Perry Baker has been nominated for the World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year award. It’s a plaudit familiar to the Eagles Sevens star – he won the award in 2017. Baker is one of three players nominated, the others Fijian playmaker Jerry Tuwai and Australia’s Ben O’Donnell, the latter earning recognition after just his first season.
The nomination of Baker comes despite the 32-year-old missing three stops on the 2017-18 circuit. His 37 tries were good enough for 4th overall, the top spot going to Eagles teammate Carlin Isles with 49. The USA would finish in 6th place in both the 2017-18 HSBC season and the Rugby World Cup Sevens hosted by San Francisco’s AT&T Park in July.
Nominated for the Women’s Sevens Player of the Year are three New Zealanders – captain Sarah Goss, flying winger Michaela Blyde, and superstar forward Portia Woodman.
The winner will be announced at the World Rugby Awards banquet in Monte Carlo on November 25.