Wallabies legend and Stan Sport rugby expert Tim Horan says French scrumhalf Antoine Dupont deserves the title of World Rugby player of the year when the award is decided late Friday night (AEDT), but wants to see the process overhauled.
Dupont is on a shortlist of four finalists with two Wallabies – Michael Hooper and Samu Kerevi – and England lock Maro Itoje.
The award will be decided by public vote, meaning it’s a lottery that gives all four a chance.
Horan, a 1999 World Cup winner, expressed surprise that no Springboks or All Blacks players made the shortlist and said it should be expanded in future.
“Dupont has been an absolute standout in World Rugby for the last two years and I don’t think it matters who else is on the shortlist, Dupont deserves it,” Horan told The Roar.
“But I’d have two All Blacks, one Springbok, maybe someone from Ireland. In future they need to have a top 10 with maybe two players from the top two countries and one from each of the others. That’s a better and fairer way to do it.”
Horan said Hooper deserved his place in the top four.
“Michael Hooper played in every game except the last one against Wales and he was in our top three players in every single Test,” Horan said.
“For me, Michael Hooper’s like Allan Border when he was captain of the Australian cricket team. The side was solid but not oustanding and Border was the stand out, scoring runs and showing leadership.
(Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)
“That’s Michael Hooper – leading from the front and communicates everything else from the front as well. I’ve been very impressed with him in the last couple of years.”
He said Kerevi was brilliant for three or four Test matches in a row but not going on the European tour would likely hurt his chances.
As far as those who missed out, Horan was surprised with the ommission of Springboks’ Eben Etzebeth and felt the All Blacks’ all round excellence may have cancelled each other out.
“I was really impressed with Will Jordan and Jordie Barrett this year with how they’ve come on,” Horan said.
“Jordie has been a bit in the shadow of his brother but his general play has been out and out class the last couple of years.”
Kerevi’s appearance on the shortlist is a telling reminder of the impact he can make going forward to the 2023 World Cup, and the fraility of his eligibility situation.
Horan believes that the Giteau Law, governing who is able to play for Australia while based overseas, could soon be known as the Samu Law.
“I think Daniel Herbert and Phil Waugh are close to presenting their thoughts to the Rugby Australia board,” said Horan of a current review.
“My personal thought is that everyone should be available but you’re not going to be guaranteed selection.
“So if you want to go overseas, that’s fine. Go your hardest. But our first choice is picking players in Australia. Our second choice is picking players in Australia but if we struggle with injuries or depth problems we might give you a call.
“It’s probably now going to be the end of the Giteau Law and the start of the Samu Law.”
He said the criteria could change from 60 Tests for Australia to “25 or 30.”
“So it might be halved and that triggers eligibility and the second part is you’re only going to be selected after two or three options are gone in Australia,” Horan said.
He said Australia needs to find a balance with Kerevi to make the most of him while allowing him to enjoy his career in Japan.
“If he enjoys playing there and financially it’s a success for him it’s going to be hard to pull him away from there,” said Horan.
“The lure is obviously the World Cup and I think there’s a way to have Samu playing in the Test matches, although it might not be every single one of the 14 Test matches.
“But you want Samu playing at least 10 of those. The Japanese clubs are quite tight on them playing on that end of season tour but you want him for 10 of the 14 and I’m sure that can work if you work closely with the Japanese club.”
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
There’s nothing artificial about trying to create the best team
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No. They are methods to create the best teams. That’s why teams have pre season training, etc. You notice the All Blacks done get 23 guys together on a Friday?
BeastieBoy
Roar Rookie
TWAS these are methods to try to Create the best players. we have Academies and Super Rugby, but it's not creating the Best players. Our Best want to be FullTime professionals and to be Rewarded. That is overseas. Go with it. We need to remove this Artificial system and compete in an open system.
