The prize guys
Pair of Scots on shortlist for top award is so good for our game, says Cockerill
No Scottish player has ever been named European Player of the Year but with two on this year’s shortlist, that could be about to change.
Exeter Chiefs full-back Stuart Hogg and Racing 92 fly-half Finn Russell are among the five players up for the top honour. A public vote plus input from a panel of experts will decide who will take home the award.
The shortlist includes four players whose performances were vital in taking their clubs to the Heineken Champions Cup final at Ashton Gate next month.
Exeter are represented by the leading try scorer in this season’s tournament, Sam Simmonds, as well as Hogg, whose international colleague Russell makes it on to the list for Racing 92, alongside his team-mate Virimi Vakatawa.
The Top 14 club are looking for a second accolade in three years as a former player, Leone Nakarawa, now at Glasgow Warriors, won in 2018. Semi Radradra’s selection comes on the back of some great performances in the European Challenge Cup for BordeauxBègles during the pool stage and, more recently, for finalists Bristol Bears.
The winner and recipient of the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy will be announced following the Heineken Champions Cup final in Bristol on Saturday, october 17.
Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill believes having two Scots on the shortlist shows that the national team has some of the best players in the world.
‘Finn and Hoggy are both world-class players who are doing really well for their respective clubs, so they deserve the plaudits they get,’ said Cockerill. ‘Having them nominated helps the perception of Scottish rugby. ‘There has been a lot of good Scottish players who have left the country and done really well, and Hoggy and Finn are two who have done it in recent times. ‘They are both at very good clubs and now have the chance to play in a European final. Exeter are going for a double with the Premiership as well, and with Sam Skinner and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne there, we have some Scottish lads who are getting very good exposure, which can only be good for the national team, and will raise the profile of the Scottish game.’ Cockerill is backing Hogg’s Exeter Chiefs to beat Russell’s Racing 92 in the
European final, adding: ‘I think Exeter will be too consistent.
‘Racing have got the stardust and will produce some magic moments but I think Exeter’s game, over 80 minutes, will be too strong for them. Exeter will be too pragmatic and too consistent across the whole match.
‘What Rob Baxter is doing there with the squad they’ve got is superb. Exeter will be too strong.’
Meanwhile, Russell is looking forward to facing off with Hogg (left) — and then joining up with him for Scotland.
He told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast: ‘I’m going to put high balls up to Hoggy all the time — we are not going to play rugby…
‘To be honest, I’ve not watched them that much and I’ve not thought about it until now. So, I’ll start having a look at them and then see how we want to play.
‘But if in doubt, I’ll just put the high ball up on Hoggy or just give it to Virimi (Vakatawa).’
As for playing under Gregor Townsend again, Russell continued: ‘I spoke to him (Townsend) last week and I’m going to have another chat with him this week.
‘Everything’s a lot better there, in terms of my relationship with Gregor.
‘That’s kind of moved forward a lot since the last Six Nations. I think that will just be in the past and we’ll move on from there.
‘There’s a couple of new coaches that I don’t really know, because obviously I wasn’t there for the Six Nations.
‘I got a text from (assistant coach) Steve Tandy and I’ll give him a call this week to have a chat through the defensive stuff he’s brought in and whatnot.
‘It’s all looking positive, so it should be good fun.’