Five to follow...

Leone Nakarawa (Fiji):

There is a very good case for voting this other worldly Fijian second row as World Rugby player of the year. He is redefining the role of lock and the concept of offloading. Despite onerous club commitments, he put the hard yards in for Fiji over the summer ensuring their World Cup qualification and helping them up the world rankings. Now comes another chance to shine.

Beauden Barrett (New Zealand):

A very special talent, the reigning world player of the year, who you fancy must have watched a lot of basketball and NFL in his recent youth such is his vast array of passes, feints and feeds. Barrett also remains the premier exponent of the attacking crossfield kick in all its guises. Box office player in his pomp. Enjoy.

Will Genia (Australia):

The finest ever rugby player to come out of Papua New Guinea? Genia has been a class act since making his Test debut in 2009 and after recuperating and regenerating after the 2015 World Cup by playing for a season and a bit at Stade Francais, he returned refreshed to Australia and helped fire up the Aussies after a slow start to the Rugby Championship.

Eben Etzebeth (South Africa):

You expect Springbok locks to be rugged, tough, intimidating and huge. Etzebeth,

right, is all of that but he is also a highly skilful, good in the loose and a clever lineout operator. This season he also emerged as a hard core skipper and although there have been blips along the way he is getting the Boks fit for purpose again.

Agustin Creevy (Argentina):

It’s been a hellish tough year for the Pumas who always seem to dip noticeably between World Cups, but one man who has never let his standards slip, in fact he gets better with every year, is their warrior captain at hooker. The competition is mighty, but I would nominate him as the best hooker in the recent Rugby Championship.