2014: End of year Summary

[iINDOMINUSxx]

So then, the year is nearly over as we all know so I thought I'd ask how this year went for your club. And also what was your biggest shock from this year ?, Mine was when Ireland beat South Africa after the springboks beating the All Blacks.

I Think we should do this thing were I'll List categories and you can have your opinion in who is the best for that category I'll give you an example

Best Northern Hemisphere player: Jonny Sexton
Best Southern Hemisphere player: Willie Le Roux
Most Improved Player: Stuart Hogg
Most Improved International Team: Japan
Most Improved Club Team: Glasgow Warriors
Best Club: Toulon
Youngest Player of the year: Jonny Gray
Best Coach of the year: Joe Schmidt

and you can list others. how about that after all its an open discussion

 

[Big Ewis]

Would like to contribute insightful subjective data on this thread, but things move all too quickly and a real assessment would require I rewatch most of those matches so I'd rather just answer with the things that are clear to me:

Joe Schmidt: best coach.
Most Improved team: Scotland.

As far as int'l revelations this EOYT, I'd go with:
Teddy Thomas for France, Jonny Gray from Scotland, no.6 Facundo Isa for Argentina, Haimona for Italy.

Will refrain from naming a top NH or SH player, so many guys to mention. I definitely object to Le Roux, that much is clear, but can't really give one single guy. I'd say it's more of the usual suspects: Hooper, Kuridrani, Ben Smith, Savea, Coetze very good for SA.
NH: I dunno we all kinda sucked Ireland's a superb team and everybody will mention their HB pairing but the pack is one and their best player is team, sounds cheesy as a Swiss fondue but hey.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Best Northern Hemisphere player: Anthony Allen
Best Southern Hemisphere player: Marcos Ayerza
Most Improved Player: Blaine Scully
Most Improved International Team: ?
Most Improved Club Team: Leicester Tigers
Best Club: Leicester Tigers
Youngest Player of the year: Owen Williams
Best Coach of the year: Richard Cockerill

My unbiased views.

 

[Irishkid]

Best Northern Hemisphere player: Steffon Armitage or Matt Giteau
Best Suthern hemi player:Julian Savea
Most Improved: Fekitoa
Most improved nation: Scotland
Young Player of Year:Watson

 

[Every Time Ref]

Argentina for most improved team, although Scotland push them close.

Seconding Schmidt as best coach.

Best lookalike Nick "Harry Styles on steroids" Auterac

 

[Big Ewis]

Argentina for most improved team, although Scotland push them close.

well yeah but they were really good before, too. They almost beat the Boks twice, beat the Wallabies...if anything a miserable performance (at least the first 60-65min) in MF with absolutely no commitment or hunger, a very subpar performance in Italy....yes their incredible performance in Paris lifts their average for this EOYT, but if anything globally they have worsened this November.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Is it improvement from 2013? If so Ireland gets it for me, 5th in the 6n, two laboured wins in North America and Samoa their only EOYT victory to our second best calendar year in the pro era!

 

[Every Time Ref]

I think the step up from losing while looking almost there to actually winning a game in the RC is bigger than it looks though - one small step, one giant leap kind of thing. Also the Paris win (remember that?) showed they can beat big teams away. You're right about the Scotland and Italy games blotting their copybook a bit though.

I'd like to add Pollard as the most exciting international discovery too BTW