ARN Sevens Player of the Year 2015

Following up on our Super 7 team, it’s our first major individual award, the overall Sevens Player of the Year. While our select teams all come from the men’s sides, we’ve decided to include the women in our individual honours instead of keeping them separate. Given that, it’s been exceptionally difficult to narrow down our contenders list to just four nominees. Without further adieu, our choices are…

HONOURABLE MENTION

Rugby fans outside of Brazil might not be familiar with Paula Ishibashi yet, but by this time next year they should be. The host country have qualified automatically for the Olympics, but on form they would have been odds-on to make it on their own. Leading the way is the pocket rocket from São Paulo at halfback. Shifty footwork, slick passing, and tenacious defense earned her the prize of Best Rugby Athlete from the Brazilian Olympic Committee this past season, the second time she has won the award.

The exploding popularity of Carlin Isles and Perry Baker have almost left Zack Test as the forgotten man of USA 7s. Almost. The lanky speedster spends most of his time in the forwards these days, though his experience and versatility allow him to cover any of the back positions as well. In fact there’s not much on the pitch he can’t do, be it running around people, through them, offloading, and winning the ball in the air. Season highlights included winning his 50th cap at home in Las Vegas, and of course being named to the official 2014-15 HSBC Sevens Series Dream Team.

One could pick from any number of outstanding players from Canada’s women’s outfit as a top contender. Ghislaine Landry, Ashley Steacy, and of course captain Jen Kish. Our favourite among the bunch is tireless forward Karen Paquin, whose all-action style has marked her as a star in both the 7s and 15s versions of the game. Her contributions in the set piece, particularly in the air, are also invaluable. With deceptive speed thanks to her long stride and textbook support lines, ‘Pako’ was a dominant force all season and deservedly named to the official 2014-15 HSBC Sevens Series Dream Team.

THE WINNER

In the end one player stood above the rest. Madison Hughes has become not just a respected leader of the team, but arguably the most valuable player. Without his playmaking skills and line-breaking threat in the midfield, the likes of Isles and Baker would not have the quality of possession that they enjoy. The second leading point scorer on the circuit, he was named to the Dream Team at Las Vegas and of course in London, where he was at his very best leading his team to their first ever Cup victory. Let’s also not forget his picture-perfect conversion from a difficult angle in extra time to claim a first ever win over New Zealand. For every reason, Madison Hughes is our 2015 Sevens Player of the Year.