World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year

The World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year is awarded by World Rugby each year. It was first awarded in 2004. The award is based in large part on the player’s performance over the course of the World Rugby Sevens Series, along with other Sevens tournaments during the year.

World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year
Awarded forBest Men's Sevens Player of the Year
Presented byWorld Rugby
First awarded2004
Currently held byArgentina Rodrigo Isgro (2023)

From 2004 until 2008 the award was called the IRB International Sevens Player of the Year. From 2009 until 2013, it was the IRB Sevens Player of the Year. Since 2014, following the International Rugby Board becoming World Rugby, the award has been titled the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year.

List of winners edit

Year Winner Country Other nominees Ref
2004 Simon Amor   England   Ben Gollings
  Lucio Lopez Fleming
[1][2][3]
2005 Orene Ai'i   New Zealand   Amasio Valence
  Neumi Nanuku
[4]
2006 Uale Mai   Samoa   Stefan Basson
  Mathew Tait
2007 Afeleke Pelenise   New Zealand   DJ Forbes
  Mikaele Pesamino
2008 DJ Forbes   New Zealand   Uale Mai
  Fabian Juries
[5][6]
2009 Ollie Phillips   England   Collins Injera
  H. Kayange
  Renfred Dazel
[7][8]
2010 Mikaele Pesamino   Samoa   Lolo Lui
  Alafoti Fa'osiliva
  Ben Gollings
[9]
2011 Cecil Afrika   South Africa   Tomasi Cama Jr.
  Tim Mikkelson
[10]
2012 Tomasi Cama   New Zealand   Frank Halai
  Mathew Turner
[11][12]
2013 Tim Mikkelson   New Zealand [13]
2014 Samisoni Viriviri   Fiji   Tim Mikkelson
  Kyle Brown
  Tom Mitchell
[14]
2015 Werner Kok   South Africa   Seabelo Senatla
  Semi Kunatani
[15]
2016 Seabelo Senatla   South Africa   Osea Kolinisau
  Virimi Vakatawa
[16]
2017 Perry Baker   United States   Rosko Specman
  Jerry Tuwai
[17]
2018 Perry Baker   United States   Ben O'Donnell
  Jerry Tuwai
[18][19]
2019 Jerry Tuwai   Fiji   Stephen Tomasin
  Folau Niua
[20][21]
2020 No award [22]
2021 Marcos Moneta   Argentina   Napolioni Bolaca
  Scott Curry
  Jiuta Wainiqolo
[23]
2022 Terry Kennedy   Ireland   Nick Malouf
  Kaminieli Rasaku
  Corey Toole
[24][25]
2023 Rodrigo Isgro   Argentina   Leroy Carter
  Marcos Moneta
  Akuila Rokolisoa
[26]

Winners with multiple nominations edit

Player Wins Nominations
  Perry Baker 2 (2017, 2018) 2 (2017, 2018)
  Jerry Tuwai 1 (2019) 3 (2017, 2018, 2019)
  Tim Mikkelson 1 (2013) 3 (2011, 2013, 2014)
  Seabelo Senatla 1 (2016) 2 (2015, 2016)
  Tomasi Cama Jr. 1 (2012) 2 (2011, 2012)
  Mikaele Pesamino 1 (2010) 2 (2007, 2010)
  DJ Forbes 1 (2008) 2 (2007, 2008)
  Uale Mai 1 (2006) 2 (2006, 2008)
  Marcos Moneta 1 (2021) 2 (2021, 2023)

Explanatory notes edit

This section provides additional detail to the table above regarding the team and player accomplishments that season that helped the player win the Sevens Player of the Year award.

  • 2010: Samoa won its first ever World Series title
  • 2013: Tim Mikkelson was recognized as the Player of the Tournament at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
  • 2014: Samisoni Viriviri led all players in tries scored with 52.
  • 2015: Werner Kok led all players in tackles made.
  • 2016: Seabelo Senatla led all players in tries scored with 66.
  • 2017: Perry Baker led the World Series in several statistical categories — 57 tries, 76 clean breaks, and 285 points.
  • 2018: Baker was the World Series leader in tries with 37 before missing the last three rounds to injury, returning to help the USA to its best-ever finish of sixth at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
  • 2019: Tuwai was fifth in clean breaks with 34.
  • 2021: Marcos Moneta lead Argentina to their first Rugby Bronze Olympic Medal and he ended being the tryman at that tournament. At the olympics he scored two tries in the memorable match between Argentina and South Africa where Gaston Revol was expelled and Argentina where playing with 6 players.
  • 2022: Terry Kenneddy led Ireland to a bronze medal at the Rugby World Cup Sevens.

Other World Rugby Awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Hong Kong appoint England legend Amor as men's rugby coach". South China Morning Post. 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  2. ^ "Simon Amor". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  3. ^ "Ex England attack coach & World Rugby Player…". Hong Kong Rugby Union. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  4. ^ "Orene Ai'i". Hurricanes. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  5. ^ "DJ Forbes". New Zealand Olympic Team. 2016-02-09. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  6. ^ "Sevens legend Forbes retires". www.world.rugby. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  7. ^ "Ollie Phillips: 'It's great to be back in international rugby'". www.world.rugby. 2020-02-05. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  8. ^ "Ollie Phillips: 'This summer's Olympics more relevant than ever for rugby'". www.world.rugby. 2021-06-05. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  9. ^ "Mikaele Pesamino IRB Sevens Player of Year". www.world.rugby. 2010-05-30. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  10. ^ "Rugby sevens star Cecil Afrika named newest Laureus Ambassador". Laureus. 2012-10-28. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  11. ^ "Cama wins Sevens top award". Sport. 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  12. ^ "Cama caps off Sevens victory with top player honour". RNZ. 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  13. ^ "New Zealand's Tim Mikkelson named IRB Sevens Player of the Year". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  14. ^ Anderson, Gary (2014-05-11). "Fijian Samisoni Viriviri voted IRB Sevens Player of the Year". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  15. ^ "Trio nominated for World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year". www.world.rugby. 2015-05-17. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  16. ^ "Senatla scoops World Rugby sevens award". Sport. 2016-11-14. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  17. ^ "Perry Baker Wins 7s Player Of The Year", Flo Rugby, Alex Goff, 27 November 2017.
  18. ^ "Sexton and Trémoulière named World Rugby Players of the Year 2018" (Press release). World Rugby. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  19. ^ "World Rugby Sevens Players of the Year 2018 nominees announced". www.world.rugby. 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  20. ^ "Jerry Tuwai wins World Rugby Mens 7s Player of the Year".
  21. ^ "World Rugby Sevens Players of the Year 2019 nominees announced". www.world.rugby. 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  22. ^ "World Rugby Awards Special Edition: Fans' Choice voting now open!". World Rugby. 15 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020.
  23. ^ "Marcos Moneta is feeling on top of the world after award | World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  24. ^ "Nominees unveiled for World Rugby Awards 2022". www.world.rugby. 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
  25. ^ "Josh van der Flier and Ruahei Demant named World Rugby Players of the Year 2022". www.world.rugby. 2022-11-20. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  26. ^ "Ardie Savea named World Rugby Men's Player of the Year 2023". www.world.rugby. 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2023-10-30.

External links edit