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England forward Maro Itoje was named breakthrough player of year
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The 22-year-old helped England complete the Six Nations Grand Slam and whitewash of Australia down under
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Compatriot Sarah Hunter won women’s player of the year at the World Rugby award
England and Saracens lock Maro Itoje was named breakthrough player of year while compatriot Sarah Hunter won women’s player of the year at the World Rugby awards in London.
Itoje, 22, helped England complete the Six Nations Grand Slam and was part of the squad that secured a 3-0 series whitewash of Australia down under.
England number eight Sarah Hunter took home the Women’s Player of the Year award, with Australia’s Charlotte Caslick winning the Women’s Sevens Player of the Year after her efforts at the Olympics in Rio.
New Zealand fly-half Beauden Barrett has been crowned World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in London.
Barrett completed a hat-trick for the All Blacks, with Steve Hansen winning Coach of the Year ahead of Eddie Jones (England) and Ben Ryan (Fiji Sevens) and Team of the Year going to New Zealand.
Try of the Year went to Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip while Alhambra Nievas and Rasta Rasivhenge jointly won Referee of the Year 2016.
