Giteau nominated for IRB player of the year

[chief]

Taken from www.irb.com

The International Rugby Board has announced the shortlist for the IRB Player of the Year 2009 in association with Emirates Airline. The winner will be announced, together with the IRB Coach of the Year and IRB Team of the Year, during the final weekend of November Tests.

This year sees an 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.

"The IRB Player of the Year Award is the ultimate accolade for a player and takes into account performances in all internationals played during the year, including the RBS Six Nations, British & Irish Lions Test Series, Tri Nations and the June and November Tests," said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

"The list of past winners includes the iconic names of the decade - Jonny Wilkinson, Schalk Burger, Richie McCaw, Fabien Galthié, Dan Carter, Bryan Habana and Keith Wood have all been worthy recipients of the Award. Richie McCaw could become the first player to receive the accolade twice."

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.

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, while 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.

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.

Previous Winners
2001 - Keith Wood
2002 - Fabien Galthié
2003 - Jonny Wilkinson
2004 - Schalk Burger
2005 - Dan Carter
2006 - Richie McCaw
2007 - Bryan Habanna
2008 - Shane Williams

The fact that McCaw has been nominated is a joke in my eyes, he has not been the number one 7 in form during this year. Giteau's nomination is just a filling up the numbers nomination as he constantly let us down.

 

[Spook]

The many experts on Gits on this board are clearly correct :lmao:

 

[Viking]

I think Fourie du Preez will win!

 

[chief]

Yeah without a doubt I think he would have secured the award.

 

[barbarian]

Francois Steyn? Would have thought there were far more worthy nominees from SA. Botha, Matfield, Brussow, Beast, even Morne for christ sake. The others I don't mind so much.

 

[Thomond78]

Then you bloody should, Barbarian.

Heaslip is a flat-track bully, and proved it in the Lions.

Croft can't even manage that - and proved that in the Lions series for which he wasn't even picked.

That those two are there ahead of Brussow is, simply, a bad fucking joke. It's not like this award had much credibility left after the nomination of Mike Blair last year; with these two it's now, definitively, a busted flush.

 

[Hugonaut]

Then you bloody should, Barbarian.

Heaslip is a flat-track bully, and proved it in the Lions.

Croft can't even manage that - and proved that in the Lions series for which he wasn't even picked.

That those two are there ahead of Brussow is, simply, a bad fucking joke. It's not like this award had much credibility left after the nomination of Mike Blair last year; with these two it's now, definitively, a busted flush.

Odd selections alright, delighted for Heaslip to get the nomination, but only the third best No8 in the 6 Nations and not even the best backrow in his club. In fairness to him, he has had a good and very successful season, has played a lot of matches and played well in a lot of them. Not sure that it makes you a contender for best player in the world though.

Croft is a marketing triumph who has a good deal of athletic ability but isn't a proper blindside and not even a good club second row.

No Matfield, Brussouw or du Plessis? Bad omissions.

 

[Thomond78]

Then you bloody should, Barbarian.

Heaslip is a flat-track bully, and proved it in the Lions.

Croft can't even manage that - and proved that in the Lions series for which he wasn't even picked.

That those two are there ahead of Brussow is, simply, a bad fucking joke. It's not like this award had much credibility left after the nomination of Mike Blair last year; with these two it's now, definitively, a busted flush.

Odd selections alright, delighted for Heaslip to get the nomination, but only the third best No8 in the 6 Nations and not even the best backrow in his club. In fairness to him, he has had a good and very successful season, has played a lot of matches and played well in a lot of them. Not sure that it makes you a contender for best player in the world though.

Croft is a marketing triumph who has a good deal of athletic ability but isn't a proper blindside and not even a good club second row.

No Matfield, Brussouw or du Plessis? Bad omissions.

Exactly. Hell, I could pick a back-row of players who should be nominated and weren't that would scare the living Jesus out of almost anyone; 6, Hairydonkey, 7, Brussow, 8, Parisse.

Croft is a joke of Mike Blairesque proportions.

