Springbok captain Victor Matfield has been nominated for the 2010 International Rugby Board’s (IRB) player of the year award, rugby’s governing body announced on Thursday.

Matfield is joined on the shortlist for the award by last year’s winner, All Blacks’ captain Richie McCaw, his team-mate Mills Muliaina, France’s Imanol Harinordoquy and Australians David Pocock and Kurtley Beale.

The winner will be announced on December 1 when the awards for IRB coach of the year and team of the year will also be made known.

“The IRB player of the year award is the greatest individual honour presented annually in our game,” said IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.

“The six players nominated have all enjoyed an exceptional year of international rugby and have been judged on their performances in the RBS Six Nations, Tri-Nations, June and November Tests,” he said.

The IRB Awards independent panel of judges which selected them consists of Australia’s Rugby World Cup winning captain John Eales, as chairman, with Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, Raphal Ibanez, Francois Pienaar, Agustn Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga, Paul Wallace.

Between them, they have more than 500 caps and four World Cup winner’s medals.

In May, Samoa’s Mikaele Pesamino was named IRB Sevens player-of-the-year. New Zealand’s Julian Savea received the IRB junior player-of-the-year accolade in June.

Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Carla Hohepa of New Zealand received the IRB women’s personality-of-the-year award in September.

Brian O’Shea received the IRB development award in October and Colin High was presented with the IRB referee award for distinguished service earlier this month.

Previous Winners of the IRB Player of the Year Award:
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