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At his electric best in 2025, Thomas Ramos will certainly feel hard done by. Once again, the Toulouse fullback has been overlooked for World Rugby’s Team of the Year. And once again, it’s hard to understand why. After starting all eight of France’s internationals, bar their heavily rotated tour to New Zealand, Ramos has been Les Bleus’ most influential figure alongside breakout star Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Should he have made the cut ? He definitely has a compelling case.
Failing to make the cut in World Rugby’s best XV of the calendar year, Ramos couldn’t have done much more to force the issue. Scintillating at the heart of France’s Six Nations campaign and pivotal throughout Toulouse’s domestic dominance, the back-to-back Top 14 champion has ticked every possible box since last January: silverware ? Check. Standout performances ? Check. Match winning plays ? Multiple. Realistically, Ugo Mola’s protégé has every reason to feel aggrieved.
Fullback is, admittedly, one of the most brutally competitive positions in the modern game. And Ramos’ main rival this year is no ordinary contender. Will Jordan, arguably the sport’s most prolific finishers, featured in all 13 of Scott Robertson’s starting line-ups and brings the sort of pedigree that sways selectors' heads. This was therefore never going to be a foregone conclusion. But the fact the race was so close is exactly why Ramos’ omission stings, particularly after losing out to the same man in 2024.
The debate is not merely a comparison of styles, but of influence. The Crusaders flyer, at his best, delivers unforgettable moments in wide channels. Ramos, meanwhile, shapes entire matches. For France, he is not just a safety net at the back, he is a second fly-half. A true French general. With the keys to number 10 against Italy back in February, the former Colomiers loanee led his team to a thumping 73-24 victory on roman soil. Somewhat of a statement win against an Italian side that many see as a rising force in the international game. A rare show of versatility at the highest level.
With more than one string to his bow, Ramos is proving to be far more than a classic fullback. If Jordan is rugby’s great poacher, Ramos is the conductor, seemingly playing the game in slow motion, no matter the stakes. In the same vein as Marcus Smith for England or Damian Mckenzie for New-Zealand, the Toulouse maestro has become central to ‘Les Tricolores’ multi-layered attack, particularly in broken field. Whether through crisp distribution or flashes of off-the-cuff brilliance, something he has accustomed us to these past few years, he consistently elevates the players around him. Damian Penaud’s opener against the Springboks this autumn is just one prime example.
Receiving an awkward ball from club mate Romain Ntamack, Ramos was forced back inside, into what many would see as a dead end. But not Thomas. Outsmarting South Africa’s blitz defence, he chipped over Kurt-Lee Arendse and watched Penaud seize the opportunity with ease. 5–0 France, and yet again, Fabien Galthié’s first-choice fullback delivered when it mattered.
Beyond his adaptability, his kicking game is what truly sets him apart. Having racked up over 3,000 points in professional rugby and becoming France’s top point scorer in this year’s Six Nations, Ramos now carries a well-earned reputation from the tee. Rarely missing, he is generally considered one of the sport’s most efficient place kickers. If not the best. And with 327 points scored across 24 games in 2025, Ramos’ stats truly speak for themselves.
Ramos’ kicking game is, quite simply, elite. Few players in world rugby strike the ball with his blend of consistency, range and ice-cold temperament. World class.
Individual awards, granted, shouldn’t hinge entirely on trophies. But they should reward players who drive success. And Ramos undeniably has. A key figure in France’s European exploits last winter, Ramos not only started all five of his nation’s games, but led from the front. And while club form isn’t officially part of the criteria, it inevitably colours perception. In that case, his résumé only strengthens : a driving force behind Toulouse’s Top 14 title and their Champions Cup semifinal run, he remained one of Europe’s premier performers.
Jordan, by contrast, was part of an All Blacks side that struggled for rhythm all year. Sluggish displays against a weakened French outfit this summer, followed by losses to Argentina, South Africa and England, wasn’t what Robertson had scripted. And yes, a place in the World XV shouldn’t be judged solely on a team’s fortunes - Len Ikitau and Harry Wilson proved that. But when the margins are razor-thin, it’s impossible to ignore.
To be totally honest, Will Jordan is by all accounts a deserving winner of the jersey. His attacking numbers are out of this world, and his all-court game has gone from strength to strength in recent years, leading the charge as one of rugby’s most instinctive threats. But this head to head is in fact a lot deeper than to what meets the eye. And without wanting to sound old, stats don’t always tell the true story…
Should the team of the year reward the player with the flashiest moments and best try ratio, or the one whose influence is the most complete ? If the goal is simply to choose the most electrifying back-three player in world rugby, the Christchurch sensation is definitely the front runner. Hence his fifth consecutive appearance in the dream team. But if, for argument sake, the aim is to reward the most complete fullback of the year. The one whose performances genuinely shaped his team’s success, then Ramos appears to hold the stronger all-round claim.