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Wallabies pair in running for top World Rugby gongs

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper and powerhouse teammate Samu Kerevi are among four players shortlisted for World Rugby’s male Player Of The Year award.

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The duo plus Wallabies rookie winger Andrew Kellaway and their coach Dave Rennie are all on the nominees list announced on Monday for the 2021 World Rugby Awards despite the team’s mixed bag of results.

Hooper and Kerevi are up against French halfback Antoine Dupont and English lock Maro Itoje, who also played for the British and Irish Lions against South Africa.

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      The World Rugby Awards Panel selected the candidates, overlooking All Blacks players despite their domination of the Rugby Championship.

      With 117 Tests behind him, Hooper delivered several player-of-the-match performances while Kerevi’s return to the Wallabies midfield sparked a five-match win streak in Australia’s best run outside of a Rugby World Cup year since 2008.

      Kerevi’s absence has been keenly felt on their current Spring tour, with losses to Scotland and England.

      An Australian has never won the award despite 13 nominations over its 21-year history.

      Kellaway earned a nod in the Breakthrough Player Of The Year category.

      The 26-year-old has scored eight tries in his 11 Tests after making his debut against France in July.

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      He is up against Will Jordan (New Zealand), Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales) and Marcus Smith (England).

      Rennie has been nominated for the Coach of the Year after steering the Wallabies to a series win against France and back-to-back wins against the world champion Springboks, although his team is in danger of returning winless from Europe.

      He has been shortlisted with Allan Bunting/Cory Sweeney (New Zealand Women’s Sevens), All Blacks coach Ian Foster, and Simon Middleton (England Women).

      Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos said the nominations were a personal reward for the three players and Rennie.

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      ā€œThis is a huge achievement, a nd great recognition for Michael, Samu, Andrew and Dave after what has been an encouraging Wallabies season,ā€ Marinos said in a statement.

      ā€œIt’s great personal reward for each of them as we continue to build into 2022 and the (2023) Rugby World Cup in France which is now just around the corner.ā€

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      1 Comment
      C
      Chris 1302 days ago

      Wow 😳 Itoje over Etzebeth, Kerevi who played two good games, no all black, no springbok. Surely Hooper then, only guy who is deserving. I will lmao if NZ women’s coach won. Totally destroyed by England 2-0

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      C
      CO 3 hours ago
      Whose ship has sailed before the first All Blacks squad?

      Based on last weekend there should be no Hurricanes loose forwards in the mix, they all seemed poor with the Brumbies once again fantastic at playing and executing as a team. The Hurricanes were also poor in the halves with the ten invisible and Cam Roigard trying to play up tempo, Helter skelter rugby which is what the Brumbies wanted.


      Roigards passing was telegraphic with his running game and sniping non existent, Ratima also appears to be getting metronomic, devoid of flair and his ten went invisible as well.


      If you can't step up at finals then you need to be punished, yes the blues were poor at times this season but they were right on either the last two games when it really matters.


      CWL is a bit larger but both him and Lakai are down on size for an eight and aren't freaks like Savea. Sotutu has to be in the mix and Dalton, but only if they front this Friday night.


      However six is an ongoing issue, Josh Beehre could be an answer to the lack of height in the loose forwards at Allblacks level, his driving try to ice the contest through a decent Chiefs pack was raw determination even with support.


      As for the previous try being ruled out on the flimsiest of technicalities that highlighted everything wrong with the TMO, it wasn't ā€˜rabbiting’, his knees dropped one after the other and he then brought his shoulders forward to extend and score, big guys can do that, that's why Sotutu has to be in the mix.


      Sititi looked short of a gallop and the Chiefs might be acting a bit too cute with their bench, the coach is saying all the right things but he's in the departure lounge and the signs are there that the Chiefs expected to be the best team in finals simply because they had the best bench.


      They're now under the pump and the winner of this year's super final will almost certainly be whoever wins this Friday in Christchurch.

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