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Am nominated but World Rugby awards raise eyebrows again

rugby15 November 2022 05:59| © SuperSport
By:Brenden Nel
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In another volume of the strange world that is the World Rugby nomination process for the year, Lukhanyo Am stands alone as the only nominee for an award after being named in a shortlist for World Rugby Player of the year.

That Am’s rugby genius is beyond question is one thing, but the fact he has been injured for most of the international season seems to have escaped the jury of former players who set up the shortlist for the awards through a voting process.

Of course, the secrecy surrounding the process seems to cause debate and despair every year and is never really clarified in terms of what the parameters are, thereby leaving fans wondering about the performance of players who either excel and are left out, or haven’t played for a while and are put in the shortlist.

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Is it from November to November or is it a calendar year? Nobody seems to know and no attempt is ever made from rugby’s governing body to clarify. Instead, as with all World Rugby situations, they pat themselves on the back and tell themselves what a good job they have done.

While nobody is doubting the quality of the nominees, the omissions always seem to raise an eyebrow. Am is nominated alongside two Irishmen in Johnny Sexton and Josh van der Flier and last year’s winner, French scrumhalf Antoine Dupont.

Van der Flier has had a magnificent season, winning European Cup player of the year and has been a massive player for Ireland, and Sexton seems to get better with age and whining at referees. Dupont is class all around.

But never has it been clarified if the club form is taken into account, or if it is just internationals and what the criteria is. All we know is that a bunch of ex-players, who have all achieved fame in their own right, have voted and these are the results.

The same bad taste was when Am, Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi were all snubbed last season, despite being exceptional in the win over the Lions and playing some amazing rugby. Was Am’s nomination in part for last season’s form? We will never know.

Etzebeth this year has been one of the most dominant forwards in world rugby, and has been a consistent candidate for man of the match in every single Springbok test, yet is ignored by the panel.

The same goes for Ardie Savea, the All Black who has been head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to standard of play.

Then we have the ambiguity of the Breakthrough Player of the year nominations. England’s Henry Arundell was nominated despite playing only 28 minutes of test rugby over 3 games. That’s exceptional to make a shortlist with an average of 9 minutes of test rugby per cap but it raises so many questions that will never be answered.

If that is the criteria, what about Canan Moodie’s amazing debut in the Rugby Championship, or Kurt-Lee Arendse’s performances for the Boks? Both are in their debut Springbok season, but both are ignored.

And technically players have to be in their debut season. But one of the nominees, Dan Sheehan of Ireland, who has had an exceptional season, made his debut more than a year ago? So what gives?

Again this is not questioning the quality of players but World Rugby seriously needs to consider publishing the criteria, and the parameters to make it simpler to understand.

And on a final note, there is the skew towards tier one nations. While all four coaches of the year nominees have deserved their spot, one has to feel for Chile’s Pablo Lemoine, who has done wonders in getting the South American nation to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.

Consider that two years ago they had never gone beyond the opening round of qualification and had never beaten any side that had already been at the Rugby World Cup. Since then they have qualified for their first tournament and beaten three teams that were at the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

It may not compare in some people’s eyes to Wayne Smith adding another accolade to his already long list of impressive achievements, but deserves more than a little praise. And it is tough for Tier two nations to think that there aren’t two sets of rules for countries.

So again the awards spark debate, and again there are disappointments. But here, for all of World Rugby’s wisdom are the 2022 World Rugby award nominees.

WORLD RUGBY AWARDS 2022 | NOMINEES:

World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year:

• Maud Muir (ENG)

• Vitalina Naikore (FIJ)

• Maiakawanakaulani Roos (NZL)

• Ruby Tui (NZL)

World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year:

• Henry Arundell (ENG)

• Ange Capuozzo (ITA)

• Mack Hansen (IRE)

• Dan Sheehan (IRE)

World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year:

• Henry Arundell (ENG)

• Ange Capuozzo (ITA)

• Mack Hansen (IRE)

• Dan Sheehan (IRE)

World Rugby Coach of the Year:

• Andy Farrell, Ireland Men’s 15s

• Fabien Galthié, France Men’s 15s

• Simon Middleton England Women’s 15s

• Wayne Smith, New Zealand Women’s 15s

International Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year:

• Sylvia Brunt (New Zealand v Wales on 16 October)

• Emily Chancellor (Australia, v England on 30 October)

• Abby Dow (England v Canada on 5 November)

• Linda Djougang (Ireland, v Wales on 26 March)

• Nomawethu Mabenge (South Africa, v Spain on 12 August)

International Rugby Players Men’s Try of the Year:

• Rodrigo Fernandez (Chile, v USA on 9 July)

• Lalakai Foketi (Australia v France on 5 November)

• Chris Harris (Scotland, v Italy on 12 March)

• Edoardo Padovani (Italy, v Wales on 19 March)

• Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales, v South Africa on 2 July)

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year:

• Charlotte Caslick (AUS)

• Maddison Levi (AUS)

• Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe (IRE)

• Faith Nathan (AUS)

World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year:

• Terry Kennedy (IRE)

• Nick Malouf (AUS)

• Kaminieli Rasaku (FIJ)

• Corey Toole (AUS)

World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year:

• Lukhanyo Am (RSA)

• Antoine Dupont (FRA)

• Johnny Sexton (IRE)

• Josh van der Flier (IRE)

World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year:

• Sophie de Goede (CAN)

• Ruahei Demant (NZL)

• Alex Matthews (ENG)

• Laure Sansus (FRA)

• Portia Woodman (NZL)

Categories to be awarded on Sunday, November 20

• World Rugby Referee Award

• International Rugby Players Special Merit Award

• Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service

• World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year

• World Rugby Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year

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