England’s Tom Curry and South Africa’s Cheslin Kolbe have been named among the nominees for the World Rugby Player of the Year award ahead of their nations’ World Cup final clash on Saturday.
Curry, 21, competing in his first World Cup, has featured in all of England’s matches in Japan so far, including their convincing semifinal victory against defending champions New Zealand. The flanker has also been named in Eddie Jones’ side to take on the Springboks in Saturday’s showpiece clash in Yokohama.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Kolbe has featured in just three of his team’s fixtures in Japan, sustaining an ankle injury in the pool stage before aggravating the issue in the Springboks’ quarterfinal win over the hosts, but has two tries to his name at the tournament.
Kolbe’s injury meant the 26-year-old fullback — also taking part in his first World Cup — missed South Africa’s narrow semifinal victory against Wales, but he has been deemed fit enough to start in Rassie Erasmus’ team to face England.
The other nominees are Kolbe’s teammate Steph du Toit, New Zealand’s Ardie Savea, Joe Taufete’e of the United States and Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones — who has thus far made a tournament-high number of tackles at 70, with a third-place playoff against the All Blacks still to come on Friday.
The nominees were selected by a panel of judges, though international players also had the opportunity to vote. The winner of the Player of the Year award will be announced on Sunday at a ceremony in Tokyo, where the winners of the Team of the Year and Coach of the Year awards will also be revealed.
Last year’s Player of the Year was Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton, whose nation won Team of the Year after their Six Nations Grand Slam victory. Ireland coach Joe Schmidt won the Coach of the Year prize.