Who was the 6 Nations Player of the Season?
Roar Guru
By pothale, 9 May 2009 Pot Hale is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- 6 Nations, Heineken Cup, Magners League, Rugby Union
Wales celebrate their 26-19 win over England at the final whistle in their Six Nations rugby international match at Twickenham, London, Saturday Feb. 2, 2008. AP Photo/Tom Hevezi
There isn’t a formal 6 Nations Player of the Season Award, just individual awards at league level. So I thought we’d have a Roar one and test people’s abilities and knowledge of the “dire and unattractive, ELV-lite” Northern Hemisphere game to see if they could nominate one. Or even their top three.
It’s early May, and the seasons in the various 6 Northern Hemisphere Nations are coming to a close.
It was last August when the various leagues and Cup competitions got underway.
In November, the Autumn Internationals were a mixed bag: Wales, Ireland and France coming out the best of the nations in their various matches against the Top 10 tier countries of New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa and Australia.
There were some excellent individual performances from players, but nothing to write home about at team level as the Northern Hemisphere countries licked their wounds.
The Six Nations was completed in March, with Ireland holding the various cups of Triple Crown, 6 Nations Championship and their coveted Grand Slam honour at the end of it all.
The Magners League has been won by Munster with two games to spare.
The finalists for the Heineken Cup are settled between Leinster in their first final having beaten the Heineken Cup holders, and twice-Heineken Cup winners, Leicester, who are hoping to do the double in the play-offs for the English Premiership which begin next weekend.
The best of the Italian players plied their trade in England and France, with Argentine-born Sergio Parisse leading by a number of lengths.
His club team, Stade Francais, are lying in third in the Top 14 with Toulouse and Perpignan tied on points at the top and Clermont Auvergne joining them in the play-offs at the end of May.
Cardiff Blues won the Anglo-Welsh cup for the first time.
I know there’s the prospect of the Lions Tour still to come, but that’s a separate competition all to itself.
And then there’s the tours by France and Italy down south, but they’re too far away, and I suspect wouldn’t impinge on people’s picks anyway.
So with a few weeks to go for the main events, who are your early picks for Player of the Year across the 6 Nations?
Is the Lions squad an indicator of who were the best players from Britain and Ireland? Does 6 Nations performance give certain players a strong standing?
With French teams and players having an abysmal performance – by their usual standards – in the Heineken Cup, and coming third in the 6 Nations Championship, did any of their players stand out at club-level in the Top 14?
With Leicester sitting pretty in both the Premiership and the Heineken Cup final, do their players merit extra mention?
Argue away.
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Viscount Crouchback said | May 9th 2009 @ 4:21am | Report comment
Eh? Sorry, old top, but there is an award for Six Nations Player of the Tournament and Brian O’Driscoll won it. Do you mean a European player of the season?
I’d go for O’Driscoll again. Boring, I know, but the chap is brutally effective. He’s swung more important games than any other player this season.
Knives Out said | May 9th 2009 @ 5:31am | Report comment
I agree with Sherry Bobbins. O’Driscoll has been the standout player and he did win the 6N player award.
On a more narrow scale, Chris Robshaw, Seilala Mapasua, Mike Ross, Michael Claasens and Paul Hodgson had some very, very good games during the GP regular season.
Pothale said | May 9th 2009 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
Yes I do mean European Player of the season covering club and internationals. My bad phrasing.
DaniE said | May 9th 2009 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
I’m not hugely knowlegdable about NH rugby by all means, although I watch a lot more of it than I do the S14 (and enjoy it more, too!). I thought O’Driscoll had a decent international season and was super in the recent Munster-Leinster game. A player who I began to look forward to watching was Delon Armitage, I thought he stood up well for England in the 6 Nations. Those are two names for you, I’d name more but I’ve got baby brain at the moment and can’t think.
Ok, Chris Whitaker I thought had a really solid season, as did Rocky Elsom! Tuilangi for Leicester, Stef Armitage and Sailosi Tagicakibau (the bloke with the seriously unpronouncable name) for London Irish.
I have to say I don’t really like the French premiership, it doesn’t seem as skilled or flows as well as the English Prem or the H Cup, and I dislike Stade Francais with a passion. Maybe it’s the weird tie-dye jerseys? They redeemed themselves a bit recently when they held a “Star Wars” parade before a game… truly!!!
pothale said | May 10th 2009 @ 12:09am | Report comment
Whilst O’Driscoll may be the easy pick, I thought there were a few other players who didn’t hit the headlines as much, or started to show potential, but merit mention. And one in particular who, in my view, outshines the Ireland captain.
