World Rugby have announced the three nominations for this year’s breakthrough player of the year award with two World Cup finalists included.
In what is the fifth edition of the award England’s Joe Cokansiga, South Africa’s Herschel Jantjies and France’s Romain Ntamack are up for the award, which can only be given to players that have less than one year of international rugby experience under their belt.
That meant that the likes of England’s Tom Curry and Sam Underhill who have had a breakthrough year are out of contention as they made their test debuts in 2017.
Cokanasiga has been sensational since his debut last November, scoring seven tries in nine tests, and at only 21 he looks likely to be a star in the future for the national side and by Saturday night he could have a World Cup medal to his name.
Like the English winger Jantjies has a chance to be part of a World Cup winning squad come Saturday with the Springboks having only made his debut in July, scoring twice against the Wallabies and impressing ever since.
Ntamack already has a World Rugby U20 Championship title to his name with France and at 20 he will have chances to add a senior medal to his name in the future. Not only has he shown serious talent for France but also for his club Toulouse this year and looks set for a bright future.
Speaking on the nominations chairman of World Rugby Bill Beaumont believes that the three players are all worthy of winning the award.
“The World Rugby breakthrough player of the year award recognises the most exciting talent to burst onto the international 15s or sevens stage during the year and highlights the ‘ones to watch’. There were several outstanding candidates and the process of selecting the shortlist was tough for the panel. We have three outstanding candidates, who would be worthy recipients of this prestigious award,” he said.
The candidates were picked by a panel of former international players with Ireland’ Jamie Heaslip, Argentina’s Felipe Contepomi, New Zealand’s Fiao’o Faamausili and Springboks Byran Habana helping to choose the final three.
Former winners of the prize are Nehe Milner Skudder, Maro Itoje, Rieko Ioane and Aphiwe Dyantyi, but on Sunday in Tokyo a fifth name will be added to the list and it could be a World Cup winner.
