IRB reveals Player of the Year Award

• 
• 

Details

Category: rugbywc2011

Published on Thursday, 20 October 2011 01:02

Written by Administrator

Hits: 720

The International Rugby Board will announce the IRB Player of the Year at the IRB Awards ceremony to be held in Auckland a day after the new World Champions will be crowned.

Four of the nominees will be playing in the final of the Rugby World Cup 2011 on Sunday with France captain Thierry Dusautoir joined by the New Zealand trio of scrum half Piri Weepu, flanker Jerome Kaino and centre Ma’a Nonu.

The other two nominees are Wallabies flanker David Pocock and scrum half Will Genia, who will both play against Wales in the Bronze Final on Friday. Pocock has been nominated for the second year in a row, having missed out to New Zealand captain Richie McCaw in 2010.

Richie McCaw is the only player to receive the award more than once and he has in fact being the IRB player of the year thrice!

The IRB Player of the Year nominees were selected by the IRB Awards independent panel of judges, which is chaired by Australia’s RWC 1999 winning captain John Eales and is made up of former internationals with more than 500 caps and four Rugby World Cup winners’ medals between them.

“This has been one of the closest years to date. In fact the result could be influenced significantly by the next two matches and that’s what it should be like in a World Cup year," said panel chairman Eales.

The IRB Player of the Year is one of 12 Awards that will be presented at the star-studded ceremony at Vector Arena, the others include the IRB Coach of the Year, IRB Team of the Year, IRB Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC, IRB Junior Player of the Year and IRB Women’s Personality of the Year.

Previous Winners of the IRB Player of the Year Award:

2010 – Richie McCaw

2009 - Richie McCaw

2008 - Shane Williams

2007 - Bryan Habana

2006 - Richie McCaw

2005 - Dan Carter

2004 - Schalk Burger

2003 - Jonny Wilkinson

2002 - Fabien Galthie

2001 - Keith Wood

 

• < Prev
• Next >