Nehe Milner-Skudder: World Rugby's Emerging Star of 2015

There are many reasons to argue 2015 as possibly the most successful year in New Zealand's rugby history, but it will also be remembered as the year Nehe Milner-Skudder took on the best of the best and won.

From Super Rugby nobody to World Cup winner and breakthrough sensation in a little under eight months, there isn't a player in the sport who has enjoyed a 2015 quite as meteoric as Milner-Skudder.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

If one were to pick a player who exemplifies the notion that the All Blacks can feel safe in their future, promoting players now who weren't present for the World Cup win of 2011, the Hurricanes star is it.

After all, up until February 2015, New Zealand's provincial competition, the ITM Cup, was Milner-Skudder's highest rugby credential. Days before scoring the opening try in New Zealand's 2015 Rugby World Cup final victory over Australia in October, his rapid rise was hailed by Infostrada's Simon Gleave:

It was during his time at ITM Cup side Manawatu that the Hurricanes took notice of Milner-Skudder, drafting him in for their wider training group in 2014, but that proved to be the extent of his involvement.

Fast-forward to January 2015 and the 24-year-old was ready for another attempt at prising open the door to the 'Canes setup; only he didn't just squeeze into the side, but instead he proceeded to blow the door off its hinges.

Andre Taylor's departure left a void in the Hurricanes back line, and Milner-Skudder was only too happy to step in and establish himself as one of the world's best full-backs, at least based on recent form.

From the No. 15 role, he played a major part in leading the club to first-place in the Super Rugby table and a runners-up finish to the Highlanders. OptaJason pointed out the efficacy of his line-splitting runs:

Compared to the 13 scores of try chart-topper Waisake Naholo, Milner-Skudder's tally of four for the season is hardly as impressive, but his work in creating tries for others has been second to none in 2015.

It's therefore all the more impressive that Milner-Skudder made the more permanent shift onto the right wing for the World Cup, where his talents were showcased to all those previously unaware of his Super Rugby exploits.

It was the scene of his greatest achievement, scoring six tries in six games to finish second only to club and international team-mate Julian Savea (eight). Not only that, but the blistering pace of Milner-Skudder saw him carry for more metres than any other player (561) and rack up the most clean breaks (15).

August 8, 2015, marks a special day for the blitzing Milner-Skudder, having scored a brace of tries on his New Zealand Test debut, which unfortunately ended in a 27-19 defeat to Australia. Less than three months later, he went over the whitewash once more against the Wallabies, and Sky Sports' presenter James Gemmell was left in awe of his display during the World Cup final:

The daunting lights of Twickenham are a long way from the 21,000-capacity Arena Manawatu, which was Milner-Skudder's proudest battleground until around 11 months ago, and then 2015 happened.

His surge hasn't gone unnoticed, either, and in the same year New Zealand became the first nation to claim back-to-back World Cup titles, he was dubbed Breakthrough Player of the Year, per Breathe Sport:

"

Player of the Year: Carter Try of the Year: Savea Team of the Year: NZ BTPOTY: Milner-Skudder #AllBlackEverything pic.twitter.com/OzFzmMyKtY

— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) November 2, 2015"

But now Milner-Skudder will encounter the inevitable pressure that's resulted in the fall of so many sensations in the past. His tremendous start to life among rugby's elite means 2016 undoubtedly holds more success, but also more obstacles now that the world has wised up to this sleeping giant.

Irrespective of what's to come, we can always look back on 2015 as the year Nehe Milner-Skudder took on the best of the best and won.

All statistics provided come courtesy of ESPN Scrum and Statbunker.