World Rugby Player of the Year
List of winners and nominees
Table:
Year

Image

Winner

Country

Position

Other nominees

Ref(s)

2001

Keith Wood

Ireland

Hooker

Australia – George Gregan (Scrum-half)
Ireland – Brian O'Driscoll (Centre)
Australia – George Smith (Flanker)
England – Jonny Wilkinson (Fly-half)

[10][11]

2002

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)

[12][13]

2003

Jonny Wilkinson

England

Fly-half

France – Imanol Harinordoquy (Number 8)
New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)
England – Steve Thompson (Hooker)
Australia – Phil Waugh (Flanker)

[14][15]

2004

Schalk Burger

South Africa

Flanker

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

[16]

2005

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)

[17][18]

2006

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)

[19][20]

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)

[21]

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)

[22]

2009

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)

[10][19]

2010

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)

[19]

2011

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)

[12][23]

2012

Dan Carter

New Zealand

Fly-half

England – Owen Farrell (Fly-half)
France – Frédéric Michalak (Fly-half)
New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)

[17]

2013

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)

[24]

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)

[25]

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)

[26]

2016

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)

[27][28]

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)

[29][30]

2018

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)

[9]

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