World Rugby Player of the Year
List of winners and nominees

World Rugby Player of the Year

Section Title: List of winners and nominees
Table Section Text: None

Year	Image	Winner	Country	Position	Other nominees	Ref(s)

2001	Keith Wood in 2012	Keith Wood	Ireland	Hooker	Australia – George Gregan (Scrum-half) Ireland – Brian O'Driscoll (Centre) Australia – George Smith (Flanker) England – Jonny Wilkinson (Fly-half)

2002	Fabien Galthié in 2008	Fabien Galthié	France	Scrum-half	New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker) South Africa – Joe van Niekerk (Flanker) Ireland – Brian O'Driscoll (Centre) England – Jason Robinson (Wing)

2003	Jonny Wilkinson in 2007	Jonny Wilkinson	England	Fly-half	France – Imanol Harinordoquy (Number 8) New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker) England – Steve Thompson (Hooker) Australia – Phil Waugh (Flanker)

2004	Schalk Burger in 2008	Schalk Burger	South Africa	Flanker	France – Serge Betsen (Flanker) Ireland – Gordon D'Arcy (Centre) Australia – Matt Giteau (Centre) South Africa – Marius Joubert (Centre)

2005	Dan Carter in 2011	Dan Carter	New Zealand	Fly-half	South Africa – Bryan Habana (Wing) South Africa – Victor Matfield (Lock) New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker) New Zealand – Tana Umaga (Centre)

2006	Richie McCaw in 2008	Richie McCaw	New Zealand	Flanker	New Zealand – Dan Carter (Fly-half) Australia – Chris Latham (Full-back) Ireland – Paul O'Connell (Lock) South Africa – Fourie du Preez (Scrum-half)

2007	Bryan Habana in 2007	Bryan Habana	South Africa	Wing	Argentina – Felipe Contepomi (Centre) Argentina – Juan M. Hernández (Fly-half) France – Yannick Jauzion (Centre) New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)

2008	Shane Williams in 2008	Shane Williams	Wales	Wing	Scotland – Mike Blair (Scrum-half) New Zealand – Dan Carter (Fly-half) Wales – Ryan Jones (Number 8) Italy – Sergio Parisse (Number 8)

2009	Richie McCaw in 2011	Richie McCaw	New Zealand	Flanker	Ireland – Jamie Heaslip (Number 8) Ireland – Brian O'Driscoll (Centre) South Africa – Fourie du Preez (Scrum-half) South Africa – François Steyn (Centre) Australia – Matt Giteau (Fly-half) England – Tom Croft (Flanker)

2010	Richie McCaw in 2011	Richie McCaw	New Zealand	Flanker	New Zealand – Mils Muliaina (Full-back) South Africa – Victor Matfield (Lock) France – Imanol Harinordoquy (Number 8) Australia – David Pocock (Flanker) Australia – Kurtley Beale (Centre)

2011	Thierry Dusautoir in 2012	Thierry Dusautoir	France	Flanker	New Zealand – Piri Weepu (Scrum-half) New Zealand – Jerome Kaino (Flanker) New Zealand – Ma'a Nonu (Centre) Australia – David Pocock (Flanker) Australia – Will Genia (Scrum-half)

2012	Dan Carter in 2011	Dan Carter	New Zealand	Fly-half	England – Owen Farrell (Fly-half) France – Frédéric Michalak (Fly-half) New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)

2013	Kieran Read in 2011	Kieran Read	New Zealand	Number 8	South Africa – Eben Etzebeth (Lock) Wales – Leigh Halfpenny (Full-back) Italy – Sergio Parisse (Number 8) New Zealand – Ben Smith (Full-back)

2014	Brodie Retallick in 2014	Brodie Retallick	New Zealand	Lock	South Africa – Willie le Roux (Full-back) New Zealand – Julian Savea (Wing) Ireland – Jonathan Sexton (Fly-half) South Africa – Duane Vermeulen (Number 8)

2015	Dan Carter in 2015	Dan Carter	New Zealand	Fly-half	Australia – Michael Hooper (Flanker) Scotland – Greig Laidlaw (Scrum-half) Australia – David Pocock (Flanker) New Zealand – Julian Savea (Wing) Wales – Alun Wyn Jones (Lock)

2016	Beauden Barrett in 2014	Beauden Barrett	New Zealand	Fly-half	England – Owen Farrell (Fly-half) England – Maro Itoje (Lock) England – Billy Vunipola (Number 8) Ireland – Jamie Heaslip (Number 8) New Zealand – Dane Coles (Hooker)

2017	Beauden Barrett in 2017	Beauden Barrett	New Zealand	Fly-half	Australia – Israel Folau (Full-back) England – Owen Farrell (Fly-half) England – Maro Itoje (Lock) New Zealand – Rieko Ioane (Wing)

2018	Jonathan Sexton in 2015	Jonathan Sexton	Ireland	Fly-half	New Zealand – Beauden Barrett (Fly-half) New Zealand – Rieko Ioane (Wing) South Africa Faf de Klerk (Scrum-half) South Africa Malcolm Marx (Hooker)

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