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Four Kiwis nominated for World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year awards
World Rugby has unveiled the 2023 nominees for the women’s and men’s Sevens Player of the Year awards, which includes a quartet of World Series-winning New Zealanders across the two categories.
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As the anticipation continues to build ahead of the prestigious awards night in Paris, the Black Ferns and All Blacks Sevens have each received two nominations.
Try-scoring phenom Michaela Blyde is looking to become the first player to win the women’s award three times, while teammate Tyla Nathan-Wong is also in the running after steering the Black Ferns to World Series glory.
Former AFLW forward Maddison Levi has also been nominated after a record-breaking season that saw the Australian Sevens ace cross for a staggering 57 tries across all events. Reapi Ulunisau is the fourth and final nominee after another strong campaign with Fiji.
As for the men’s category, All Blacks Sevens duo Leroy Carter and Akuila Rokolisoa are both looking to win the award for the first time.
Rodrigo Isgro and Marcos Moneta have also been nominated after contributing 80 tries between them throughout a famous season for Argentina. Argentina won the Cup final three times after playing in six finals.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “All those nominated today deserve not only our congratulations but also our thanks for everything they have contributed, on and off the field, to inspire fans and players worldwide, driving rugby forward in 2023 in line with our sport’s values.
Knockout
11 - 12
Final
6 - 44
SF1
15 - 16
SF2
17 - 29
QF1
24 - 28
QF2
30 - 24
QF3
28 - 29
QF4
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“The strength of rugby is its players, coaches, officials and volunteers, and these shortlists provide a vivid snapshot of a sport that is thriving globally in its 200th year.
“One day after we crown the Rugby World Cup 2023 champions, we look forward once again to uniting our global family and presenting a wider cast of winners with the ultimate accolades in our sport – the World Rugby Awards.”
The award winners will be revealed on Sunday, October 29 – the day after the Rugby World Cup final – at the Opera Garnier in Paris.
The nominees for the other categories are:
International Rugby Players Men’s Try of the Year
- Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland, v England on 4 February)
- Damian Penaud (France, v Ireland on 11 February)
- Hugo Keenan (Ireland, France on 11 February)
- Vinaya Habosi (Fiji, v Georgia on 1 October)
World Rugby Coach of the Year
- Andy Farrell (Ireland)
- Ian Foster (New Zealand)
- Simon Raiwalui (Fiji)
- Jacques Nienaber (South Africa)
World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year in partnership with Tudor
- Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France)
- Manie Libbok (South Africa)
- Mark Tele’a (New Zealand)
- Tamaiti Williams (New Zealand)
World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year in partnership with Mastercard
- Bundee Aki (Ireland)
- Antoine Dupont (France)
- Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
- Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
Other categories being awarded on Sunday, 29 October
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service
- International Rugby Players Special Merit Award
- Rugby for All Award
- World Rugby Referee Award
- World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year in partnership with Capgemini
Categories awarded following the conclusion of WXV
- World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year in partnership with Mastercard
- World Rugby Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year in partnership with Capgemini
- World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year in partnership with Tudor
- International Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year
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Comments on RugbyPass
Some silly trolling in the comments.
8 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
36 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
11 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
36 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
3 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
214 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
214 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
36 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
36 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
214 Go to comments“Teams would generally have three coaches below their head honcho; attack coach, defence coach, forwards coach” do they? I’m not sure what the NZ set up is tbh, but the other 4 sides top 5 sides all have very different structures to the one outlined in the article! As well as attack, defence, and forwards coaches, SA, Ireland, and France also have specialist scrum coaches. England have a specialist scrum coach too, but arguably don’t have a forwards coach, with that role taken on by Borthwick. SA also have a backs coach in addition to defence and attack, and Ireland and England have fitness coaches, with England also having two skills coaches.
3 Go to commentsWorst article I've read in a while. Trying to disguise a backhand slap as a compliment. The whole article is a bit weird and negative. I think South African men are emotional in general… think Clad le Clos’s father 2012 London Olympics.
7 Go to comments