Wallace Sititi, nominated for the World Rugby breakthrough player of the year award, said he was “extremely grateful” to be in the running for the only individual prize featuring an All Black this year.
Another way of looking at it is that the loose forward was perhaps unlucky to miss a nomination for the overall player of the year prize.
The 22-year-old only made his Super Rugby debut this year – for the Chiefs – and has made such an impact at the top level that he is now considered a bolted-on part of the All Blacks loose forward trio alongside Ardie Savea, the 2023 World Rugby player of the year recipient.
With Sam Cane potentially playing his final Test this weekend against Italy, the third member has yet to make a compelling case but head coach Scott Robertson would probably feel that overall he is well ahead of the game given Sititi's stunning development.
Sititi is up against England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Springboks first-five Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Ireland centre or fullback Jamie Osborne for the award.
The other New Zealand involvements in the awards, which will be presented in Monaco on November 25 NZT, are Black Ferns first-five Hannah King’s nomination for women’s breakthrough player of the year, hooker Georgia Ponsonby’s try for the Black Ferns against Australia in May, and the nominations of Michaela Blyde and Jorja Miller for women's sevens player of the year.
The overall men's player of the year award will be contested by three Springboks – flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, who won it in 2019, veteran lock Eben Etzebeth and wing Cheslin Kolbe. Ireland flanker Caelan Doris is the other nominee.
Given the lack of diversity in terms of the nominations for the top award, and Sititi’s influence with the All Blacks over his nine Tests (and seven starts), it appears the awards selectors have suffered from a collective lack of imagination.
Watch Scotty Stevenson and Patrick McKendry analyse the controversial thriller on TVNZ+
Not surprisingly, given Sititi’s reputation as a humble and mature individual (Chiefs teammate Sam Cane has said he was surprised to discover that Sititi was aged only 21 when he met him earlier this year), the man himself said he was just grateful to be acknowledged.
“It has been a big year and to have that acknowledgement is crazy,” he said. “For me just being on the same list as some of those guys - Sacha, Jamie and Immanuel – they’re all quality players, so to be on that same list is an honour and a privilege in itself.”
Sititi’s teammates Mark Tele’a, Will Jordan and Rieko Ioane are previous winners of the breakthrough player award. Making it more significant for Sititi, perhaps, is that they were all outside backs at the time because it's fair to suggest that adapting to the demands of being an international forward would be a more difficult task for a youngster.
“I would have been happy with one game for the Chiefs so to be here is not what I was expecting,” Sititi said. “My family and I are taking it for what it is and are keeping our feet grounded.
“There’s still a lot of room for improvement. We could see from the weekend that sometimes our best isn’t good enough.”
All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams breaks free against France in Paris. (Source: Photosport)
The All Blacks’ recent defeat to France in Paris after two significant wins in London and Dublin was clearly a huge disappointment for head coach Scott Robertson who would have hoped the side had turned a corner after a difficult Rugby Championship that for New Zealand was underscored by inconsistency.
Sititi said of the 30-29 loss at the Stade de France: “We just weren’t clinical enough. We had a lot of chances. We had opportunities to put them away and weren’t good enough.
“We felt like we were trending in the right direction and making a lot of good strides. It just didn’t click on the day.”
Sititi’s teammate, the loosehead prop Tamaiti Williams, meanwhile, reckons his now good mate’s best quality is his confidence.
Referring directly to Sititi alongside him in a media call this morning, Williams said: “One thing I notice is that you back yourself and his family backs him as well so his confidence has just grown through the camp right from day one. We just keep telling each other to back ourselves and good things will happen.”
It has been quite the year for Williams, too. Taking over the No.1 jersey from Ethan de Groot – dropped before the England Test for a non-disclosed breach of team protocol – the 24-year-old Williams has been outstanding and must be close to being considered one of the best in his position in the world.
Summer is around the corner for Williams and the All Blacks but one Test remains: against Italy in Turin on Sunday morning NZT.
Watch Scotty Stevenson and Patrick McKendry analyse the controversial thriller on TVNZ+
“The All Black jersey demands your best and everyone here wants to be at their best," Williams said.
"There has been some tiredness in the camp, it’s been a long year. But we have one more opportunity for whoever wears the black jersey to put it on and represent our country. There will be sore bodies… but to wear the black jersey is special.
“It’s been a unique year for me. Obviously, I did my hamstring in round one of Super Rugby and my daughter was born a few months later and then straight into camp here. I’ve learned a lot about my body and what it takes to get up for every game.
“Summer’s not here yet and we still have one more week to get. We’re up against a very passionate Italian side we don’t take lightly at all.”
Another factor will be the impending retirement from the All Blacks of stalwarts Cane and halfback TJ Perenara.
“I can only think of one way to send them out and that’s with a dominant performance,” Williams said.
World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year
• Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (RSA)
• Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (ENG)
• Jamie Osborne (IRE)
• Wallace Sititi (NZL)
World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year
• Caelan Doris (IRE)
• Eben Etzebeth (RSA)
• Pieter-Steph du Toit (RSA)
• Cheslin Kolbe (RSA)
International Rugby Players Men’s 15s Try of the Year
• James Lowe (Ireland v England, Men’s Six Nations, 10 March)
• Lorenzo Pani (Italy v Wales, Men’s Six Nations, 17 March)
• Nolann Le Garrec (France v England, Men’s Six Nations, 17 March)
• Akaki Tabutsadze (Georgia v Australia, July Internationals, 20 July)
World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year
• Caitlyn Halse (AUS)
• Maddie Feaunati (ENG)
• Erin King (IRE)
• Hannah King (NZL)
World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year
• Pauline Bourdon Sansus (FRA)
• Ellie Kildunne (ENG)
• Alex Matthews (ENG)
• Alex Tessier (CAN)
International Rugby Players Women’s 15s Try of the Year
• Alyssa D’Incà (Italy v Scotland, Women’s Six Nations, 20 April)
• Georgia Ponsonby (New Zealand v Australia, Pacific Four Series, 25 May)
• Maya Stewart (Australia v Wales, WXV, 28 September)
• Marine Ménager (France v Canada, WXV, 29 September)
World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year
• Antoine Dupont (FRA)
• Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (FRA)
• Terry Kennedy (IRE)
World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year
• Michaela Blyde (NZL)
• Maddison Levi (AUS)
• Jorja Miller (NZL)
