World Player of The Year 2022 Shortlist

Lukhanyo Am
Antoine Dupont
Johnny Sexton
Josh Van Der Flier

Has to be Sexton for me. Terry Kennedy for 7s player if the year.

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/11/14/irish-rugby-receives-eight-world-rugby-awards-nominations/

New Zealand commentators were expecting Ardie Savea to make the list, with a good chance of winning. While he's had a good season, I don't think they took on board how much these kinds of lists are affected by overall team performance.

Think that Samisoni Taukei'aho is probably a bit more unlucky not to get a break through nomination ahead of possibly Arundel who has only played 20 minutes of international rugby this year while Taukei'aho has probably been NZ best player all year.

Yeah that's why these awards are decent talking points but not to be used as a definitive list. You rarely get props on it and the panel tends to focus on things that have stuck in their head. Arundell was class but only for 30 mins! No Savea, no Etzebeth. Not even a Genge who was great. Looking up the panels there ate some big names there too.

Yeah its a shame Arundel hasnt had more game time, his impact in the game he did play in was well worthy of more caps.

Just give it to Ardie Savea. Best this year.

Didnt think Savea was that great for the Ireland tour. He scored a great try but wasnt very effective at the breakdown nor in defence. He has since improved a lot at the breakdown.

Just listening to the Rugby Weekly podcast. Shortlist drawn together by each picking 4 players and then top 1 gets 4 points, 2nd 3 etc and then they take the top 4 scoring players.

Collapse2005 wrote:Think that Samisoni Taukei'aho is probably a bit more unlucky not to get a break through nomination ahead of possibly Arundel who has only played 20 minutes of international rugby this year while Taukei'aho has probably been NZ best player all year.

Agree with that. If Ardie was on the list I imagine he'd win. I do wonder why he's not on the list? If not this year then perhaps next year.

This year is a very strong lineup, I can't see Am getting it through lack of game time but he should have got it previously.

I think Aldrit is possibly more unlucky than Savea not to get nominated. He probably was overlooked as he like most top French players wasnt on the Japan tour but he did have an immense six nations.

Collapse2005 wrote:I think Aldrit is possibly more unlucky than Savea not to get nominated.

Chris Jones of the BBC agrees with you on Aldrit. Danny Care thinks Gibson-Park is also unlucky, though Monye said the stats analysis showed Dupont as the most effective scrum hald over the games he played.

Rugby Fan wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:I think Aldrit is possibly more unlucky than Savea not to get nominated.

Chris Jones of the BBC agrees with you on Aldrit. Danny Care thinks Gibson-Park is also unlucky, though Monye said the stats analysis showed Dupont as the most effective scrum hald over the games he played.

Its kind of scary that Dupont hasnt had his best year and he is still the best scrum half around. Has anyone checked if he is actually human yet.

Also I wonder though will the red from last week stand against him in the voting?

Antoine Dupont, last year without a doubt but this year? He has not been that great. Agree about Savea, a year too early for him. Next year may be his year as he is really starting to look the best.

Surprised that Etzebeth is not on the list to be honest. The man is brilliant.

From the list though, I would give it to JvdF.

Good shout on Alldridt, he's been superb.

eirebilly_01 wrote:Antoine Dupont, last year without a doubt but this year? He has not been that great. Agree about Savea, a year too early for him. Next year may be his year as he is really starting to look the best.

Surprised that Etzebeth is not on the list to be honest. The man is brilliant.

From the list though, I would give it to JvdF.

Yeah I would go for Ezebeth after Aldritt, toss up between them really.

The problem with the World Rugby Player of the Year award is that it is supposed to be limited to performances in Test matches over the designated period. That seems too restrictive. Supporters don't usually segregate their impressions of a player into different competitions.

While you might want the Premiership Player of the Year to be someone who delivered specifically in that League, the World Rugby Player of the Year ought to be someone who has been on fire in all the matches he played, not just Test matches.

The Test match schedule is too arbitrary. Only some of the Autumn internationals get counted (For instance, Eng vs NZ has no effect of this year's nominees). The summer schedule is also random. Dupont didn't play against Japan, and Lions Tour years completely unbalance Test squad composition.

If, instead, the World Rugby Player of the Year, was someone who had a stellar season across all competitions, it would be so easy to market. Show a montage of that player performing miracles in multiple competitions, and you raise the value of all those matches, rather than suggesting that only Test matches count.

Second season now that Etzebeth has been in top form for SA, seems the panel of judges just don't rate him at all.

Old Man wrote:Second season now that Etzebeth has been in top form for SA, seems the panel of judges just don't rate him at all.

The shortlist is only 4 players, there are always going to be a few that miss out but I do agree, three guys that should have been included are Ezebeth, Aldrit and for me to a slightly lesser extent Savea. Of those three I would have had either Ezebeth or Aldrit ahead of Dupont as it hasnt been Dupont's best year and the red doesnt help.

Eben Ezebeth has had two really good years in a row and probably in those years played better than ever before.

It would be nice to see the voting breakdown for the shortlist. He's probably cropped up on a few of the lists but potentially in 3rd or 4th place and thus falling out of the top 4.