Shortlist revealed for Try of the Year

The six tries were selected by the IRPA Try of Year panel of former players in Ireland’s Shane Horgan, All Black Christian Cullen, Serge Betsen of France and South Africa’s Stefan Terblanche.

The winner, though, will be determined by guests at the World Rugby Awards at Battersea Evolution in London on November 1, who will be able to view the shortlisted tries and register their votes during dinner with the accolade presented later in the evening.

Debaty’s try against England in the Six Nations back in March began in their own 22, the ball being worked along the line to wing Noa Nakaitaci, who broke down the left and then stepped inside Mike Brown, finding the French prop coming around in support to take the offload and run in.

The next try in the calendar year was Vainikolo’s and came in the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in July and also began in the 22, Kurt Morath’s cross-field kick bouncing into up into the arms of the Tongan wing who shrugged off four players to run in a try against the USA.

Tipuric turned Ireland replacement Ian Madigan inside out to score in Wales’ warm-up victory in August, the flank combining with Tyler Morgan down the left wing to create the scoring opportunity at the Millennium Stadium.

The remaining three contenders come from Rugby World Cup 2015 with some quick handling among the Japanese backs creating the angle for wing Kotaro Matsushima to slice through and release Goromaru to keep the Brave Blossoms’ hopes alive against South Africa.

Savea’s two tries both came against France in the quarter-finals and were contrasting in style, the first running onto a sublime offload from Daniel Carter and the second seeing the All Black charge through three defenders to touch down.

World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “We have been lucky enough to witness some fantastic tries during 2015 and these tries are testament to rugby’s character-building values of teamwork and enjoyment and I am looking forward to seeing who the Awards' guests will give the honour of scoring the IRPA Try of the Year 2015 to.”

IRPA Executive Director Rob Nichol said: “With so many great international tries scored this year, involving both individual brilliance and great teamwork, it was a difficult process to settle on just six nominees and they would all be worthy of the award.”

For more information on the World Rugby Awards visit, www.worldrugby.org/awards.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2014 – Francois Hougaard (South Africa) – South Africa v New Zealand
2013 – Beauden Barrett (New Zealand) – New Zealand v France
2012 – Bryan Habana (South Africa) – South Africa v New Zealand
2011 – Radike Samo (Australia) – Australia v New Zealand
2010 – Chris Ashton (England) – England v Australia
2009 – Jaque Fourie (South Africa) – South Africa v British and Irish Lions
2008 – Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) – Australia v Ireland 
2007 – Takudzwa Ngwenya (USA) – South Africa v USA