Who’s the man of the year?

So who’s it to be? Who deserves the distinction of being named the SA Rugby Player of the Year when the awards ceremony is held in November?

Being asked to make nominations for the award which will be a footnote to the Springboks’ annus mirabilis in 2009 brought home to me just how wonderful had been the team’s achievements – a series win over the British & Irish Lions, a convincing Tri-Nations triumph, No1 on the world rankings – and how many individuals had played a key role.

A good case could be made for up to six players to have their name engraved on the trophy along with the other stellar names* in the 40th year of the awards but only one can be named the winner.

*(Four players appear more than once: Naas Botha (‘79/’81/’85/’87), Gerald Bosch (‘73/’75), Uli Schmidt (‘90/’91) and Bryan Habana (‘05/’07), while before 1977 no single player received the award.

There have thus been 27 previous recipients and in a year such as this perhaps the award should go to the “team” rather than a “player” to recognise them all, but unfortunately the rules dictate that choice of an individual has to be made.

My first instinct was to nominate skipper John Smit . Even though he has been such an enormously influential figure in the annals of Springbok rugby Smit has never been among the finalists.

He is already South Africa’s longest serving captain and in 2009 he became the world’s most-capped captain and the second most-capped Springbok while leading his team through what will be recorded as a golden era. He took on a new playing position, he was bloodied and battered, frustrated by officialdom but always he stood tall. Now may be the appropriate time to acknowledge the immense role he has played.

However there were other names that quickly sprung to mind while scanning SA Rugby’s nomination form.

Fourie du Preez? Unquestionably the best scrumhalf in world rugby he has been described by friend and foe as the best rugby player on the planet. He was the axis around which the team revolved and instrumental in any number of key plays. If there was a dominant individual it was he.

Morné Steyn. He came off the bench to kick the goal that won the series against the British Lions and scored all the points to claim a string of records when the Boks beat the All Blacks 31-19 in Durban. He earned the distinction of accumulating the fastest century of points in Springbok history and it could be argued that had it not been for the flow of points off that right boot of his the Springbok year might have turned out very differently.

Victor Matfield. Another who is inarguably the best in his position in the world. There has never been a finer ball-winning lock and the constant flow of good possession the Blue Bull captain provided for the team coupled to the way he disrupted their opponents’ lineout was crucial in each and every test.

Heinrich Brüssow. Only came into the side when Schalk Burger was unavailable for the first test against the Lions and ended up making the No 6 jersey his own. He had an immense influence on the outcome of the Lions series – they simply had no answer to him – and bested every illustrious opponent he came up against; including George Smith and Richie McCaw.

Francois Steyn. Could he now be the most dangerous player in world rugby? Just 21 but with already 36 caps to his name his long-range penalties were key to a number of victories – never more so than in the Tri-Nations clincher in Hamilton when he rocked the All Blacks back on their heels with three booming kicks from inside his own half.

There were others that played an important part. How vital, for instance, is the crash-bang provided by Bakkies Botha? Or the muscle of Bismarck du Plessis? Or the brains of Jean de Villiers… the pace and try-scoring instincts of Bryan Habana?

But there can be only be one Man of the Year. Who would he be for you?