Three Boks up for World Rugby player of the year

Many Springbok fans would agree that one of Rassie Erasmus’ faithful World Cup winners should be named World Rugby Player of the year this year, but just who could it be?

After being ignored by the awards despite winning back to back World Cups last year, the Springboks have dominated the mens award nominees, released on Monday by World Rugby with no less than three of the four players named.

Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Cheslin Kolbe all dominate an awards list of four players, with Caelan Doris of Ireland the only other player nominated for the prestigious awards.

Last season Ardie Savea walked away with the trophy while French captain Antoine Dupont won it the previous two years.

Ironically Dupont has been named on the shortlist for Sevens player of the year, despite featuring in only a handful of sevens tournaments and coming off the bench in the Olympics in most of the games. Still it wasn’t surprising given the governing body’s obsession with the French dynamo.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is also on the shortlist for World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year, but has a lot more stiff competition from the likes of Ireland’s James Osborne, All Black Wallace Sititi and England’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

So with the probability that one of the Bok stars will walk away with the award, just who is more deserving of the three? Or how will they make the pick? The shortlists were compiled by a panel of former players, and final voting will include an online voting process by fans before the final decision is made and the winners announced at a ceremony in Monaco on 24 November.

Online voting is open until 20 November 17:00 at www.world.rugby/awards/toty to determine the winner of the International Rugby Players Men’s and Women’s 15s Try of the Year categories.

Eben Etzebeth, who became the most-capped Springbok in Nelspruit this year, surpassing Victor Matfield’s record, was the man of the match in the Springboks’ win over Scotland last week, while Du Toit has been the rock in the Bok team and was World Rugby’s Player of the year in 2019.

Kolbe, who scored twice in Saturday’s win over England, is a lethal attacking option that can find holes in any defence and certainly deserves to be not only in the conversation, but in contention for the prize. Doris was in Ireland’s side that won the Six Nations and captained and played well in Ireland’s win in Durban to level the series with the Springboks.

World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year

Caelan Doris (IRE)

Eben Etzebeth (RSA)

Pieter-Steph du Toit (RSA)

Cheslin Kolbe (RSA)

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

While Feinberg-Mngomezulu may easily be the South African breakthrough player of the year, he has a lot of stiff competition in this category, with Wallace Sititi from the All Blacks a major factor who could easily be New Zealand’s player of the year this year. Jamie Osborne was good on Ireland’s tour of South Africa, while Feyi-Waboso, just 21, is one of the brightest stars to come out of England in decades, scoring five tries in just eight international appearances already.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (RSA)

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (ENG)

Jamie Osborne (IRE)

Wallace Sititi (NZL)

Other awards and World Rugby’s descriptions on why they were nominated:

International Rugby Players Men’s 15s Try of the Year

James Lowe (Ireland v England, Men’s Six Nations, 10 March)

Lorenzo Pani (Italy v Wales, Men’s Six Nations, 17 March)

Nolann Le Garrec (France v England, Men’s Six Nations, 17 March)

Akaki Tabutsadze (Georgia v Australia, July Internationals, 20 July)

Four tries scored by European nations, three from the Men’s Six Nations and one from the July internationals, make up the shortlist. James Lowe finished off a fine team move in acrobatic fashion against England at Twickenham in March, profiting from excellent work from Jack Crowley and Caelan Doris before Ciaran Frawley gave the scoring pass. Another flowing attack gave Italy full-back Lorenzo Pani space on the right wing against Wales a week later and he cut inside three would-be tacklers before hitting Ronaldo’s ‘siu’ celebration.

In the same round, a stolen lineout gave France the platform to attack England from deep inside their own half. Gaël Fickou added impetus to the move before a sumptuous dummy and offload from Léo Barré released Nolann Le Garrec to score. Not to be outdone, Georgia’s Akaki Tabutsadze went coast to coast against Australia in July. Receiving the ball behind his own try-line, the winger launched a long clearance kick and easily won the race to the bouncing ball to score at the opposite end.

