Men's 15s World Player of the Year was only a two horse race

There were only two real possibilities for men’s 15s World Rugby Player of the Year after the shortlist of four were named; Ireland’s Caelan Doris or South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Sense has prevailed, with Du Toit crowned for the second time, after pandering to the crowd with three out of four Springbok nominations, with two players who were token nominations.

Lock Eben Etzebeth at the tail end of his international career is nowhere near the best player on the planet.

He’s good enough to keep playing Test rugby and winning caps for South Africa, but he isn’t the Springboks most influential player, let alone deciding Test matches. That he can do his core job on the field adequately does not mean he is worthy of being crowned the world’s best player.

In the 27-20 win over Ireland to start the year he made less than half the tackles as Du Toit, and made four carries for four metres. In the second Test loss to Ireland again he made half the amount of tackles as Du Toit, and again logged four carries for four metres. He conceded one turnover and won none.

He is anchoring a strong lineout and is an aerial asset. With ball-in-hand he’s been ineffective with a far more limited game than RG Snyman and Du Toit.

His work off-the-ball around cleaning rucks, contesting opposition throws and pressuring opposition kickers is important, but it’s not the main character plot line. A supporting actor doesn’t win the best actor award. In terms of dictating Tests and making the plays that win them, Etzebeth is not on the radar and for that reason his nomination was farcical.

He was outplayed by both Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa’i when the Springboks beat the All Blacks twice, in two of the ‘marquee’ wins of the season for the Boks.

In Johannesburg he was named on the bench and played for a total of 32 minutes. He had seven carries for all of 10 metres, averaging 1.4 a carry, better than his Ireland series at least. He added a turnover and a handful of tackles. An admirable cameo but far from deciding the Test.

Back in the starting line up Etzebeth topped the missed tackle count in Cape Town with four, with zero turnovers won and a penalty conceded. Meanwhile Barrett and Vaa’i combined for three turnovers won, both kept a clean sheet and made double digit tackles each. The All Blacks’ lineout edged South Africa’s.

So what signature performances in 2024 are there for Etzebeth in his claim to the award? 12 carries for 14 metres against Scotland, where he was picked up and manhandled by a hooker?

It’s a similar story for Cheslin Kolbe, despite being a human highlight reel and one of the game’s most valuable and marketable players. When Kolbe makes big plays, they become iconic.

Yet for Kolbe to be a genuine World Player of the Year winner, he would have to produce these in every Test, which he has not done.

Kurt-Lee Arendse has perhaps produced as much this year on the opposite wing. In Brisbane against the Wallabies Arendse had three line breaks and two tries, one in which he skinned three or four defenders from a standing start to score under the posts. The ball barely came Kolbe’s way that afternoon. The life of a wing is boom or bust.

Against England at Twickenham a two-try performance by Kolbe arguably decided the game in the final wash. His second try, with De Allende playing a large part in making the initial break, was brilliant.

His other big moment of the year was an opportunist try against Ireland in the first Test pouncing on a poor James Lowe throw in. That key score proved to be a difference maker.

He arguably had a game-winning play for milking a penalty against the All Blacks in Cape Town which led to the game-sealing try. His theatrical dive chasing a kick won a penalty which was kicked into the corner, with Marx ultimately crashing over for an 18-12 lead. If we want to reward football antics, then we can add that to the resume.

In most of the other Tests Kolbe has produced some long line break that wasn’t finished. Against the Wallabies in Perth, All Blacks in Cape Town, against Argentina. Unfinished line breaks that result in turnovers and lost possession are not that valuable, despite highlighting Kolbe’s game-breaking talent.

Kolbe and Etzebeth’s nominations were effectively “career service awards”, an attempt to recognise their popularity and fame as players rather than their actual on-field 2024 influence. Kolbe’s case was stronger than Etzebeth’s, but there are plenty of non-nominated players who have done more.

All Blacks fullback Will Jordan has produced more attacking play than Kolbe with seven Test tries this year and many more line breaks. Wallabies fullback Tom Wright has arguably too. Damian McKenzie has directly influenced the outcome of far more Test wins than both Boks combined this year.

Ultimately sense prevailed and the award was given to a player who at least had rights to it, the Springboks most influential player Pieter-Steph du Toit.

The 32-year-old routinely produces the most during Springbok wins. It’s Du Toit’s pressure on defence that often chokes out opposition. He will often top the tackle count and make the last-ditch saves that matter. He’s competing at more rucks slowing down opposition ball, competing against the throw and his motor doesn’t stop. He played multiple positions and the most minutes. His production is double that of Etzebeth.

He’s been the best on ground in multiple Tests this year, in Brisbane against the Wallabies, against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, Ireland in Pretoria.

Thankfully Du Toit is deserving of the award in 2024 but a rethink is needed to stop nominating players purely for being famous, their reputation, or their play from previous years.