Without doubt, O’Driscoll has had an exceptional season for both club and country. Leinster’s thrashing of the Scarlets last night was a strong sign of that. Cheika would have been well-excused to leave out some of his star players in last night’s match in which the Scarlets needed the league points much more than the Lions. But seven tries to one tells the story of a team that is purring and ready to engage with Leicester in the Heineken Cup Final. O’Driscoll got over the line once again, making a mockery of his detractors who said his career was finished and he was well off the pace. He mightn’t be as effective from 30 metres out, but as England and Wales can testify, close to the line, he’s better than many forwards in getting critical 5 pointers. His out-of-hand kicking is sometimes wayward, but he’s still managed to get the odd drop-goal. He won the 6N Player of the Tournament, but he’s not my European Player of the Season.
But first, there’s others to consider. A couple of whom get other gongs.
The ‘Ain’t Life Cruel Award’ goes to Tom Shanklin of Cardiff Blues. His form for Cardiff this season has been exceptional. One of the more unsung heroes of the Blues team, who ensured they never lost a game in the Heineken Cup this season (not in normal time anyway), and helped them win their first trophy, hammering Gloucester in the Anglo-Welsh final. A dislocated shoulder in a match during the week, has put him out of the Lions Tour. A tough break for a classy player.
The ‘Please Stop Doing That Award’ goes to one of the most consistent kickers in the game for his team, and with one of the most consistently infuriating prep routines in rugby, Ian Keatley of Connacht. Before every kick, he bounces up and down, like a constipated Jonny Wilkinson – six times – the crowd counted for him in one recent match. It must work, cos he rarely missed a kick all season. Just as well, too, his team wasn’t scoring many tries. But then, he missed a match-winning kick in the dying seconds of the match against Ulster last night – and that did for him.
Lee Mears of Bath was one of the season’s best front row performers, and his work against the SH teams in the Autumn, as well as in the Premiership, put him deservedly on the plane for South Africa. Liked him a lot.
As Lions captain, Paul O’Connell might have been in the running as European Player for some people (and if they’d gone on to their third H Cup final, who knows?) He did wonders leading from the front to help Munster win the Magners League Championship. But his leadership brittleness showed in the semi-final loss against Leinster, and he misses out in my selection. His Lions tour is going to be interesting.
Playing alongside him, Lifiemi Mafi as Munster’s 12 had a storming season, scoring some crucial tries for the Irish southern boys during the season. And next to him, Keith Earls, is my pick for Young European Player of the Season, ahead of Delon Armitage, Ben Foden and Thom Evans. His running and scoring for Munster across league and cup has been some of the best. A surprise pick for the Lions, he may yet cement his reputation further on the grounds of South Africa, even if it’s only in the midweek games.
Tom Croft’s name has cropped up more often than many Lions’ picks in recent weeks, largely because he wasn’t picked. His work for Leicester this season has been top-of-the-game and one of his best displays at lock was in last week’s semi-final against Cardiff. He’ll be hoping to pin a H-Cup medal on his chest, and replace Alan Quinlan on Lions tour if/when he’s disqualified.
I’d agree with KO on Chris Robshaw as a standout player, though Stephen Ferris has made a lot of hard yards this season for Ulster in the 6 jersey.
Another Quins man, Nick Evans, had a superb season, and was critical to them getting into the play-offs. I reckon he’ll do more than enough to get them into the Final.
I didn’t see as many French teams games this season as I normally do, and their absence in the latter stages of the H Cup, didn’t help either. Aurelien Rougerie, the captain of Toulouse, is a guy who caught my eye. Maxime Medard is another – both in the 6 Nations, and for his club, scoring some sumptuous tries. He’ll be one of France’s star players next season in the 6 Nations, in my view.
Julian Dupuy, the French scrum-half for Leicester, is another who caught the eye, particularly with his game-winning try in the quarter-final against Quins in the H Cup. His girlfriend may not be happy in Leicester, but the Tigers’ fans love him.
Before I say my pick for European Player, there’s another award to be handed out as well. As well as best young player of the season, there’s also the Worst-Value for Money Award. This one has a number of contenders, but there’s two stand-out players, in my thinking.
CJ van der Linde spent more time off his toes for Leinster than on them. They seemed to be permanently, hobbled, turned in, out, damaged, less than perfect or the opposite of whatever state toes should be in so that you can actually play for the club who spent fortunes on bringing you in. Based on the 2.76 matches that he seems to have played this season, you’d think he’d walk away with the award.