 

[PaarlBok]

Francois Steyn? Would have thought there were far more worthy nominees from SA. Botha, Matfield, Brussow, Beast, even Morne for christ sake. The others I don't mind so much.

Look like another mistake there Barbs, should been Morne, watch the press.

 

[jason]

Glad I'm not the only one with this reaction - total farce. FDP head and shoulders above the rest. Every other nominee isn't even the best in his team (except possibly McCaw).

If I had to pick 5, in no particular order: Du Preez, Fat Cat, Brüssow, Parisse (token NH player), Matfield (can't think of anyone else). Don't think there were many standout backs this year...possibly Morne Steyn but he doesn't have much other than his boot.

Go on, tell me I'm wrong!

 

[Scarfman]

This list is a complete and utter joke.

So - let's go with the G&GR Player of the Year. Because that's what we're here for - talking sense when the professionals can't get it right.

Nominations please.

Fourie du Preez
Benn Robinson
Heinrich Brussow
Victor Matfield
Sergio Parisse

 

[Hugonaut]

Glad I'm not the only one with this reaction - total farce. FDP head and shoulders above the rest. Every other nominee isn't even the best in his team (except possibly McCaw).

If I had to pick 5, in no particular order: Du Preez, Fat Cat, Brüssow, Parisse (token NH player), Matfield (can't think of anyone else). Don't think there were many standout backs this year...possibly Morne Steyn but he doesn't have much other than his boot.

Go on, tell me I'm wrong!

Eh, you're wrong.

 

[Scarfman]

Nominations please - then we'll vote. We'll time it to coincide with the iRB presentation.

 

[Ash]

Nearly spat out my coffee at seeing Croft there. Tokenism for an Englishman surely?

BOD the best chance from the NH? Not sure how his club form has been over the NH season.

My vote would be for FdP as well.

I would've expected Carter to be there if not for his injury for a lot of the season. He has been simply outstanding in the international season. But his too long injury lay off means he can't be considered, I guess.

McCaw has been too inconsistent this year. His S14 was average, and he was brilliant one test, bad the next. He regained some consistency right at the end of the Tri-Nations, though. Seems a token nomination for me. He's still the world's best 7, but his inconsistency and drop in form throughout the year means he probably doesn't deserve a nomination. In fact, not sure who I'd nominate from NZ. They haven't had a rea standout - Carter has been their best in the test season I think, but see above.

I think Robinson has become the premier LH in the world too, but you won't catch any NZers admitting he's better than the Myth. Robinson would be my pick for best Australian player this year.

But there's been heaps of good performers for SA (ignoring their frontrow). Brussouw and Spies in the loose, FdP and Morne Steyn in the halves, and JdV in the centres.

 

[Mojoman]

Giteau? What a joke that is. Benn Robinson has been the best Wallaby this year.

My pick is either Fourie Du Preez or Francois Steyn. They should've had Heinrich Brussouw there as well.

 

[jason]

But there's been heaps of good performers for SA (ignoring their frontrow). Brussouw and Spies in the loose, FdP and Morne Steyn in the halves, and JdV in the centres.

Spies? All show no go. Cracking Super 14 but did sweet FA in internationals. The vibe up here in the northern hemisphere was that he was a bit of a letdown against the Lions after all the hype.

 

[RugbyReg]

How was Rob Kearney been? Every game I have seen him play he has been very very good. But that is only v Oz.

Robbo only Aussie possible.

FdP & Matfield, even Juan Smith I reckon

Brad Thorn

 

[mark_s]

Matfield would be my choice, but given he isn't nominated then Du Preez would also be a worthy winner.

 

[Biffo]

This list is a complete and utter joke.

So - let's go with the G&GR Player of the Year. Because that's what we're here for - talking sense when the professionals can't get it right.

Nominations please.

Fourie du Preez
Benn Robinson
Heinrich Brussow
Victor Matfield
Sergio Parisse

Go no further, Scarfie. That should be the list.

 

[Scotty]

Any one of the players on that list deserve it about 1000 times more than Steyn or Giteau.

What a joke.