World Rugby Awards 2015

[barbarian]

Carter's a good call IMO. If you play like that in a RWC Final then you deserve everything that comes to you. It was the performance of the year in the biggest game of the year.

 

[KOB1987]

Moore, Pocock and Giteau all named in the team of the year (or whatever it's called!)

 

[Set piece magic]

Can't disagree with Barbarian more. It's player of the year, not player of the tournament! If you play well in two games it shouldn't be enough to veto all other performances. The facts are that Carter has had a ho-hum year apart from this World Cup.

Pocock has been excellent right throughout the year, a force in every competition.

Shouldn't that mean that Carter gets player of the tournament and Pocock player of the year?

Further, Carter has already won the award twice, so if they are even, should it not go to Pocock?

 

[Pfitzy]

Can't believe Moore was picked in the dream team. Better hookers there including Creevy and Coles.

 

[Omar Comin']

So you think it was better for their rugby future beating the Springboks rather than making the quarters? That's a big call.

I think it was. That was arguably the biggest result in rugby world cup history. That match will go down as one of the most memorable ever and the major highlight of this world cup. If they'd rested their best players and been beaten by 30, then managed to qualify by beating Scotland, I don't think it would have had the same impact.

For comparison, I would say Japan beating South Africa at the world cup made a bigger splash than Fiji making the quarter finals in 2007. By beating South Africa they've well and truly established themselves as a threat and a worthy opponent for tier 1 teams in future. Beating Scotland wouldn't have done that.

 

[ACR]

Savea shouldn't have been a nominee. Replace him with (in order) Nonu, Whitelock, A.Smith, B.Smith.

Carter is lucky to get the gong, I think he probably was close to the best for the RWC elimination finals, though he was close to getting dropped prior to the RWC. They obviously only care about the RWC. Pocock was the other obvious choice, easily the best loose forward in the world, although he doesn't shine at anything outside of getting a pilfer.

Carter definitely shouldn't have won the last one he got. I remember he was injured for half the year and played one good game against England or something and the north though he played well all year, despite being average.

I also thought Kaino was a far better choice than Dusautoir in 2011, (again), they seem to base it purely on the RWC or even just the final.

lolwut Giteau ahead of Nonu for team? Now now, enough with the fairy tales.

 

[Viking]

Can't disagree with Barbarian more. It's player of the year, not player of the tournament! If you play well in two games it shouldn't be enough to veto all other performances. The facts are that Carter has had a ho-hum year apart from this World Cup.

Pocock has been excellent right throughout the year, a force in every competition.

Shouldn't that mean that Carter gets player of the tournament and Pocock player of the year?

Further, Carter has already won the award twice, so if they are even, should it not go to Pocock?

Pocock had a superb performance against the Boks - but it was from the bench so that might have hurt his chances of getting points. Likewise he missed the next AB clash and also missed 2 more games in the RWC.

I'm not saying it's right, but I can see how Carter won. He probably scrapped some points for each game against the minnows, argentina, and the Boks, plus stand-out games against France and the final.

 

[Braveheart81]

There's a strong history of the player of the year being very RWC centric in those years.

It's not surprising that Carter won after having standout performances in the biggest games of the year, particularly the final.

My guess is that if Australia had won and Pocock was MOTM he'd have won the award.

It is a panel award so will always be different from a match by match voted award where all matches are treated equally and it's very much on cumulative performance.

 

[Set piece magic]

I suppose. Anyway, Cheika getting Coach of the year probably balances things out

 

[Dan54]

Yep we can all argue, if I was picking it would of gone to Sam Whitelock who I think has been outstanding all year and probably my pick as best player at WC, but then who is going to pick a workhorse like him!!
No problem with Cheika getting award he seems to have turned Wallabies around, and Shag has already won it 3 times hasn't he??

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

FULL LIST OF WORLD RUGBY AWARDS WINNERS

World Rugby Player of the Year in association with MasterCard – Daniel Carter, New Zealand
World Rugby Team of the Year – New Zealand
World Rugby Coach of the Year – Michael Cheika, Australia
World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year – Kendra Cocksedge, New Zealand
World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year – Nehe Milner-Skudder, New Zealand
World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Werner Kok, South Africa
World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year – Portia Woodman, New Zealand
World Rugby Referee Award – Nigel Owens
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service – Nigel Starmer-Smith
Award for Character in association with Land Rover – Pakistan Rugby Union
Rugby World Cup Best Match Moment – Japan (v South Africa, RWC 2015)
IRPA Special Merit Award – Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) and Nathan Sharpe (Australia)
IRPA Try of the Year – Julian Savea, New Zealand (v France)

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/119877

I can understand RWC performance counting for more than 6N or RC/ Bled but even on that basis Carter's award makes no sense. As a coupla people have already noted, he likely came close to being dropped earlier this year plus he was awful on the last EOYT. I don't see enough 6N to judge AWJ or Laidlaw but IMO Pocock or Hooper would've been more worthy winners. Savea's nomination also baffling, came good at the Cup but was average for the rest of the year.

