A top New Zealand sports columnist has rated our Vodafone Fijian 7s Olympic gold medal team’s chances better than the All Blacks in this year’s World Rugby awards.

The team is shortlisted alongside the All Blacks and England for the Team of the Year award.

Chris Rattue, who writes for the New Zealand Herald, titled his report ‘Fiji easy choice over ABs’. He wrote:

“World Rugby’s team of the year is a simple decision – Fiji. Their Olympic gold medal has the romance factor, something which has all but evaporated from world sport.

“As spectacular as the All Blacks have been in 2016, this is a time to celebrate what happened in Rio where Fiji scored its first ever medal. There will be plenty more years to honour All Black rugby. Plenty. There should be an outcry if Fiji do not win.”

Also shortlisted for a World Rugby award is our Vodafone Fijian 7s captain, Osea Kolinisau, for the Player of the Year award.

Former Vodafone Fijian 7s coach, Ben Ryan, has been shortlisted for the Coach of the Year award. Mr Rattue wrote Mr Ryan “would probably win it” but believes All Blacks coach, Steve Hansen, should win it “…partly because WR owes him after last year’s outrageous snub. The All Blacks have reached amazing heights this year, ones well beyond what fellow nominee Eddie Jones has achieved with England.”

Australia’s Michael Cheika was named coach of the year in 2015, which Mr Rattue wrote was “…a lingering insult that needs redressing and quickly. Australia were crushed in the 2015 final. That should have ruled Cheika out.”

The World Rugby awards will be held on November 13 in London.

Edited by Naisa Koroi