However, his salary money was in the halfpenny place when it comes to what was paid to the Black Swan from the Land of the Silver Fern – Daniel Carter. Receiving a reported Eur 700,000 for a 6 month contract, the New Zealander arrived to much pomp and ceremony at French cub Perpignan at the beginning of the year. It was hoped that he’d bring fame and fortune to the southern club who gambled on paying a serious wedge to a guy who would help bring them championship honours in return. 6 weeks later, with less than 5 games under his belt. the ‘best player in the world’ was flat on his back, and out for the rest of the season. The burghers of Perpignan must have had to swallow hard seeing their money disappear down the drain so fast. But then the whole town just shrugged a Gallic shrug and got on with the business of playing rugby. They didn’t do too shabbily either – now sitting top of the Top 14 this weekend and in the play-offs. Who says money can buy you everything? At least Carter helped sell a few shirts anyway. But knowing the French, they’re probably already out of fashion.
Finally, my European Player of the Season, is another SANZAR man. The best of the recent imports – by a mile. The T-Rex – as I’ve heard him so aptly described on these boards – brought belief and steel back into the Leinster team – and along with O’Driscoll – got them into their H Cup final. They were unlucky to miss out on winning the Magner’s championship again.
O’Driscoll may be viewed as an iconic player in certain quarters not least amongst his club team-mates and in the Ireland squad, but Rocky Elsom is totemic in Leinster. (Kind of like Beckham and Keane in their pomp at Manchester United.)
He leads, others follow. He puts his head and hands in places where others may hesitate. Having watched him pitch-side – or from the stands anyway – for a lot of the season, his commitment, energy and ruthless back-row play is immense. His tackles put guys to the ground – and they stay there for a little bit longer than if they were hit by anyone else. Like his prehistoric namesake, he rampages around the pitch, laying waste to everything in front of him, makes storming runs upfield into the open, and always makes sure to get the ball away, before eventually being taken down – by two or three players. Quite often he got over the line himself, scoring some crucial tries for the boys in blue during the season.
Despite the T-Rex nickname and savagery of play – and this guy ain’t no dinosaur – there’s one picture which stands out in my mind from the season which sums up Elsom. It appeared in a few media outlets after the semi-final between Leinster and Munster at Croke Park. In it the Munster and Leinster players are having a barney, hands flying, fists being made, fingers being pointed, enraged faces everywhere, including the red-haired O’Connell. And slightly to the side, watching with some bemusement, is the towering figure of Elsom, just standing there calmly with his hands behind his head – probably thinking –‘will these guys ever give up and just get on with the game’.
In my view, he’s the best team player that Australia has at the moment – even if he’s not allowed play for them. He gets my vote.
Glenn Condell said | May 10th 2009 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Good stuff pothale. I’ve read some of the raves in the papers over there about Rocky, and the odd mention of Whitaker’s solidity. Good to see some local boys (Whits’ mum and dad live around the corner from me) doing well over there.
Ben Mowen has gone well for the Tahs but we have missed the Rock, as will the Wallabies.
pothale said | May 10th 2009 @ 11:38pm | Report comment
Rocky yes, Whittaker no. he’s well past his sell by date. Luckily Reddan is coming in for him next year. Hopefully Elsom gets persuaded to stay and the ARU give him some leeway.
Working Class Rugger said | May 10th 2009 @ 11:56pm | Report comment
If Elsom returns to Aus. Robbie Deans will having him play club Rugby to qualify for the Wallabies as soon as he gets off the plane.
pothale said | May 11th 2009 @ 12:45am | Report comment
It’s ridiculous that he has to. I find these charades about players returning to their home country and being put through farcical ‘qualifying game’ routines simply ridiculous. Do they think he has lost his skill and prowess on the flight home? McAlister is another case in point – and in fact I left him out of my mentions in the earlier post. Class act, and the AB/NZRU are playing a game that everyone can see through in making him play a number of match types before he’s deemed qualified. Who do they think they are kidding?
Was talking to a Leinster club person today who told me that Elsom is still in decision-mode and won’t say anything until after H Cup final. The indications are that making his decision known now might upset the team dynamic for the final. As far as I know, he’s a popular guy around the club, so……
Working Class Rugger said | May 11th 2009 @ 12:53am | Report comment
Well I hope that his decision is to return not only to the Wallabies but the Waratahs aswell. Probably not what you would like but what can I say. I’m a Tahs fan.