The World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year is an award presented annually by World Rugby at the World Rugby Awards. It is given to honour "the achievements of those involved at the highest level of the world game on the field". First presented in 2001, it was initially named the IRB International Player of the Year; from 2007 until 2014 it was the IRB Player of the Year and in 2014 it was titled World Rugby Player of the Year, before being given its current name in 2016.

The winner receives a trophy at an annual awards ceremony. The voting panel select a list of nominees who can then be voted for by players, coaches, media representatives and the public via Twitter. Informed by the vote, the panel then select the winner. as of 2021 the voting panel comprises John Smit, George Gregan, Melodie Robinson, Maggie Alphonsi, Clive Woodward, Brian O'Driscoll, Richie McCaw, Thierry Dusautoir and Fiona Coghlan.

The first winner of the award was Ireland hooker Keith Wood. The winner for 2022 was Ireland's Josh van der Flier. New Zealand players have received the most awards, winning ten times. Two players have won three times – flanker Richie McCaw (2006, 2009 and 2010) and fly-half Dan Carter (2005, 2012 and 2015). Nominations for the award are dominated by players from Tier 1 nations; only United States' Joe Taufete'e has ever been nominated from a Tier 2 side. Fly-halves have won the award most often, with seven wins, followed by flankers with five.

Winners and nominees

Winners and nominees of the World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year

Year	Image	Winner	Country	Position	Other nominees	Ref(s)
2001		Keith Wood	Ireland	Hooker	Australia – George Gregan (Scrum-half)  Australia – George Smith (Flanker)  England – Jonny Wilkinson (Fly-half)  Ireland – Brian O'Driscoll (Centre)
2002		Fabien Galthié	France	Scrum-half	England – Jason Robinson (Wing)  Ireland – Brian O'Driscoll (Centre)  New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)  South Africa – Joe van Niekerk (Flanker)
2003		Jonny Wilkinson	England	Fly-half	Australia – Phil Waugh (Flanker)  England – Steve Thompson (Hooker)  France – Imanol Harinordoquy (Number 8)  New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)
2004		Schalk Burger	South Africa	Flanker	Australia – Matt Giteau (Centre)  France – Serge Betsen (Flanker)  Ireland – Gordon D'Arcy (Centre)  South Africa – Marius Joubert (Centre)
2005		Dan Carter	New Zealand	Fly-half	New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)  New Zealand – Tana Umaga (Centre)  South Africa – Bryan Habana (Wing)  South Africa – Victor Matfield (Lock)
2006		Richie McCaw	New Zealand	Flanker	Australia – Chris Latham (Full-back)  Ireland – Paul O'Connell (Lock)  New Zealand – Dan Carter (Fly-half)  South Africa – Fourie du Preez (Scrum-half)
2007		Bryan Habana	South Africa	Wing	Argentina – Felipe Contepomi (Centre)  Argentina – Juan Martín Hernández (Fly-half)  France – Yannick Jauzion (Centre)  New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)
2008		Shane Williams	Wales	Wing	Italy – Sergio Parisse (Number 8)  New Zealand – Dan Carter (Fly-half)  Scotland – Mike Blair (Scrum-half)  Wales – Ryan Jones (Number 8)
2009		Richie McCaw	New Zealand	Flanker	Australia – Matt Giteau (Fly-half)  England – Tom Croft (Flanker)  Ireland – Jamie Heaslip (Number 8)  Ireland – Brian O'Driscoll (Centre)  South Africa – Fourie du Preez (Scrum-half)  South Africa – François Steyn (Centre)
2010		Richie McCaw	New Zealand	Flanker	Australia – Kurtley Beale (Centre)  Australia – David Pocock (Flanker)  France – Imanol Harinordoquy (Number 8)  New Zealand – Mils Muliaina (Full-back)  South Africa – Victor Matfield (Lock)
2011		Thierry Dusautoir	France	Flanker	Australia – Will Genia (Scrum-half)  Australia – David Pocock (Flanker)  New Zealand – Jerome Kaino (Flanker)  New Zealand – Ma'a Nonu (Centre)  New Zealand – Piri Weepu (Scrum-half)
2012		Dan Carter	New Zealand	Fly-half	England – Owen Farrell (Fly-half)  France – Frédéric Michalak (Fly-half)  New Zealand – Richie McCaw (Flanker)
2013		Kieran Read	New Zealand	Number 8	Italy – Sergio Parisse (Number 8)  New Zealand – Ben Smith (Full-back)  South Africa – Eben Etzebeth (Lock)  Wales – Leigh Halfpenny (Full-back)
2014		Brodie Retallick	New Zealand	Lock	Ireland – Johnny Sexton (Fly-half)  New Zealand – Julian Savea (Wing)  South Africa – Willie le Roux (Full-back)  South Africa – Duane Vermeulen (Number 8)
2015		Dan Carter	New Zealand	Fly-half	Australia – Michael Hooper (Flanker)  Australia – David Pocock (Flanker)  New Zealand – Julian Savea (Wing)  Scotland – Greig Laidlaw (Scrum-half)  Wales – Alun Wyn Jones (Lock)
2016		Beauden Barrett	New Zealand	Fly-half	England – Owen Farrell (Fly-half)  England – Maro Itoje (Lock)  England – Billy Vunipola (Number 8)  Ireland – Jamie Heaslip (Number 8)  New Zealand – Dane Coles (Hooker)
2017		Beauden Barrett	New Zealand	Fly-half	Australia – Israel Folau (Full-back)  England – Owen Farrell (Fly-half)  England – Maro Itoje (Lock)  New Zealand – Rieko Ioane (Wing)
2018		Johnny Sexton	Ireland	Fly-half	New Zealand – Beauden Barrett (Fly-half)  New Zealand – Rieko Ioane (Wing)  South Africa – Faf de Klerk (Scrum-half)  South Africa – Malcolm Marx (Hooker)
2019		Pieter-Steph du Toit	South Africa	Flanker	England – Tom Curry (Flanker)  New Zealand – Ardie Savea (Flanker)  South Africa – Cheslin Kolbe (Wing)  United States – Joe Taufete'e (Hooker)  Wales – Alun Wyn Jones (Lock)
2020	Not Awarded
2021		Antoine Dupont	France	Scrum-half	Australia – Michael Hooper (Flanker)  England – Maro Itoje (Lock)  Australia – Samu Kerevi (Centre)
2022		Josh van der Flier	Ireland	Flanker	South Africa – Lukhanyo Am (Centre)  France – Antoine Dupont (Scrum-half)  Ireland – Johnny Sexton (Fly-half)
2023		Ardie Savea	New Zealand	Number 8	South Africa – Eben Etzebeth (Lock)  France – Antoine Dupont (Scrum-half)  Ireland – Bundee Aki (Centre)

Statistics

Correct as of the 2023 award

By country