Can you name the rugby players to have been nominated for Sports Personality of the Year?

From Jonny Wilkinson to Ellie Kildunne, who are the rugby stars recognised by the prestigious award?

Sport Personality of the Year rugby nominees (Getty Images)

Sports Personality of the Year has a women’s rugby player on the shortlist for the first time ever in 2025 with Ellie Kildunne named.

The England full-back has had a glittering year, winning the Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup.

Kildunne, who also won her 50th England cap this year, has become one of the stars of the game with her signature try celebration setting off a trend in the sport. When attending a Red Roses match you cannot move for cowboy hats which is thanks to Kildunne, Jess Breach and Meg Jones’ rodeo celebration.

The Harlequins player used the celebration nine times across the Six Nations and World Cup, adding to England’s huge success.

The nomination is another statement to the growth of the women’s game. But Kildunne’s nomination has supporters wondering which other rugby union stars have previously been shortlisted for the award. The full list is below.

Can you name the rugby players to have been nominated for Sports Personality of the Year? The full list

Barry John (1971, third place)

Wales’s fly-half Barry John. John is considered by many to be the greatest fly-half in the history of rugby, and came to be known as “the King”. (Photo by Universal/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

Wales fly-half Barry John had a formidable reputation at the time of his third-place finish which carries through to this day. He is regarded as one of the best 10s to ever play the game and in 1971 he was a key figure in the British and Irish Lions series win against New Zealand.

John was the top point-scorer across the three Tests, slotting 30 for the Lions. Away from the Lions, John was a part of the Wales team who won the Five Nations Grand Slam. The slam was Wales’ first since 1952.

The rugby star lost to royalty at the BBC awards with Princess Anne winning the trophy.

Related: Watch emotional SPOTY moment

Sir Gareth Edwards (1974, Wales SPOTY winner)

Former Wales and British Lions scrumhalf Sir Gareth Edwards looks on during the RBS Six Nations match between Wales and France (Getty Images)

Sir Gareth Edwards is considered one of the greatest players of all-time and in 1974 he won the Wales SPOTY award for all of his efforts on the pitch. That year he was a part of the British and Irish Lions squad who were unbeaten in a series against South Africa. Edwards played in each Test on that tour and was central to the team’s success. It was for those reasons he picked up the Cymru award.

He was never nominated for the main SPOTY with athlete Brendan Foster winning the gong in 1974. Boxing’s John Conteh came second with Edwards’ teammate Willie John McBride third.

Willie John McBride (1974, third place)

Willie John McBride leads out the British Lions during the Rugby Lions tour of South Africa, South Africa. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK /Allsport

Willie John McBride was not only a part of the 1974 winning Lions team, he captained them to their historic victory. His leadership qualities for club and country saw him appointed as the skipper and he led his teammates to the first Test series win in South Africa.

The achievement led to McBride being nominated for the BBC’s accolade and he ended up coming third. While he did not pick up the big prize, he has gone down as a rugby legend. He is a reference point for an entire generation of players and is an iconic captain.

Will Carling (1991, second place)

Will Carling of England chips over the head of Raymond Nelson of USA. – (Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images)

Will Carling is one of the great England captains. In 1991 he led his team to huge success which saw him put on the SPOTY shortlist. England won the Five Nations Grand Slam and they also reached the Rugby World Cup final, the first time England had done so.

They faced Australia in the final at Twickenham, the home of English rugby. However, the Wallabies came out on top 12-6. Despite the loss, Carling was nominated for being a standout player and skipper for the year and was only pipped to the award by athlete Liz McColgan.

Jonny Wilkson (2003, winner and 2007, nominee)

England rugby player Jonny Wilkinson poses with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award at the end of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards at BBC Television Centre on December 14, 2003, in London. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Jonny Wilkinson. The name alone evokes so many memories for fans of the sport and so it is no surprise that he picked up the trophy in 2003. He was pivotal in England winning the Rugby World Cup that year, the last-minute drop goal in the final the headline amongst a great campaign for the fly-half.

Wilkinson is the only rugby player to have ever won the main gong. He was also nominated in 2007 after he helped to steer England to another World Cup final but they could not defend their title with South Africa winning the game. In 2007 he was beaten to the top three by the boxer Joe Calzaghe, Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton and boxer Ricky Hatton.

