"New year, New me" - 5 rugby players that will want to forget about 2025

Here, we take a look at five individuals who will be desperate to put the past year behind them and use 2026 as an opportunity for redemption and resurgence.

After spending the 2024–25 season in the Premiership with Gloucester, a move to France followed on 7 May 2025, with Bayonne securing his services for the upcoming Top 14 campaign. Internationally, it was a frustrating period, as he was initially left out of Warren Gatland’s Six Nations squad before earning a late recall for the final three matches under interim head coach Matt Sherratt.

Throughout his career, serious injuries have been a constant obstacle, and while the fly-half has spoken about his ambition to feature at a third Rugby World Cup in 2027, 2025 proved to be a largely forgettable year. Those lingering injury concerns still appeared to limit him, but a fresh start in France offers hope that he can finally regain full fitness, return to his best rugby, and re-enter the Wales picture ahead of 2027.

Lawrence endured a serious Achilles tendon rupture in March 2025 during the Six Nations match against Italy, which not only ended his season but also ruled him out of the Lions tour. Despite this setback, he made an impressive and quicker-than-expected comeback by September 2025, dedicating himself to intensive recovery and rehabilitation to regain full fitness for Bath and England.

Since his return, he has shown strong form; however, missing the Lions tour due to injury makes it difficult to label the year as entirely successful.

Once among the most reliable lineout throwers in world rugby, a noticeable drop-off in form saw his accuracy at the set piece falter early in the year. As a result, his involvement with the Springboks declined significantly, despite continuing to offer immense value as a scrummager.

Now 34, the signs suggest Mbonambi may be entering the twilight of his international career. A return to the Bok squad in 2026 remains the goal, but with younger hookers emerging, time is no longer on his side.

Through no real fault of his own, this was far from a vintage year. Since March, the France scrum-half has been sidelined after rupturing his cruciate ligaments during the Six Nations win over Ireland in Dublin.

In his absence, an injury-hit Toulouse side were knocked out of the Champions Cup semi-finals by eventual winners Bordeaux-Bègles, before later gaining revenge in the Top 14 final. A return from the bench came as Toulouse hosted Racing at Stade Ernest Wallon, and despite the injury setback, France still lifted the Six Nations trophy — something Dupont will be determined to build on in 2026.

For the most part, 2025 was another strong year, but one unnecessary moment overshadowed everything else. The 34-year-old double World Cup winner received a 12-week suspension after an independent panel found him guilty of eye-gouging Wales flanker Alex Mann.

Remarkably, it was the first red card of Etzebeth’s 141-Test career, coming late in South Africa’s emphatic 73–0 victory over Wales in Cardiff. The timing and context only made the incident feel more pointless, and a subsequent social media explanation attracted heavy criticism. Moving on from the episode will be a priority heading into 2026.