2011 IRB Player of the Year

[barbarian]

This gets announced on the night after the final in Auckland.

Who are your 5 nominees, and your eventual winner?

The eligibility criteria is from the beginning of last years EOYT through the World Cup, including 6N and 3N. For me:

Jerome Kaino (winner)
Digby Ioane
Chris Ashton
Sean O'Brien
Ma'a Nonu


.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Kaino, Roberts, Pocock, Ashton, Nonu

Warburton, O'Brien, Genia unlucky to miss out.

 

[crangs81]

I'd have no problem with either Kaino, Nonu or O'Brien winning it. Ashton is a bit meh but i suppose all those tries against Italy gotta count for something.....


I think The Kel Tremain award is a straight race between Kaino and Nonu but expect Kaino to win it. His loss was felt big time in Brisbane and he hasn't put a foot wrong since his return.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

No chance Ashton wins it and I'd be surprised if he gets nominated.
Kaino
Roberts
Pocock
O'Brien
there should be a saffer nominated I'd think. should be bismark, but he didnt get enough game time.

 

[tigerland12]

As good as Kaino has played at the WC, I didn't think he did anything brilliant in the 3N, so that might count against him.

I think O'Brien might get it, just judging from how people say he played in the 6N.

Jerome Kaino, Sean O'Brien, David Pocock, Ma'a Nonu, Sam Warburton

Year of the backrower.

 

[qwerty51]

Nonu Pocock Kaino O'Brien Ashton

Pocock or O'Brien to win.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Nonu for mine.

I would love to see NZ play without him. Those i hate seeing on the field, i respect.

 

[light]

O'Brien by a country mile, Kaino second, Pocock third.

Per position (one player)
Prop - Owen Franks
Hooker - Bismark du Plessis
Lock - Dannie Russouw
Blindside - Sean O'Brien
Openside - David Pocock
No 8 - Jerome Kaino (played no 8 throughout Superrugby)
Scrumhalf - Will Genia (pre-world cup form was amazing)
Flyhalf - Dan Carter (still the best regardless of injury)
Centre - Ma'a Nonu
Winger - Manu Tuilagi
Fullback - Israel Dagg

 

[barbarian]

See I don't know about Pocock. He has been huge in a couple of RWC games, but was pretty quiet by his standards in the 3N and EOYT, thus he didn't take out the John Eales medal.

I reckon Digby has been our best player this year, he was massive every game of the 3N.

 

[barbarian]

Hooker - Bismark du Plessis
Lock - Dannie Russouw

Don't know how you get those two. If you were doing a team of the RWC maybe, but if you take the whole year into account Bismark got hardly any game time and Danie was pretty anonymous in a losing SA team.

I don't doubt Bismark is the best hooker in the World, but just don't think he plays enough to warrant consideration in these awards.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

See I don't know about Pocock. He has been huge in a couple of RWC games, but was pretty quiet by his standards in the 3N and EOYT, thus he didn't take out the John Eales medal.

I reckon Digby has been our best player this year, he was massive every game of the 3N.

Yeah interesting thought. He is definitely one of the best. I wonder if a kicking game would complete him as a player.

 

[spectator]

Nonu and Kaino have been the most consistently excellent performers this year, based only on what I've seen, have had great World Cups, and with NZ in the final, more chances to win votes. Both should poll well in Player of the World Cup voting as well. With respect to the World Cup, he may not get the Player of the Tournament, but the biggest revelation for mine has been the Welsh winger North, what a player!

 

[Bullrush]

O'Brien by a country mile, Kaino second, Pocock third.

Per position (one player)
Prop - Owen Franks
Hooker - Bismark du Plessis
Lock - Dannie Russouw
Blindside - Sean O'Brien
Openside - David Pocock
No 8 - Jerome Kaino (played no 8 throughout Superrugby)
Scrumhalf - Will Genia (pre-world cup form was amazing)
Flyhalf - Dan Carter (still the best regardless of injury)
Centre - Ma'a Nonu
Winger - Manu Tuilagi
Fullback - Israel Dagg

No - he didn't play 8 much, if at all in Super Rugby this year.

Saili and Lowrey played there most of the season.

 

[Jnor]

Is it like the world rankings in the sense that players get double points or whatever during the WC?

 

[Dam0]

Is it like the world rankings in the sense that players get double points or whatever during the WC?

If it is then unless Kaino gets sent off in the final, I'd say he is odds on to win. Surely.

 

[Brisbok]

No - he didn't play 8 much, if at all in Super Rugby this year.

Saili and Lowrey played there most of the season.

Agree! This is the second time someone has raised this in a 'World 15' type scenario on this site (perhaps the same person) and I cannot for the life of me remember Kaino playing no. 8 in any of the past few seasons. Perhaps moving there for a couple minutes towards the end of a game, but never starting the game there.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Winner is going to be a kiwi. Could be any one of about 8 of their team.

 

[PTB]

Genia Pocock O'Brien Kaino Warburton

possibly contenders Roberts Dagg Nonu Parra

 

[Train Without a Station]

See I don't know about Pocock. He has been huge in a couple of RWC games, but was pretty quiet by his standards in the 3N and EOYT, thus he didn't take out the John Eales medal.

I reckon Digby has been our best player this year, he was massive every game of the 3N.

Could not agree more. His selection would be judged on last week's game against South Africa solely. He had a quiet Tri Nations and missed most of the RWC through injury. Last week against South Africa was a master class in openside play, against a team that admittedly, didn't have an openside for 60 minutes, however it should take more than one game to be a World Player of the Year nominee.

 

[pete88]

Diggers has been phenomenal for us. Best winger in the world according to a lot of neutral punters, started the RWC as favourite for leading tryscorer (kiss of death anyone?) and totally deserved it. Looks awesome whenever he has the ball, doesn't miss tackles.

I suspect we'll see O'Brien, Ashton (sop to 6N champs), Ioane, Warburton (gets past Bam-Bam on being a good captain as well as insane openside) and Kaino. Kaino to win, just to be different.

I'm pretty sure Kaino has played a reasonable amount of time at 8 earlier in his career, probably wrong though, I defer to the Kiwis in the room.