Source: Radio New Zealand
Ox Nche of South Africa Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
No All Blacks have been named among the finalists for World Rugby Player of the Year.
Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Kieran Read, Brodie Retallick, Beauden Barrett and Ardie Savea have all won the award since it was first introduced in 2001.
However, this is the second successive year that New Zealand has not had a finalist.
The finalists for World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year are: Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France), Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa), Malcolm Marx (South Africa) and Ox Nche (South Africa).
All Black lock Fabian Holland is nominated for Breakthrough Player of the Year, while Tupou Vaa’i’s try against France in July is up for Try of the Year.
The voting panel included former legends of the game: Jacques Burger, Fiona Coghlan, Victor Matfield, Drew Mitchell, Ugo Monye, Sergio Parisse, Kieran Read and Blaine Scully.
The winners will be announced this weekend.
The women’s winners were announced after the World Cup with Sophie de Goede of Canada taking the top honour and New Zealand’s Braxton Sorensen-McGee named Breakthrough Player of the Year.
World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year
Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
Ox Nche (South Africa)
International Rugby Players Association Men’s 15s Try of the Year
Santiago Cordero (Argentina, v British and Irish Lions – June)
Santiago Pedrero (Chile, v Samoa, South America/Pacific Play-off, RWC 2027 qualifier – October)
Lekima Tagitagivalu (Fiji, v Australia, men’s international – July)
Tupou Vaa’i (New Zealand, v France, men’s international – July)
World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year
Fabian Holland (New Zealand)
Ethan Hooker (South Africa)
Henry Pollock (England)
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (Australia)
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
