Caelan Doris, Jamie Osborne, Olympians Terry Kennedy, Erin King and Ireland XV’s winger James Lowe lead the Irish nominees chasing individual glory ahead of Saturday’s prestigious World Rugby awards in Monaco.
Doris is nominated for World Player of the Year, Kennedy and King both get nods in the sevens categories, while Leinster duo Osborne and Lowe are nominated for Breakthrough Player and Try of the Year, respectively.
The star-studded shortlists include 28 international players who have left their mark in 2024 by showcasing exceptional skills and achievements.
The selected nominees will be part of a glittering guest list in Monaco, featuring generations of rugby greats and special guests from the global rugby family.
Fans will also be given their say on the outcome, with online voting open until 20 November 17:00 at www.world.rugby/awards/toty to determine the winner of the International Rugby Players Men’s and Women’s 15s Try of the Year categories.
The four-player shortlist for the primary award is unsurprisingly dominated by world champions South Africa and includes one former winner in the shape of Pieter-Steph du Toit.
The Springboks flanker previously claimed the award in 2019 and has been a near ever-present as his side won The Rugby Championship and embarked on a successful tour of Europe.
Caelan Doris nominated for World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year, facing three Boks in Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe & PS du Toit. Erin King & Jamie Osborne up for breakthrough player, Terry Kennedy up for Men’s Sevens POTY. James Lowe v England up for try of the year pic.twitter.com/XpBcRGYx73
— Rúaidhrí O’Connor (@RuaidhriOC) November 18, 2024
His team-mate Eben Etzebeth is nominated for the second successive year having become South Africa’s most-capped men’s player.
The third Springbok on the list is Cheslin Kolbe, who once again starred in 2024 while showing his versatility – adding lineout throwing to his bulging bag of tricks.
Doris, meanwhile, was a vital cog as Ireland won the Six Nations and then captained the team to only a second Test victory in South Africa. He was named Ireland captain for the autumn internationals.
Doris would become the fourth Irishman to win the award if he triumphs after Keith Wood, Johnny Sexton and Josh van der Flier.
Four players born in the early 2000s who have lit up the international scene this year contest the breakthrough award.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is the second Springbok fly-half to be nominated in as many years and was pivotal to his side’s Rugby Championship success.
Wallace Sititi emerged during the same tournament and has made a place in the All Blacks back row his own, winning all but two of his caps from the start.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso – the youngest player on the list at 21 – has been a bright spot in a mixed year for England, scoring five tries in only eight appearances.
Osborne, meanwhile, made an instant impact on Ireland’s tour of South Africa despite lining up in an unfamiliar position.
Four tries scored by European nations, three from the Six Nations and one from the July internationals, make up the shortlist.
Lowe finished off a fine team move in acrobatic fashion against England at Twickenham in March, profiting from excellent work from Jack Crowley and Doris before Ciaran Frawley gave the scoring pass.
Another flowing attack gave Italy full-back Lorenzo Pani space on the right wing against Wales a week later and he cut inside three would-be tacklers before hitting Ronaldo’s ‘siu’ celebration.
In the same round, a stolen lineout gave France the platform to attack England from deep inside their own half. Gaël Fickou added impetus to the move before a sumptuous dummy and offload from Léo Barré released Nolann Le Garrec to score.
Not to be outdone, Georgia’s Akaki Tabutsadze went coast to coast against Australia in July. Receiving the ball behind his own try-line, the winger launched a long clearance kick and easily won the race to the bouncing ball to score at the opposite end.
The female breakthrough category is headed by Caitlyn Halse, who became the youngest Australian – male or female – to play Test rugby when she won her first cap at 17 years, 242 days old in May and was an ever-present as the Wallaroos won WXV 2.
Maddie Feaunati, meanwhile, helped England to a Women’s Six Nations and WXV 1 double in 2024 and has looked at home in a ridiculously talented Red Roses back row.
Another flanker, King was Ireland’s match-winner against New Zealand in September, while namesake Hannah has made the Black Ferns’ number 10 jersey her own, scoring 14 points in seven matches.
In the sevens, Antoine Dupont is the obvious winner after helping France to a home Olympic gold medal, scoring two tries in the gold medal match on a memorable night in Paris.
Aaron Grandidier Nkanang was no less important to those triumphs and contributed four tries during his home Games. Terry Kennedy – who won this award in 2022 – scored 32 tries during the 2024 series as Ireland finished the regular season as runners-up behind Argentina.