Kockott ... King of the 9 jersey

South African scrum-half Rory Kockott was voted Top 14 player of last season by his fellow professionals at an awards ceremony in Paris on Monday.

The 27-year-old – who beat Clermont duo French centre Wesley Fofana and former All Black wing Sitiveni Sivivatu – sparkled for Castres last season with his league leading 376 points, Jonny Wilkinson scored 373, inspiring the club to a surprise run to the championship final where they beat European champions Toulon 19-14, Kockott scoring a try.

Season after season, the one name we constantly read and hear about from up north is Rory Kocko tt ... we see his scintillating play match after match and yet he still remains ignored.

Easily the best scrummy in the world today. 

He'd obviously walk my Bok team. 

Yes indeed it was another huge mistake about Rory seeking new pastures overseas...just another debacle in SA rugby selections. Always liked him...spunky, tough and great ball sense...a matching of him with Patrick Lambie or the Goose would be a devastating pair.

Kockott’s 376 points (three more than Toulon’s former England international Jonny Wilkinson) guided Castres to the title. He was named man of the match in the final, in which he scored a brilliant individual try and kicked superbly.

Kockott beat off the challenge of French international Wesley Fofana and Clermont’s former All Blacks winger Sitiveni Sivivatu.

Kockott, despite his form, is unlikely to be included in Bok coach Heyneke Meyer’s touring squad.(WHY IS THAT??????)

Kockott has made it public that he would prize the chance to play for the Boks as the ultimate but failing that would consider French selection when he becomes eligible next season.

Castres were named team of the year, despite Toulon winning the European Cup, while Fofana scooped French player of the year. Brive’s Julien Caminati was crowned PRO D2 player of the season while Mathieu Raynal got the referee’s prize.

I personally have no problem with Kockott neing selected for the Springbok team - but the fact that he missed out previously was due to the fact that he was kept -

*   out by Fourie du Preez from Springbok selection; and

*   out of the Sharks team by the availability of Ruan Pienaar.

When he was young he was reportedly somewhat of a difficult character and that counted against him in the Sharks set-up, where the first choice scrummie always was Pienaar, whenever he was available to play.

When Meyer was forced to bring in a foreign-based player as a scrummie - his first choice was understandably was Pienaar - since Du Preez was not available and bearing in mind  Kockott's history with the Sharks.  

It is obvious that Kockott matured and developed further in France and is now a top scrummie - hence my comments about his potential future.   Basically at present he is a better scrummie than Pienaar - but what may count against him is the fact that SARU already indicated that they are going to cut down on the number of foreign-based players in the Springbok team.   However, I would have no problem if Kockott is selected ahead of Pienaar for the EOYT - since the local scrummies need further development in any event.