Double Agent
Guest
:laughing:
Double Agent
Guest
A brilliant individual can certainly win games a team may not have otherwise won. Jonah Lomu?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The best team isn’t just picking the best players. Training camps, games outside international windows (and some within) are all critical to a good program. It’s why most nations are moving to only selecting local based players. Not the other way around.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Pity Paisami was below par in multiple other games…
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You’re right. Far too many in the team of the year.
Noodles
Roar Rookie
You can’t play a 15 man game and rely on one player to win. Even suggesting that is a formula for losing. We’ve managed to build a good squad of depth with really competitive forwards. Arnold improves the line out and appears to improve the set piece with rodda and we have a scrum. White is a key player at 9. We learned a lot with Cooper at 10: essentially that it’s a crucial place to have good decisions. I’d argue that 12-15 places are well covered with rising talent and only Kellaway has a lock. Kerevi too if he was actually available. With a bit of luck and good management 2022 will show up the benefits of this year’s program and blooding. In which case the whole giteau thing might be moot.
BeastieBoy
Roar Rookie
Wrong. AUSTRALIA SHOULD ALWAYS PICK THE VERY BEST PLAYERS. It denigrates the Country otherwise and the whole sport. We should be encouraging our players to go overseas and become professionals and improve their games. We should be thing about the Players interests. If we do that we will be rewarded 10 fold. We will be seen as a sport of greater opportunity and encouragement, thereby attracting more participation
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Reds results each season with Kerevi playing 2014 = 13/15, 2015 = 13/16, 2016 = 15/18, 2017 = 14/18, 2018 = 13/15, 2019 = 14/15, Then after… 2020 = 10/15, before comp broke up then 2/5 oz comp 2021 = 1/5, in oz comp Just saying he wasmt really a good luck charm for the reds
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
He’s played 38 matches in green and gold and we have won 18 of them and drawn 2. Win rate of 47.4%. But I’m sure based on 3 matches we can’t win without a crash ball inside centre because out of 15 blokes on the pitch he has that big an impact :laughing: if you are gona single put 1 player, Cooper at 10 and goal kicker was by far a more telling factor in us winning 5 in a row. Has won 62.6% of the matches he has played in for the Wallabies and a Super Rugby title
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Yep Paisami is good. I rate Simone and Stewart too. All three are much different players to Kerevi and have their different strengths and weaknesses too. The problem is when a player always runs the ball they will rack up a lot of 100+ metre games (particularly if they are inside centre and run it off the set piece - easy 12 or 13 metres getting up to full pace with the defensive line back). Same for Banks and the Folau at fullback. Both players always ran, never the right decision every time for the team but the individual always gets highlighting for their big metres by the commentary team. Give me a bloke like hodge at full back with a mammoth boot anytime
Barney
Roar Rookie
I think the consensus is that him being in the sevens program lifted all of those facets of his game, even speed, so a better player than he was at the Reds
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
A Kerevi Law is the best decision RA has made in a decade, at least. Gitts was picked from obscurity for his first test and lost the game for the Wallabies. His selection under the Gitteau law was based on sheer nostalgia.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
"Kerevi doesn’t pass and is not a good defender." First is def. history, and second is more debatable. I'm not going to drop him from my team just because his defence is not world's best.
Malo
Guest
Yeah how did we go against England, Scotland and Wales. Na we don’t need Kerevi. What planet are you on?
Tooly
Roar Rookie
I agree . In his last game Paisami was brilliant. He can now pass . Always a good runner and defender he will do me. Kerevi doesn’t pass and is not a good defender.
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Kerevi played well in his tests this year but his importance to the team has been overstated. If we cant win without him why has he won only 50% of the matches he has played in for the Wallabies??? Untill the matches this year it was in the mid forties. The Reds had no success with him at inside and have improved since he went to Japan. Cooper at 10 was far more important in our victories for mine. Not understatimg Kerevi but his impact on the game at 12 is far, far less than the decision making positions at 9 and 10
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Public vote means it’s a popularity decision not merit based. Merit to get there of course but not for the final vote