All Blacks and Crusaders captain Richie McCaw has been named the International Rugby Board Player of the Year for the third time.
The 29-year-old flanker is the first player to receive the prestigious accolade three times, as well as in consecutive years, cementing his position as one of the greats of the Game.
The accolade completes a hat-trick of IRB Awards for New Zealand announced , with the All Blacks named IRB Team of the Year 2010 and Graham Henry unveiled as IRB Coach of the Year for a record fourth time.
Henry has previously been named IRB Coach of the Year in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and New Zealand are named IRB Team of the Year for the fourth time in six years.
McCaw faced stiff competition for the Player of the Year Award with teammate Mils Muliaina, South Africa’s Victor Matfield, Imanol Harinordoquy from France and rising young Australia stars David Pocock and Kurtley Beale all performing superbly during the year.
However, it was McCaw, who captained the world’s number one ranked team to a record of 13 wins from 14 matches during 2010, including a Tri-Nations title and an unbeaten end of year tour to Europe, that consistently impressed the IRB’s Awards Panel with some outstanding performances to cement his stature as one of Rugby’s great leaders.
“It’s been a good year and everyone has made a huge effort, from the coaches right through all the players. It’s been a lot of fun as well to work with quality players, and I just love playing Rugby and especially international Rugby,” said McCaw, along with Muliaina now the most capped All Black of all time.
“This Award is very special but wouldn’t happen without an exceptional team who are good mates, and that’s something I am equally proud of.”
Previous Winners of IRB Player of the Year Award:
2009 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2008 – Shane Williams (Wales)
2007 – Bryan Habana (South Africa)
2006 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2005 – Daniel Carter (New Zealand)
2004 – Schalk Burger (South Africa)
2003 – Jonny Wilkinson (England)
2002 – Fabien Galthié (France)
2001 – Keith Wood (Ireland)
Previous Winners of IRB Team of the Year Award:
2009 – South Africa
2008 – New Zealand
2007 – South Africa
2006 – New Zealand
2005 – New Zealand
2004 – South Africa
2003 – England
2002 – France
2001 – Australia
Previous Winners of IRB Coach of the Year Award:
2009 – Declan Kidney (Ireland)
2008 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2007 – Jake White (South Africa)
2006 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2005 – Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2004 – Jake White (South Africa)
2003 – Clive Woodward (England)
2002 – Bernard Laporte (France)
2001 – Rod Macqueen (Australia)
Well, I have no complaints… they were the best.
I will belatedly congratulate them , i hope they have enough favors now. Now they can start chopping at this BIG tree, it is time. 😆
No come on Super if Richie was our player you would defend him from all the accusations. Congrats all New Zealand fans this year it was deservedly yours.
The IRB Player of the Year Award is 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, Agustín Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga, Paul Wallace and convenor John Eales watched over 78 hours of action from 59 matches, awarding points to the three players they thought stood out in each match.
“Rugby is fortunate to have a player and person of the calibre of Richie McCaw. He is an outstanding captain, a world class player and a role model for our sport. In winning the Award three times, Richie has truly cemented his place right up there amongst some of the greats,” said Eales.
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset added: “It has been a compelling year of international Rugby as we count down to what promises to be a special Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.”
“The All Blacks have consistently performed to the highest standards this year, they are number one in the IRB World Rankings and have lost just one match in 2010. Richie McCaw, Graham Henry and the entire New Zealand team are deserving recipients of these prestigious awards.”
The accolades cap a phenomenal year for New Zealand Rugby with Julian Savea winning the IRB Junior Player of the Year in June and Carla Hohepa named IRB Women’s Personality of the Year in September after a magnificent Women’s Rugby World Cup.
The other IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline to be presented in 2010 include Samoa’s Mikaele Pesamino as the IRB Sevens Player of the Year in May, IRB Development Award winner Brian O’Shea in October and Colin High, who received as the IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service last month. The Spirit of Rugby Award was presented on Saturday to Virreyes Rugby Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dear IRB,
Can you please explain how you choose the player of the year, is it the country (NZ?) that pays the most money or what ?
Last year, the Boks were the star team, with Fourie du Preez the best player in the world, recognized by all, but mr. McCaw were chosen, part of a mediocre team who lost 3 times in a row to the Boks. Why were FDP not chosen, because he is not from NZ ?
If you argue that McCaw still played very good, although loosing against the Boks last year, then I ask you, why not Matflied, who has been a tower of strength the past few years, even this year in a mediocre bok team (Man of the Match in WC final 2007, dominating line outs all over the world, good captain, winning the S14 3 times in 4 years, winning the Currie Cup in 2009, etc.)
Why did not Matfield get it this year ? O yes, he is not from NZ …
Or maybe the IRB are ruled by all the English lord’s that were so upset about their great loss last Saturday (under the leadership of … Matfield) against the Bokke, that they decided to vote against anything South African ?
Julle klomp eenogige bleeksiele !
Greetings
Ben
“The All Blacks have consistently performed to the highest standards this year, they are number one in the IRB World Rankings and have lost just one match in 2010. Richie McCaw, Graham Henry and the entire New Zealand team are deserving recipients of these prestigious awards.”
Lekker dubbel standaarde. Natuurlik verdien die AB’s, McCaw en Henry dit hierdie jaar, maar laasjaar moes dit nie net Bokke as span van die jaar gewees het nie, maar ook FDP as speler van die jaar.
@ bdb:
Stem saam en duisende ander sal ook, hel dit krap weer n ou wond oop. Die flokkers. Hoop sommer die Varings verlep in hul peetjie in.
@ superBul:
o ja en die Parras pee hul nat en die Haane pik hul ……
6: ons moes nou al vier spelers daar gehad het (Burger, Habana, FDP, Matfield). Sal maar die Ingelse toets wat ons elke jaar voor die IRB toekennings speel moet skuif, want anders gaan ons nooit weer ‘n SA speler kry wat wen nie ! 😀
IRB Clown of the Year – Peter De Villiers (SA) 🙂
Come on, throw away the sour grapes… who was better than McCaw, Graham Henry and the All Blacks as a team this year?
Remember it is THIS YEAR’s awards.
Well done to McCaw, Henry and the All Blacks all well deserved.
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