Looking at the records on wikipedia and no RL player has ever made the top 3. There's a clear and natural bias against team sports for the main award (football is well behind athletics) and GB/England's lack of consistent success won't have helped, but I'm still a tiny bit surprised - especially looking at some the relatively minor sports that have had recognition.

Saints won the team award a few years ago, of course.

After Saturday all bets will be off as the BBC award everything to the England Rah Rah's. They did it a few years ago, when England drew with NZ at Twickenham in a friendly thanks to four Rob Andrew penalties (Wow!). John Inverdale couldn't contain himself, making out that it was the greatest team performance in the history of sport. It was around the same time that Wigan had just won their 6th or 7th Challenge Cup Final on he trot.

End of thread folks, Sir Kev is nailed on!

absolutely - when you consider the context of the question that was put to him about drug use, and right at the end of a gruelling stage when he was tested in the hills. rather than trot out the usual response he spoke from the heart about people who have nothing better to do than spread rumours on twitter etc. granted it might have been a bit strong for daytime tv but it shows his passion for what he does and sets him apart from the crowd - exactly the personality you need to win things. for too long britain has had a bunch of sportspeople who are nice guys but never win anything significant (henman, bruno, radcliffe et al). now the new breed are putting it right

i think wigan have also won the team award in the past too

Wigan will have bought the award

Yep - 1994.

Knocking a golf ball around justifies being "sports personality" does it?

David Beckham won it one year - such a great personality....

I suppose its hard to single out a sole player for a whole sport but if we were to have a RL player nominated would have to be the Man Of Steel wouldn't it? besides with so many gold medal winners at the Olympics this year they were bound to dominate this years shortlist

Becks is a great guy, who's done a great deal for international football and British sport as a whole. Great sporting personality, IMO.

Perhaps `personality` is the wrong phrase for the winner of this award. Straightforward `Sports person` would be better. At the end of the day its the persons effort at his/her sport that gets judged so who gives a toss if Murray or Beckham are like they are, they have brought untold pleasure to millions.

Whole heartedly agree one of footballs better role characters

I'll see your Beckham and raise you a Nigel Mansell

'nuff said he had all the personality of a doorstop

And a tache to match.

As has been said, a lot of our sportsmen/women have little or no personality but we can`t take away their massive achievements in their chosen criteria. Take Murray for instance, in his sport the sheer physical effort is of a magnitude that I doubt any reader of these forums has ever attained. In Bradley Wiggins we have a man that has done the Tour de France and the Olympics and won them through being amongst the fittest men in the world. Whilst on the cycling bit get your money on Chris Froome to win the tour next year.

Wiggins, by an absolute mile!

froome will be up there but sadly contador is the man to beat next year, wiggins however could win the giro

Rebecca looes agrees wholeheartedly

Can't blame Becks for having a portion of that after putting up with that pig-faced pouting, stick insect.

Team of the year will be team GB but the ryder cup boys will be close.
Overseas has to be sebastian Vettel for me
S.p.o.t.y will be Bradley Wiggins even tho I hope it isnt a cyclist for 2 years on the trot. I hope its mo farah , jess Ennis or andy murray

Well done Wiggo! Never any doubt really. Ennis and mo will be in for it when they defend thier titles successfully in Rio. Murray has to win Wimbledon to get it. Wiggins has won the hardest sporting event in the world and has had that form and held it for 2 years.

I'm wondering why the BBC cheated and broke the rules for team of the year? The Olympic and Paralympic teams were ineligble for the award.

Under the judging criteria, the panel were asked to vote “for the team in an individual sport or sporting discipline that has achieved the most notable performance in the calendar year. For the avoidance of doubt, this criteria excludes Team GB/Paralympics GB but includes the likes of British Cycling, Rowing Coxless Four and the European Ryder Cup team”. Ultimately, though, the 12-strong panel exercised their right to override the judging terms because they were unanimous that, after such an unprecedented year in which 65 Olympic and 120 Paralympic medals, including a combined total of 63 golds, were won by British competitors, there was a special case for all the British Olympians and Paralympians to be honoured.

A fantastic year for our sporting greats and especially our cycling teams. Three of the last five winners have gone to cycling showing what a resurgence that sport has had and with the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire and quite possibly to Hull then it can only get more popular.

Wiggo is a Legend, apparantly got up with a guitar at after show party and sung Thats Entertainment by The Jam!

Top lad and a big RL fan who bangs the RL drum loads