World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year

[BobbyM]

So the nominations for WRMPOTY are out, with a couple notable absentees and some interesting inclusions. The nominees for the award are;

Owen Farrell - agree totally. Not expecting much disagreement there
Mark Itoje - likewise.
Israel Folau - tricky for him not playing in a particularly winning side domestically or internationally. He's definitely been a like breaker and very exciting to watch this year, but overall I'm not convinced. Good feather in the cap for hopefully (after recent results) an improving Aussie national team.
Beudan Barrett - I get why he is in there, and I've watched pretty much all the Canes and AB games he had played in. He's not hit the heights of 2016, but hasn't put too many feet wrong, and he's broadly lived up to the sky high expectations on him, so fair enough he is in there.
Reiko Ioane - this one I'm certainly not convinced about. He has absolutely started his AB career well and was one of the ABs better players during rugby champs and Lions series. However, if I weigh up his influence and quality against say Hogg for Glasgow and Scotland, I think the fact that he is playing for the ABs means he's going to be less of a standout.

So, for a Scot with a Kiwi father, I'm completely happy with the English choices but not bought into the AB choices

Notable absentees
Jonathan Davies - played a vital role at club level for scarlets and was one of the players of the tour with the Lions down under. Thought he deserved a nod.
Stuart Hogg - appreciate he was injured for the Lions tour, but everything else he has done in a Scotland or Glasgow jersey has been devistating.
Kieran Reid - immense presence in an AB back row going through some evolution. Always performed well at international level, but possibly missed it due to less game time with Saders. Still helped them to a Super Rugby win though.

What do others think of the list? Fair reflection of the best rugby players in the world over 2017 or not?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

This includes last year's November tests doesn't it? If so Conor Murray must be a wee bit confused.

 

[big ginger 8]

This includes last year's November tests doesn't it? If so Conor Murray must be a wee bit confused.

This is not the player I thought you'd be posting about.

Johnny no-shoulders is disappointed in you.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

This is not the player I thought you'd be posting about.

Johnny no-shoulders is disappointed in you.

It's strange having the World's and Europe's second best 10's there without him alright!

 

[Jockstap]

I'm sorry but the fact that Farrell and Barrett are nominated when Sexton got the better of both of them this year, twice in Barrett's case, it's a joke.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'd have thought that as NZers go, Retallick, Cane, Read and Crotty were all more deserved candidates than Barrett and Ioane.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

So the nominations for WRMPOTY are out, with a couple notable absentees and some interesting inclusions. The nominees for the award are;

Owen Farrell - agree totally. Not expecting much disagreement there
Mark Itoje - likewise.
Israel Folau - tricky for him not playing in a particularly winning side domestically or internationally. He's definitely been a like breaker and very exciting to watch this year, but overall I'm not convinced. Good feather in the cap for hopefully (after recent results) an improving Aussie national team.
Beudan Barrett - I get why he is in there, and I've watched pretty much all the Canes and AB games he had played in. He's not hit the heights of 2016, but hasn't put too many feet wrong, and he's broadly lived up to the sky high expectations on him, so fair enough he is in there.
Reiko Ioane - this one I'm certainly not convinced about. He has absolutely started his AB career well and was one of the ABs better players during rugby champs and Lions series. However, if I weigh up his influence and quality against say Hogg for Glasgow and Scotland, I think the fact that he is playing for the ABs means he's going to be less of a standout.

So, for a Scot with a Kiwi father, I'm completely happy with the English choices but not bought into the AB choices

Notable absentees
Jonathan Davies - played a vital role at club level for scarlets and was one of the players of the tour with the Lions down under. Thought he deserved a nod.
Stuart Hogg - appreciate he was injured for the Lions tour, but everything else he has done in a Scotland or Glasgow jersey has been devistating.
Kieran Reid - immense presence in an AB back row going through some evolution. Always performed well at international level, but possibly missed it due to less game time with Saders. Still helped them to a Super Rugby win though.

What do others think of the list? Fair reflection of the best rugby players in the world over 2017 or not?

Club form doesn't come into it, just FYI, it's only based on international performances.

I actually can't think of any All Blacks that are that deserving of the prize. I'd say Cane has probably been our most consistent performer over the period being assessed - maybe Retallick or Whitelock otherwise? None of our players have been consistently good (or played enough games) to really warrant selection. I'd say Ioane is a shoe in for the breakthrough player of the year, however.

Folau has been pretty good for Australia. I'm not sure Itoje has done enough to warrant selection. I think of the candidates selected Farrell would be my favourite for the award, then Folau, Ioane, Itoje, Barrett.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Club form doesn't come into it, just FYI, it's only based on international performances.

I actually can't think of any All Blacks that are that deserving of the prize. I'd say Cane has probably been our most consistent performer over the period being assessed - maybe Retallick or Whitelock otherwise? None of our players have been consistently good (or played enough games) to really warrant selection. I'd say Ioane is a shoe in for the breakthrough player of the year, however.

