Since 2001, World Rugby (formerly the International Rugby Board or IRB) have named a men’s world player of the year 21 times – taking 2020 off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But can you name every single winner of the award? Take our men’s world player of the year quiz below, and see if you can beat the clock.

You have three minutes and 15 seconds to get all the answers down. Ready, steady, go…

Picking the men’s world player of the year

Did you know that there was a panel of ten figures who selected all of the World Rugby (then IRB) awards back in 2001?

The judging panel back then was: Gerald Davies (Chairman of Judges, Wales), Paul Ackford (England), Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand), Simon Poidevin (Australia), Hugo Porta (Argentina), Gareth Rees (Canada), Philippe Sella (France), Fergus Slattery (Ireland), David Sole (Scotland), Chester Williams (South Africa).

The most recent men’s player of the year said upon winning the award: said: “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have great team-mates and coaches that have really pushed me on, as well as my wife and my family supported me a huge amount. I’m lucky to have some very experienced, top quality players and especially in my position both in Ireland and in [removed], so I’ve always felt I’ve needed to be playing at my best the whole time or I wouldn’t be playing, so that’s certainly driven me on.”

But on picking them, World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “On a special night, there was so much to celebrate about a remarkable 2022, but for me it was the power of personality that has stood out this year.”

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