In a new format for the IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline, winners will be named throughout the year, culminating in the announcement of the prestigious IRB Player, Coach and Team of the Year in November.
The Player of the Year Award is the sixth of the 13 coveted IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline to be presented in 2009.
In May, England captain Ollie Phillips was named IRB Sevens Player of the Year,
New Zealand captain Aaron Cruden was named IRB Junior Player of the Year
In June. Australia’s Debby Hodgkinson was named IRB Women’s Personality of the Year
in August and L’Aquila Rugby Club received the Spirit of Rugby Award in September. This month, Francis Palmade received the IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service.
World and Tri Nations champions South Africa are named IRB Team of the Year2009.
Previous Winners of IRB Team of the Year
2001 – Australia
2002 – France
2003 – England
2004 – South Africa
2005 – New Zealand
2006 – New Zealand
2007 – South Africa
2008 – New Zealand
Ireland’s Declan Kidney the IRB Coach of the Year 2009
Previous Winners of IRB Coach of the Year
2001 – Rod Macqueen (Australia)
2002 – Bernard Laporte (France)
2003 – Clive Woodward (England)
2004 – Jake White (South Africa)
2005 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2006 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2007 – Jake White (South Africa)
2008 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
These two Awards mean eight of the 13 IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline, including the IRB Hall of Fame, have now been presented with the IRB Player of the Year 2009 to be announced shortly.
Player of the year. Richie McCaw
This year has seen a extended list of seven nominees following the closest vote in the Award’s history. Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip, Australia’s Matt Giteau, Tom Croft of England and South Africans Francois Steyn and Fourie du Preez compete against two international captains in Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll and Richie McCaw of New Zealand to win the most prestigious individual award in the Game.
Previous Winners of Player of the year
2001 – Keith Wood
2002 – Fabien Galthié
2003 – Jonny Wilkinson
2004 – Schalk Burger
2005 – Dan Carter
2006 – Richie McCaw
2007 – Bryan Habanna
2008 – Shane Williams
South Africa has been named the International Rugby Board Team of the Year with Ireland’s Declan Kidney the IRB Coach of the Year in association with Emirates Airline.
Both awards were announced following the Test between Six Nations champions Ireland and Tri Nations champions South Africa at Croke Park on Saturday.
South Africa have enjoyed a silverware-laden 2009, emphatically claiming the Tri Nations title for the first time in five years and winning a compelling British & Irish Lions series in the summer.
The world champions reclaim the IRB Team of the Year Award from New Zealand, having previously won the prestigious honour in 2004 and 2007, and for captain John Smit the Award is recognition of a fantastic team ethic.
Declan Kidney has enjoyed an exceptional first full year as head coach of Ireland, masterminding his side to a deserved Six Nations Grand Slam – the first by an Irish team in 61 years.
During an outstanding year, Ireland were also unbeaten in November, recording victories over South Africa and Fiji after drawing with Australia. His record this year is played 10, won nine and drawn one and he is the first Irishman to win the coveted IRB Coach of the Year Award since the IRB Awards began in 2001.
“I don’t know what to say really, the team have been superb over the last 12 months. I feel my role is overstated, I haven’t made a tackle all year! But for my family putting up with me and the players putting up with me even more I’d like to accept it on their behalf,” said Kidney.
I still believe the most influential player this year was Fourie du Preez, result will come out soon. Think after the All Black vs France game.
I hope Fourie du Preez gets the award… special player and his influence in the Bokke is tremendous.
Doing his thing from behind a reversing Bok pack made his achievements much more decisive.
Super, When will player of the year be annoucned?
Well done to SA for getting team of the year award. We deserve it beating some great rugby nations this year.
Pity we never ended it on a high but hey they happens.
Well done to the Boks for that award.
Now really hoping FdP gets the player of the year award.
meant – announced
Not sure but since the next game counts they probably will announce after the game. McCaw is also nominated
The Judges
The nominees were selected by the IRB Awards independent panel of judges, comprising former internationals with over 500 Test caps between them. Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, Raphaël Ibanez, Francois Pienaar, Agustin Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga, Paul Wallace and convenor John Eales watched over 60 hours of action from 46 matches, awarding points to the three players they thought stood out in each match.
“Now that the shortlist has been selected the panel will reconvene at the completion of the November tests when the IRB Player of the Year will be selected. The announcement will be made at the conclusion of the final weekend of matches,” added Lapasset.
Richie McCaw is player of the year… What a joke… (He had a poor year to his standards) Heinrich Brussow should’ve been nominated, and should’ve been given the reward.
Richie McCaw named IRB Player of the Year
McCaw played well yesterday, and the old saying you are as good as your last match must have swayed them.
I am disappointed and feel Fourie was robbed , aaaaagh phuck it.
SA screwed again.
@12 – The old saying? That’s just a lousy cliche. That’s why it’s called player of the year. It has to take into consideration the players who consistently performed for their teams. Look I wouldn’t have chosen Fourie du Preez, he’s a good player but I’m not sure that he is in fact the best scrumhalf in the world, he certainly doesn’t do some of the scrumhalf duties well. He also kicks far too much in my opinion, but he does some great things.
Heinrich Brussow was the best Springbok this season, and he was the best player in the world this season. He wasn’t supported by the rest of the Bok forwards as well as he should’ve been on the EOYT but he was still stand-out.
Oi oi oi ek mag gelukkig van jou verskil, ek sien die awards soos volg, beste span is Team of the year, rightly SA. Daar moet geen twyfel wees by enige ou wat minstens die vermoee raakgesien het(die feite spreek vanself) van Fourie du Preez nie, dat as die Bok pak sy kant gebring het hy nog meer devastating sou wees nie. Hy het die meeste invloed op games gehad die jaar.
Die driee wat ons die jaar gedruk het ja die 21 in 12 wedstryde sou die helfte minder gewees het as dit nie vis sy briljante opsie nemings was nie. Pin point passes en skoppe, gaan kyk maar daar is net 21 om na te kyk, power ne.
Nou kyk maar verder vir n culprit oor die Bokke driee impotensie. Sal ek jou se waar. Taktiek , Gary Gold en Dick Muir.
Quote from Front Row Grunt,
Tank i share your frustration, what the hell did the EOY tour gave us, just more doubt, now we look like fools.
“I actually cannot put into words the anger I am feeling right now …
The Boks basically had the game in the bag at half time. Sure the lineout was a bit of a shambles, but for the first time in a long time, the Bok scrum was on fire, and this in turn, was powering the Boks to a more than solid performance.
So what does the coach do? He changes the one thing that is working, and goes back to Bismarck at hooker and John Smit at tighthead. End result, the Bok scrum crumbles, as does the Bok game.
What else does the almight coach do? He pulls his number one goal kicker from the field …
I always knew the Bok’s bench management, or lack thereof, to be precise, would come home to haunt them. And haunt them it did yesterday. Just bloody pathetic …
This is not to say the Boks would definitely have won the game had they not had such a monumental bench brain fart, but they would have at least given themselves a chance.
It’s no bloody wonder the coach lost out on “Coach of the year”. It would have been a travesty had he taken that award …
Yours in cold blooded anger … I need a beer!”
Tank
Second game that we scored zero, ziltch in the 2nd half
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