Springboks legend Victor Matfield was surprised by World Rugby’s decision to give sevens more prominence than the XVs game at last weekend’s awards night.

The former lock forward, who was actually part of the selection panel, criticised the governing body for not keeping the Men’s 15’s Player of the Year until last.

Instead, it was Antoine Dupont who won the final award of the night after being selected as Men’s Sevens Player of the Year.

‘Never been like that’

“I was on the selection committee and we selected the men’s player of the year, we selected the team, we selected the women’s player of the year,” Matfield said on SuperSport’s Final Whistle show.

“Normally, the XVs player of the year is the main trophy and that is the last trophy. All of a sudden, it was almost more about the sevens – the last trophy of the night was the Sevens Player of the Year, which was Antoine Dupont.

“It’s never been like that, so they changed all of that around.”

Dupont’s coach, Jérôme Daret, was also honoured in a decision which outraged Springboks supporters, who thought Rassie Erasmus should have been World Rugby Coach of the Year.

Matfield had a theory for that selection after the southern hemisphere – and particularly the Springboks – dominated the men’s awards.

“All of a sudden, this French guy (Daret) wins this trophy,” he said.

“For me, maybe they wanted the northern hemisphere to win something and to get a little bit of acknowledgement.

“Also, there was a lot of push at this event for women’s rugby, which I think is really good, and the sevens game, but XVs is still the main event. That’s the thing that brings in all the money.

“If you look at the World Cup, that’s still the big focus in world rugby, so for Rassie not to win this…

“The record he has this year, what he’s done with his team. If the French team won the series as well, different story, but they didn’t win the series, Argentina won it. They only won the Olympics, so I think it’s a bit tough on Rassie.”

Prop stars

Matfield was also frustrated that a prop once again missed out on being nominated, despite the performances of Ox Nche.

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The loosehead has been absolutely critical to the Springboks’ success, but Nche was not picked on the shortlist.

“There has never been a prop forward nominated for player of the year. If we look at the World Cup last year, Ox won that World Cup,” the former Boks second-row said.

“Handre [Pollard] did well, Pieter-Steph [du Toit] was brilliant, but Ox won that World Cup for us with his scrummaging. He should have been there. Even this year, I think he should have been nominated.

“It’s always very difficult because you see the fly-halves, you see the loose forwards, maybe second-rows because they’re so dominant in the lineout, but those prop forwards doing the hard work, the dark arts, I think they should get more accolades.”