Folau has been pretty good for Australia. I'm not sure Itoje has done enough to warrant selection. I think of the candidates selected Farrell would be my favourite for the award, then Folau, Ioane, Itoje, Barrett.

Only international? I was keeping Sexton and SOB out because they did little enough for Ster... Continuously dodgy this award. #Justice09

 

[BobbyM]

Club form doesn't come into it, just FYI, it's only based on international performances.

I actually can't think of any All Blacks that are that deserving of the prize. I'd say Cane has probably been our most consistent performer over the period being assessed - maybe Retallick or Whitelock otherwise? None of our players have been consistently good (or played enough games) to really warrant selection. I'd say Ioane is a shoe in for the breakthrough player of the year, however.

Folau has been pretty good for Australia. I'm not sure Itoje has done enough to warrant selection. I think of the candidates selected Farrell would be my favourite for the award, then Folau, Ioane, Itoje, Barrett.

Ah fair enough, I had absolutely no idea!!! Makes slightly more sense for the picks if it is just international, but still sceptical about Ioane and Barrett.
Personally I'm happy with Itoje being in there. He was one of the top performers at the six nations and made a difference in the second row for the Lions. Agree on Ioane as breakthrough player though!!

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Ioane has been a revelation this year and imo has been the ABs' standout player in 2017, so I think he definitely deserves to be there. Not convinced on Barrett though. He's been OK overall but far from great, certainly nowhere near the influence that he had last year. Ioane would've been the only Kiwi that I'd have nominated, and there are a few others I'd have had before Barrett.
It's a shame Retallick had to miss half the season because he was our best player up until his tragedy, would've been a definite nominee and likely winner imo. Folau has been a standout in that Aussie side and his try-scoring feats speak for themselves so can't argue with that.
Can't comment too much on the Northern guys, but Itoje has been highly impressive from what I've seen so would be happy if he won it.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Good post Caitlyn Jenner, can't disagree with anything you've said. Farrell and Itoje have both been superb, but I don't recall either being consistently there or thereabouts for MOTM in the internationals they've played, so it would seem strange for them to get picked. I'm surprised by the general downer here on Ioane, my recollection is he's been outstanding in most matches I've watched him in. Maybe the memory is playing tricks or I've missed his poorer games. I've seen less of Folau than the rest, but am coming around to him winning, when I have seen him he has been highly influential.

 

[Goodey]

Those look more like nominations for last year and this put together, rather than focusing on 2017.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Agree on Ioane - he is little short of sensational and by a mile the best winger in rugby this year. A wee bit strange to have the two time 6N player of the tournament overlooked in favour of others from the northern hemisphere. But perhaps they are weighting on success at club level, which would explain the Saracens presence.

Hogg, JD2, Itoje and SOB for me in the northern hemisphere.

RJvR, Ioane, Dane Coles and Beauden for the SH.

No utterly standout candidates really though.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Agree on Ioane - he is little short of sensational and by a mile the best winger in rugby this year. A wee bit strange to have the two time 6N player of the tournament overlooked in favour of others from the northern hemisphere. But perhaps they are weighting on success at club level, which would explain the Saracens presence.

Hogg, JD2, Itoje and SOB for me in the northern hemisphere.

RJvR, Ioane, Dane Coles and Beauden for the SH.

No utterly standout candidates really though.

But Sexman is better than Beauden. I'd have Crotty ahead of BB, far more influential to NZ.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

So I already preferred Reiko as the winner (Kiwi bias obvs a factor), but surely he's the favourite to win it now after the AI's? He has been stellar from his first game of the season to his last.
And to think I wasn't a fan when he was picked...

 

[BobbyM]

And the winner is.... Beauden Barrett


Not convinced by that one

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

And the winner is.... Beauden Barrett


Not convinced by that one

Maybe I'm being a whiny Pom but can't help feeling that's completely undeserved. Of course he's been good this year but he's riding off of his performances of last year. There are a few NZers that I'd say deserve it more, amongst others.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Maybe I'm being a whiny Pom but can't help feeling that's completely undeserved. Of course he's been good this year but he's riding off of his performances of last year. There are a few NZers that I'd say deserve it more, amongst others.

You're not a whiny pom, it is completely undeserved. He's the last of the nominees who deserved to win it imo. Ioane has performed better than Barrett in virtually every single match this year. Barrett has had a number of scratchy performances and just overall hasn't had anywhere near the impact he did last year (he's still been good for the most part, but nothing great.) Like you said, there are even a number of kiwis who'd deserve it more, let alone players from the rest of the world. Definitely think the panel have been over-influenced by the hype, rather than what's actually happened on the field...

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I hope it isn't becoming like the NFL where only a quarterback / flyhalf can win the acolade.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

09 - The year of the BOD
17 - The year of the Sex

#Justice