Why Siya Kolisi should have been nominated for World Player of the Year
World Rugby’s Player of the Year award is one of the highest honours in the game, yet the snubs in 2021 call into question the validity of how this process is done.
The two test sides with the best records this year, New Zealand (12-2) and South Africa (8-4), have no players nominated. France and Australia, with no Lions tour duties, didn’t win any tournament trophies this year and have substandard records.
England have been poor, and while Maro Itoje is a world-class player, it’s hard to fathom how this shortlist doesn’t include the likes of Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea or Siya Kolisi.
The game’s governing body did everyone a disservice last year by not recognising the efforts of those that made substantial efforts to resume test rugby by not holding the awards in 2020.
Last year deserved to have its own crop of winners and nominations, and Antoine Dupont would have been the front runner to capture the Player of the Year award, more so than this year, and also Itoje as he was phenomenal as England captured the Six Nations and the Autumn Nations Cup.
A player like All Blacks rookie Caleb Clarke would also surely would have earned a nomination for the Breakthrough Player of the Year.
Now the list for 2021 looks like they are trying to make-up for not rewarding some of last year’s work, particularly for the World Player of the Year award.
The way the Springboks play is unappealing, but they grind out wins, and one man, Siya Kolisi, has been at the forefront of that in a year where his form his probably at the best it’s ever been.
The South African loose forward unit is responsible for most of their wins this year. You could almost say they single-handedly keep them in games. Their back row strength is above any other side in the world.
When teams get it wrong tactically and direct play into the path of Kolisi, Kwagga Smith, Duane Vermeulen, the results are disastrous.
Games against the Springboks have been lost when idealistic game plans fail to account for the strength they have there, as illustrated by the All Blacks in their clash with South Africa in Townsville earlier this year.
New Zealand’s plans in their 19-17 win were incredibly naive as they sent David Havili into the clutches of South Africa’s back row where Kolisi and co continually turned the ball over.
After Havili punched through Handre Pollard and Damian de Allende, Kolisi made a desperate tackle to bring the Kiwi midfielder down in an isolated position where Vermeulen pounced and won a penalty on first phase on the edge of their own 22.
These kinds of plays by Kolisi continually repel opposition in prime attacking field position and prevent them from not only scoring tries, but the chance to accumulate threes.
In the example below, Kolisi and Smith attacked an isolated Havili deep inside their own half. Kolisi drew the attention of the cleaners, leaving Smith to take possession.
These snapshots highlight how, in a losing side, Kolisi was one of the best players on the pitch by helping keep his team in the contest. In the first half, he affected four turnovers, three of which were won inside or around his own team’s 22.
Two were directly Kolisi’s own doing, a strong counter-ruck to push the New Zealanders off their own ball and a jarring tackle on Will Jordan to dislodge it in contact. The other two were indirect assists on poor set-piece plans by the All Blacks.
Fast-forward more than a month later, and Wales were similarly punished for failing to heed the lessons of the All Blacks from the Rugby Championship.
They ran launch patterns that targeted the South African midfield, using undersized players like Josh Adams outside of playmaker Dan Biggar, and then tried to carry around the corner into their back row.
They used the same base play they had against the All Blacks the week prior, with three options outside of Biggar (10), with Nick Tompkins (12) sliding out the back, leaving two flat short options (Adams at 11 and Jonathan Davies at 13) for Biggar.
After Adams’ first phase carry above, Wales ran a pod around the corner where Kolisi dominated Taine Basham (7), causing the Welsh to almost lose the ball from a counter-ruck once Basham was brought down.
They tried to set up patterns with a third phase switch strike, but playing the first two phases this way is always a huge risk against the Springboks.
If you want to run into the Springboks’ midfield on first phase and into their back row on the second, then you deserve to get what’s coming.
Wales didn’t do their homework and squandered countless attacking opportunities with these ill-thought out plans.
It seemed as though no team considered how the Wallabies went about dissecting this defence as they instead stubbornly persisted with their own rigid ideas, just like the All Blacks.
In another second phase carry around the corner in this attacking opportunity early in the first half, Welsh prop Rhys Carre was manhandled by Kolisi and driven sideways into the arms of Smith.
Smith got the steal, but it was the work of Kolisi that gave his fellow loose forward an easy chance for a pilfer. Wales came away from the 22 visit with zero points, which happened on multiple occasions.
It was when Wales went off-script that they looked most threatening, finally hitting the Springboks where they have be proven to be weakest all year: on the edge.
A big cutout pass from Tompkins (12) gave Louis Rees-Zammit (14) the chance to score in the corner.
But it’s this play that sums up why Kolisi needed to be nominated as the World Player of the Year.
Without his effort to scramble, Rees-Zammit would have scored after cutting inside Makazole Mapimpi (11), plain and simple.
Herschel Jantjies wouldn’t have stopped the Welsh winger from there, but Kolisi made the save in a match where he won two ruck turnovers – including a critical one right on halftime that led to a penalty goal to close the gap to 12-9 – along with 11 tackles.
His try-saving tackle on Rees-Zammit is not a one-off occurrence. He has been making plays like this all year, including perhaps the biggest play of the British and Irish Lions series in second test.
After the Springboks dropped the first test, the do-or-die second test was locked at 6-all when the Lions had a chance to score a few minutes from half-time.
A well-placed chip kick from Conor Murray found Robbie Henshaw, but the cover tackle from Kolisi prevented the Irish midfielder from getting the ball down.
Kolisi started the play next to the ruck, and only desperation and hustle got him in a position to save what would have been a crucial try, and potentially the series.
The Lions may have played the second half differently had they had a seven-point buffer at the break, but they instead had to settle for a three-pointer.
As it turned out, the Springboks were the next to score a try, and they ran away with the game through penalties.
The Springbok captain has won 10 turnovers this year as part of a Springboks back row unit that has collectively nabbed 29.
Given where those turnovers have taken place and the tackles Kolisi has made, he has saved his side anywhere between 5-10 points per game, which, when you look at how South Africa wins games, has been absolutely vital.
The Springboks have scrapped their way through 2021 on the back of their back row, led by their captain Kolisi.
If the World Rugby Player of the Year is about recognising the best individual performers who have been invaluable to their team, Kolisi must be on the shortlist.
Michael Hooper has had a very good year and deserves nomination, but the nature of how the Wallabies season has played out bolsters the case of others.
Hooper was there before Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi arrived, when the Wallabies’ fortunes weren’t so great against the All Blacks. With those two backs gone once again, they’ve now lost twice in a row to Scotland and England.
It’s not clear who has been most important to the Wallabies turnaround, with Cooper and Kerevi adding weight to their cases and however excellent Kerevi has been, he has only played five tests.
It feels like Dupont and Itoje are there based on last year despite being world-class, but Savea or Barrett from New Zealand, in addition to Kolisi should also be candidates.
Sorry World Rugby, it looks like you have bungled this one, and it started when you failed to recognise the players for their work last year.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
13 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
13 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to comments