WOMEN’S 15S

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

Caitlyn Halse (AUS)

Maddie Feaunati (ENG)

Erin King (IRE)

Hannah King (NZL)

Four players who have had a remarkable impact during their first year in the international game. Caitlyn Halse became the youngest Australian – male or female – to play test rugby when she won her first cap at 17 years, 242 days old in May and was an ever-present as the Wallaroos won WXV 2. Maddie Feaunati, meanwhile, helped England to a Women’s Six Nations and WXV 1 double in 2024 and has looked at home in a ridiculously talented Red Roses back row. Another flanker, Olympian Erin King was Ireland’s match-winner against New Zealand in September, while namesake Hannah has made the Black Ferns’ number 10 jersey her own, scoring 14 points in seven matches.

World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year

Pauline Bourdon Sansus (FRA)
Ellie Kildunne (ENG)
Alex Matthews (ENG
Alex Tessier (CAN)

Two players from England’s all-conquering Red Roses and one each from France and Canada make up the list. Ellie Kildunne has become the face of John Mitchell’s England as they prepare for their home Women’s Rugby World Cup, scoring 14 tries in only 10 tests this year. No 8 Alex Matthews has not been far behind her, though, and led England to victory in her first match as captain, against USA in September. Pauline Bourdon Sansus, meanwhile, continues to be the driving force for France, starting eight of Les Bleues’ nine matches in 2024. A key part of Canada’s World Rugby Pacific Four Series success, Alex Tessier scored 22 points at WXV 1 as the hosts pushed England all the way.

International Rugby Players Women’s 15s Try of the Year

Alyssa D’Incà (Italy v Scotland, Women’s Six Nations, 20 April)

Georgia Ponsonby (New Zealand v Australia, Pacific Four Series, 25 May)

Maya Stewart (Australia v Wales, WXV, 28 September)

Marine Ménager (France v Canada, WXV, 29 September)

One try each from the Women’s Six Nations, World Rugby Pacific Four Series, WXV 1 and WXV 2 make up this year’s nominees. Playing in the centre against Scotland in April, Alyssa D’Incà displayed all her try-scoring nous to hit a brilliant line and slice through a defence that had been pulled out of shape. She then showed composure to step inside two players and score. Georgia Ponsonby’s try against Australia in May had it all, from Sylvia Brunt’s stunning break, leaving defenders strewn in her wake, to the hands of Iritana Hohaia and Amy du Plessis and the finish from the hooker.

The first offering from WXV was scored by Maya Stewart against Wales. Receiving the ball inside her own half, the Wallaroos winger burst through two tackles and then slalomed past another three on her way to the line. The following day in Vancouver, Lina Queyroi and Marine Ménager caught the Canada defence napping. After a stunning 50:22, Queyroi found the winger with a quick lineout and Ménager did the rest.

SEVENS

World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year in partnership with HSBC

Antoine Dupont (FRA)

Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (FRA)

Terry Kennedy (IRE)

Two members of France’s double winning squad and the most prolific man on the HSBC SVNS 2024 series make up this year’s shortlist. Antoine Dupont’s arrival in sevens created headlines and he more than lived up to his top billing, helping Les Bleus Sevens to the HSBC SVNS Championship and Olympic titles, scoring two tries in the gold medal match on a memorable night in Paris. Aaron Grandidier Nkanang was no less important to those triumphs and contributed four tries during his home Games. Terry Kennedy – who won this award in 2022 – scored 32 tries during the 2024 series as Ireland finished the regular season as runners-up behind Argentina.

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in partnership with HSBC

Michaela Blyde (NZL)

Maddison Levi (AUS)

Jorja Miller (NZL)

The three-player shortlist features two women who were nominated 12 months ago, Michaela Blyde and Maddison Levi, alongside Black Ferns Sevens star Jorja Miller. Levi scored a scarcely believable 69 tries – including a hat-trick in the HSBC SVNS Grand Final victory against France – during the 2024 series and followed that up with another 14 at the Olympic Games in Paris. Blyde and Miller were both standout performers in the New Zealand team that defended their Olympic title at Paris 2024, having finished the SVNS regular season as League Winners. Blyde, who won this award in 2017 and 2018, scored 53 SVNS tries and a further 10 at the Games, both totals second only to Levi.

Other categories with winners announced on 24 November

International Rugby Players Special Merit Award

World Rugby Coach of the Year

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

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

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Dream Team of the Year in partnership with HSBC

World Rugby Men’s Sevens Dream Team of the Year in partnership with HSBC

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu