thirteen different players. New Zealanders Beauden Barrett (twice), Dan Carter and Richie McCaw (both three times) have all risen to the top on more than one occasion.
In the four World Cup years that the Player of the Year has been awarded, a finalist has earned the title. Only once, in 2011, did the award go to a losing finalist – in that instance, Thierry Dusautoir.
World Rugby will announce their nominations in the coming days – who is likely to be on the shortlist for 2010?
Continue reading below…
Maro Itoje (England)
Maro Itoje has already been nominated for the Player of the Year award on two occasions, 2016 and 2017.
Itoje actually won the Breakthrough Player of the Year award in 2016, after debuting against Italy in the Six Nations.
The future England captain has gone from strength to strength this year and played a massive part in his side’s semi-final shut-out of New Zealand.
England's defeat of New Zealand wasn't just physicality and passion.
It was also ruthlessly planned
– writes Conor Wilson ??? Prepare to go DEEP #analysis #englandrugby #ENGvNZL https://t.co/EuidXhh6eb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 27, 2019
He’s regularly one of the top tacklers on matchday and causes havoc in opposition lineout feeds. With a 91% tackle success rate to his name, Itoje is not just destructive but also highly accurate.
Despite being just 24 years-old, another man-of-the-match performance in the final would almost certainly instate Itoje as the favourite to be crowned Player of the Year.
Owen Farrell (England)
Like his fellow countryman, Farrell was nominated for the award in 2016 and 2017, when England won the Six Nations. Farrell also received a surprise nomination in 2012.
The England captain is one of the most criticised players in the world game – though that almost exclusively stems from his referee management skills and his propensity to use his shoulder in tackles.
Say what you will about Farrell’s captaining, but there are no questions that he’s been one of 2019’s top performers.
Farrell is kicking at 83% this year and has scored 173 points – the most by any player of the world circuit.
Flyhalves are the most frequently awarded winners of the Player of the Year award, with seven wins in total. Many expect a close contest in next week’s final between England and South Africa where the team with the better field possession and greater goal-kicking accuracy is most likely to come out on top. That sounds like a game made for Farrell.
Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
The Springboks’ converted flanker is yet to have a bad game in 2019.
Pieter-Steph du Toit has been on the international scene for South Africa since 2013 but has come of age this year, monstering opposition forward packs on both attack and defence.
du Toit has averaged almost 14 tackles per match this year and was the Springboks’ only forward to play in all three games of the Rainbow Nation’s Rugby Championship title run.
How the big South African matches up against England’s ‘kamikaze kids’ in next week’s final could have a large say on whether du Toit earns the Player of the Year award, but he’s been one of the Springboks’ best throughout 2019 and thoroughly deserves any platitudes he receives.
Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
It’s been a year dominated by defence in the international game, which is why loose forwards have stood out so much.
Ardie Savea entered the year as the All Blacks‘ incumbent openside but has spent time in all three loose forward roles.
The flanker has been monstrous for New Zealand on both attack and defence – his leg drive is an absolute sight to behold.
Plenty of praise for the Wales boys despite semi-final heartache.https://t.co/hlxWGI899H
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 27, 2019
Despite there being questions in the past concerning Savea’s size, he’s stood up against larger opposition on more than one occasion in 2019 and did everything he could to get the All Blacks over the line in their semi-final loss.
For all the work that Savea does in the tight, he’s still one of the world’s best forwards when it comes to open-field running.
A third-place finish at best might hamper Savea’s chances at the top gong, but if World Rugby are willing to look outside the World Cup finalists for the Player of the Year then Savea would be a worthy recipient.
The best of the rest
Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) has been a tireless grafter for his side over the past 10 months and has led his team with aplomb. Being dubbed the Player of the Year would cap off an excellent career for the Northern Hemisphere’s most capped player.
Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand) wasn’t a shoo-in to even start in the midfield for the All Blacks but he’s taken his chances well and has regularly been one New Zealand’s best on the park.
Semi Radradra (Fiji) put on two of the best performances you’ll ever see in the Pacific Islanders’ pool games against Australia and Wales. In fact, there’s more than one player that stood out from the Flying Fijians but a pool stages exit won’t have helped their cause.
Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa) is excellent to watch and has re-affirmed the place of the ‘little men’ in world rugby.
Kazuki Himeno (Japan) wouldn’t have been on many people’s radars prior to the World Cup, but that’s all changed now. Himeno’s carrying was up there with the best and fans will be hoping to see more of the number 8 on the world stage moving forward. The same could be said for Japan’s wings, Kotaro Matsushima and Kenki Fukuoka.
Japan stood out at the 2019 World Cup for their exciting play – what does the future hold for the Brave Blossoms?:
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments