Are you ready to vote for the Player of the 2024 Men’s Rugby Europe Championship? Twelve players have made the shortlist, and it is up to you to vote for your favourite.
Nominations have been selected with a mixture of stats from Oval Insights and Player of the Match awards. Each player must have played in more than two rounds of competition.
Wolf van Dijk (Netherlands)
The only player to collect three Player of the Match awards in 2024. Netherlands might’ve not finished in the top-4, but the efforts of Wolf van Dijk were nothing short of impressive, as his offloading and tackling prowess were huge game-changers for his team throughout the tournament.
Ilia Spanderashvili (Georgia)
As van Dijk, Ilia Spanderashvili also collected more than one Player of the Match prize, in what was his real breakthrough season for the Lelos. The bulldozing physicality injected in every carry, tackle, and breakdown contest was inspiring and shifted the momentum in certain games.
Merab Sharikadze (Georgia)
The Lelos skipper keeps on delivering season after season and played a vital role in Georgia’s success in 2024. He was the 2nd player with most carries (54) and metres in contact (70), and Georgia’s top tackler of the season (37).
Akaki Tabutsadze (Georgia)
Another Men's REC, another Try Scorer of the Season for Akaki Tabutsadze! The Georgian bullet scored seven tries, two of which in the final against Portugal, running wild and mostly unopposed on the wing. In addition to his try scoring ability, Tabutsadze assisted for two tries and finished the competition with 266 meters run and six clean breaks.
Hugo Aubry (Portugal)
In his first outing in the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship, the 21-year-old impressed fans, converting 55 points from the boot, pushing Portugal to defeat old-time rivals Spain and Romania. His sharp kicking skills and well-balanced tactical knowledge of the game were pivotal for the Lobos 2nd place finish.
Thomas de Molder (Belgium)
The experienced number-eight was voracious as an attacking unit, bumping incoming tacklers and finding cracks to build an advantage for Belgium. A two-time Player of the Match winner, de Molder's impact was immense for the Diables Noirs, especially in their famous victory over Portugal.
Mario Pichardie (Spain)
Be it as a lock and flanker, Mario Pichardie was a huge boost for Spain’s third-place playoff, inspiring his team to cross the finishing line in the bronze final. Pichardie’s outstanding work rate was breathtaking and gave a clear image of what we can expect from the Leones when the RWC qualification starts.
Tevita Manumua (Romania)
Eighteen defenders beaten, seventy-five metres in contact won five clean breaks, and two tries. What a season for Tevita Manumua, the Romanian winger who never ceased to believe it was possible to take the Stejarii to the final.
Martiniano Cian (Spain)
Unbelievable pace, an eccentric skillset, and a knack to run the show wild. Martiniano Cian was all of this, as the winger scored four great tries and assisted for another two, earning himself a nomination for the Best Player of the Tournament.
Nicolás Martins (Portugal)
Seventy-one tackles were made, and only one missed attempt, an insane number for any player but not for Portugal’s Nicolás Martins! The loose forward played a significant role in the Lobos 2nd place finish, adding five breakdown turnovers and four lineout steals, while also finishing as the forward with the most metres run (198).
Vaha Halaifonua (Poland)
Yes, Poland might’ve not won any of their five games, but you cannot deny Vaha Halaifonua's efforts to push his country to a higher standard. His attacking ferocity and unbending will to keep going forward inspired his teammates to try and go the extra mile, finishing as one of the most accurate tacklers of the tournament (45).
Iulian Hartig (Romania)
The scrum is a decisive area of the game and those who know how to turn it into an advantage have to be rewarded, like Iulian Hartig. The Romanian loosehead gave a hard time to his opposite rivals, earning more than a handful of penalties and advantages for his side. His mobility and speed deserve to be also recognized, as they added an extra edge to Romania’s attacking platform.
Leo Wolf (Germany)
He is undoubtedly one of the most exciting centres in Rugby Europe’s overall competitions, not only because he can brush aside any potential tackler, as he can pop up an unexpected clean break. He is a voracious unit who played the full eighty minutes for Germany, always ready to deliver something special.