Martin Johnson (2003, second place)

Martin Johnson with his runner up award during BBC 50th Sports Personality Of The Year Awards at BBC Television Centre in London, Great Britain. (Photo by Tim Whitby/WireImage)

Just like Wilkinson, Martin Johnson was a part of the 2003 World Cup winning team. However, he was the captain of the squad. His leadership helped to guide the team to the final against the hosts Australia which ended in dramatic fashion with England just pipping their rivals.

Johnson was beaten by Wilkinson to the main award but he came second. That meant rugby union won the award, picked up the runner-up, team of the year and coach of the year. 2003 was definitely the year rugby union was put on the map and SPOTY demonstrated that fully.

Jason Robinson (2007, nominee)

Jason Robinson of England kicks upfield during the Quarter Final of the Rugby World Cup 2007 between Australia and England at the Stade Velodrome on October 6, 2007 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

The England wing Jason Robinson was sparkling in the 2003 Rugby World Cup where he won the title but he was in as just good form four years later. He scored a try in their campaign and aided the team to the final, which they lost against South Africa.

The tournament was his final one on an international stage and he sadly sustained an injury in the final. But his efforts did see him nominated for one of sport’s biggest awards in SPOTY. As stated above, other sportsmen beat Robinson to a top three finish but the nomination was recognition for what he had brought to English rugby.

Leigh Halfpenny (2013, second place)

Leigh Halfpenny, the Lions fullback, misses with a last minute match winning penalty during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The Wales legend Leigh Halfpenny is the last rugby player to have been nominated for SPOTY before Kildunne in 2025. Halfpenny earned the nomination because of his stellar form for both country and the British and Irish Lions. He was the player of the Lions tour to Australia in 2013, a tour the team won.

He was also a part of Wales’ Six Nations tournament win. The star was the Six Nations player of the tournament that year. Halfpenny’s efforts saw him come second with only tennis player Andy Murray pipping him to the main silverware. Halfpenny also won the Wales SPOTY in 2013.

Overseas Sports Personality of the Year winners

Jonah Lomu (1995, winner)

Jonah Lomu of New Zealand dives over for the try during the 1995 Rugby World Cup match between England and New Zealand played in Cape Town, South Africa. New Zealand beat England 45 – 29. Mandatory Credit: Dave Rogers /Allsport

Jonah Lomu is, still to this day, the most famous name in rugby. His skill on pitch blew people away and his kindness off it had the same effect. Because of that, Lomu winning the overseas SPOTY felt inevitable. His win came after the 1995 Rugby World Cup. His New Zealand team did not win the trophy but Lomu himself was unstoppable.

Lomu scored seven tries in five matches, four of which came against England in the semi-final. It was that same game that created the famous moment where Lomu literally runs over England’s Mike Catt. The move highlighted Lomu’s power and unbelievable skill with a ball in his hand.

Related: The Jonah Lomu issue

Dan Carter (2015, winner)

Dan Carter of the New Zealand All Blacks poses with the Webb Ellis Cup following the victory against Australia in the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final match between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham Stadium on October 31, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – World Rugby via Getty Images/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Another New Zealand great won the overseas SPOTY award but this time in 2015. Dan Carter, regarded as one of the best players of all-time, secured a back-to-back Rugby World Cup that year. He was named player of the final, scoring important drop goals to keep the scoreboard ticking.

The performances also saw him win World Rugby Player of the Year in 2015. It was the third time he had received the individual honour. He bowed out from international rugby in the same year which brought a close to a phenomenal career. All capped off by winning the BBC award.

Has anyone else in rugby union won anything during SPOTY?

Various rugby teams have won the Team of the Year gong. The first to do so was the British and Irish Lions team in 1971 and the Lions have also won the award in 1974, 1997 and 2013. England won the accolade in 1980, 1991, 1993, 2003, 2007. The Red Roses won it in 2014, while Scotland won it in 1990.

For coach of the year Sir Clive Woodward won it in 2003 after winning the World Cup with England. Warren Gatland also picked up the gong in 2013 after steering the Lions to a series win and also having a successful year as Wales coach.

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