I wasn’t sure if Oz had bud for 2023 or not. It would’ve made more sense for them have bid for that after the Japan comp.
So you were incorrect then?
Weren’t Oz going to bid for 2023 but done a deal with France where they will vote for them in ‘23 and will then bid in 2027 and get France’s vote in return? Certain I read something along those lines!?!
Think Oz agreed to back the French bid if it was reciprocated in 27. Don’t think SH teams could bid for 23. It’s always been SH followed by NH.
Eehhh
South Africa
Did SA bid for 23?
They did yeah
It’s strange as it’s always followed north and south.
If it was a rule then 2023 should be down south eh 😉
Japan are generally not regarded as a NH side. Though then again the way things are going SA will be.
The North then South thing was always going to die a death considering there are up to 8 potential hosts in the north and 3 (4 at a push) in the south.
Yes I guess it would though of the 8 potential hosts. Most of the NH tournaments have been joint efforts.
World Player of the Year nominees:
Hooper
Kerevi
Dupont
Itoje
Not quite sure how Am and DeAllende haven’t been nominated. I’d have said Am was POTY.
edit: I hope Hooper wins it, he’s one of the all time greats.
When was the last time there were no ABs on the list?
2004
Itoje?? World player of the year?
Ive no idea how these lists are drawn up but..........
I'm guessing Itoje gets the nomination on the back of winning Lions player of the series. He didn't have a great Six Nations for England anyway.
Kerevi is the real head-scratcher for me.
There are several centres that have been better/more consistent than him in the last 12 months , let alone players in other positions - Am , DeAllende , Henshaw for a start.
Itoje is good player but recently...... Lions lose. England 5th in 6 Nations. No European games and no EPL games.
Very odd.
Dupont will walk it. Itoje was the best player from either team on the Lions and was the one really good player in a poor enough England team. He probably is one of the best players in the world right now, despite how the teams around him are playing.
Was he not an absolute penalty machine in the 6Ns?
Yes. I was wondering if he would even make the Lions given his penalty count. It was horrific.
If Itoje was Irish, he’d be a permanent fixture in the starting XV and everyone’s favourite player.
He'd be a permanent fixture in every team in the world. He just didn't have an outstanding season in 2021 by his ridiculously high standards.
But Tadhg Furlong would still be my favourite player.
Absolutely agree but player of the year. He's had much much better years.
Looking at the 4 I'd see it like this
Dupont - Fully deserves to be on the list this year , has been outstanding throughout.
Itoje - Has been excellent for several years , but other than 3 or 4 games for the Lions was pretty average for 2021.
Hooper - Again , outstanding for several years, perhaps the best 7 in the world over the last few seasons , but not sure if his 2021 performances quite reached "top 4 players in the world" standard.
Kerevi - Very good player , potentially in the "world class" category , but nothing about his performances this year suggest he's quite at "best in the world" levels.
So for me you've got 1 player there based on being excellent in 2021 (Dupont) , 2 that are there based on their overall careers but not on this years performances (Itoje & Hooper) and 1 that I really don't quite see the reasoning for (Kerevi).
Dupont didn't play that much (only international matches count) as he missed the Australia tour. He wasn't massively impressive in the 6N, truth be told, well below his club level and his performances in 2020.
Kerevi was huge in the RC games against SA but I didn't really see much of him apart from that.
Hooper was the best player on the pitch in the matches I saw him in. I'd consider him a shoo-in and probably the only player who really deserved inclusion on this list. The absence of any South Africans is odd. Am should have been shortlisted.
No doubt the guy is class. But I’m just not sure that this year he’s deserving of the nomination.
Disagree on Dupont; he was himself during the 6N. Scored three tries, named in every team of the tournament I've seen (official, Rugby World, Planet Rugby etc). Still tends to be the most influential player on the field in most games he plays in.
Hooper has been outstanding for australia this year. a dark horse imo for POTY.
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