Coach of the year had to be Cheika, he's brought the Wobs to a place few would've believed possible 12 months ago. Team of the Year was always gonna be whoever won RWC despite Ireland's 6N & Australia's RC titles. Really surprised Savea got Try of the Year, thought they'd give it to the Japanese bloke (I'd have given it to the Tongan, tho).

 

[Antony]

Yep we can all argue, if I was picking it would of gone to Sam Whitelock who I think has been outstanding all year and probably my pick as best player at WC, but then who is going to pick a workhorse like him!!

I completely agree with this. The guy was a beast around the field, and I've never seen our lineout work at all this well.

 

[jman]

Giteau in the dream team! WTF

I still struggle to see the great impact he had that everyone else is seeing, particularly when compared to Nonu, who was the most damaging player on the field in the final and pretty much has been his whole career!

 

[barbarian]

Agreed. The presence of both Giteau and Moore is totally farcical.

Moore was solid but not in the top 5 hookers at the tournament. His running was average at best and our lineout was generally poor.

Giteau was good but I think the NH commentators have a bit too much love for him. Great defence and good ball skills, but Nonu is the best there is anywhere. Has to be in there.
.

 

[Shelby Trappey]

I was wondering if I am the only person who is really unimpressed with World Rugby's decision to reward Sonny Bill with another medal.

I'll say that I was not the biggest fan of Sonny Bill giving a reward to what is essentially a pitch invader. However these actions have seemed to in my mind, incorrectly generated widespread acclaim from media outlets across the world.

Granted NZ are deserved world cup winners and Sonny Bill Williams was a big part of the win. Therefore he is free to do whatever he wants with his medal. However I feel like the decision of World Rugby to reward his actions with another medal; it is an endorsement that as long as you're a cute young fan you can pitch invade and there will be no consequences.

This reminds also of a few weeks ago when they threw Craig Joubert under the bus because he was getting alot of criticism from the British media.

I'm sincerely worried that World Rugby is making decisions based on what they think will get the best response from the media rather then what is in line with all the time-honored rugby dictums that we have all grown up with.

 

[Froggy]

Agree with most of those awards but can't see how Carter is the best player on the planet for 2015.
I would rank Nonu, Ben Smith, Sam Whitelock and Pocock ahead of him just from those two teams in the final. I don't mean that as disrespect to Carter he is and has been a magnificent player, but not the best in the world for 2015.

 

[brokendown]

I was wondering if I am the only person who is really unimpressed with World Rugby's decision to reward Sonny Bill with another medal.

I'll say that I was not the biggest fan of Sonny Bill giving a reward to what is essentially a pitch invader. However these actions have seemed to in my mind, incorrectly generated widespread acclaim from media outlets across the world.

Granted NZ are deserved world cup winners and Sonny Bill Williams was a big part of the win. Therefore he is free to do whatever he wants with his medal. However I feel like the decision of World Rugby to reward his actions with another medal; it is an endorsement that as long as you're a cute young fan you can pitch invade and there will be no consequences.

This reminds also of a few weeks ago when they threw Craig Joubert under the bus because he was getting alot of criticism from the British media.

I'm sincerely worried that World Rugby is making decisions based on what they think will get the best response from the media rather then what is in line with all the time-honored rugby dictums that we have all grown up with.

I grew up with the time honoured dictum of spectators flocking onto the ground after the final whistle!

 

[Mr Doug]

I was wondering if I am the only person who is really unimpressed with World Rugby's decision to reward Sonny Bill with another medal.

I'll say that I was not the biggest fan of Sonny Bill giving a reward to what is essentially a pitch invader. However these actions have seemed to in my mind, incorrectly generated widespread acclaim from media outlets across the world.

Granted NZ are deserved world cup winners and Sonny Bill Williams was a big part of the win. Therefore he is free to do whatever he wants with his medal. However I feel like the decision of World Rugby to reward his actions with another medal; it is an endorsement that as long as you're a cute young fan you can pitch invade and there will be no consequences.

This reminds also of a few weeks ago when they threw Craig Joubert under the bus because he was getting alot of criticism from the British media.

I'm sincerely worried that World Rugby is making decisions based on what they think will get the best response from the media rather then what is in line with all the time-honored rugby dictums that we have all grown up with.

Ch 7 reported tonight that this kid had done something similar at a golf tournament, and ended up with a signed cap!!

 

[Pfitzy]

I'm sincerely worried that World Rugby is making decisions based on what they think will get the best response from the media

You mean like this?

OCH AYE! What the fook was that?​

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Let's all calm down, bru...​

 

[Scotty]

There's a strong history of the player of the year being very RWC centric in those years.

It's not surprising that Carter won after having standout performances in the biggest games of the year, particularly the final.

My guess is that if Australia had won and Pocock was MOTM he'd have won the award.

It is a panel award so will always be different from a match by match voted award where all matches are treated equally and it's very much on cumulative performance.

If it is more based on RWC and particularly RWC finals it is hard to see why Nigel Owens got the ref award!