Giteau nominated for IRB player of the year

[PaarlBok]

Brussouw by a mile in my books. On the list Fourie du Preez.

 

[Biffo]

Brussouw by a mile in my books. On the list Fourie du Preez.

PB, I also suspect that there has been a big mistake - Francois S instead Of Morne S. You are quite a F fan. Can you find anything this year that would put him the top five Boks - or even top five Sharks?

 

[disco]

Fourie Du preez for me. Best of seen this year by a long shot.

 

[PaarlBok]

Brussouw by a mile in my books. On the list Fourie du Preez.

PB, I also suspect that there has been a big mistake - Francois S instead Of Morne S. You are quite a F fan. Can you find anything this year that would put him the top five Boks - or even top five Sharks?

Morne should be the Steyn on the list. I never questioned Frans skills , always knew he had the boot , body shape, exct and he should have played 15 from the start in my books. The Sharks wasnt helping him much this year, playing all over the place, the Bokke also to a degree and thought he was just about settled in 15 after the BIL series. Then he decided to go north and cant blame the selectors for trying Pienaar in a few tests in 15. Well Frans took his change pretty well in Hamilton and show his class. Honestly dont think he'll return from France. Once that lot hook you, its koebaai.

 

[Hugonaut]

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

Won the Heineken Cup for the first time in Leinster's history and was the top try scorer in the competition. Captained Ireland to the 6N Championship and Grand Slam and was the top try scorer in that competition. Announced as 6N Player of the tournament. If he's not on the shortlist, it shows that you have a limited grasp on rugby.

For the record, my five nominees would have been:

B. O'Driscoll [Ire]
F. du Preez [SA]
H. Brussouw [SA]
V. Matfield [SA]
T. Dusauttoir [Fra]

I think it'll come down to a straight shoot out between O'Driscoll and Du Preez, both of whom would be a worthy winner.

 

[Biffo]

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

Won the Heineken Cup for the first time in Leinster's history and was the top try scorer in the competition. Captained Ireland to the 6N Championship and Grand Slam and was the top try scorer in that competition. Announced as 6N Player of the tournament. If he's not on the shortlist, it shows that you have a limited grasp on rugby.

For the record, my five nominees would have been:

B. O'Driscoll [Ire]
F. du Preez [SA]
H. Brussouw [SA]
V. Matfield [SA]
T. Dusauttoir [Fra]

I think it'll come down to a straight shoot out between O'Driscoll and Du Preez, both of whom would be a worthy winner.

The bolded pronoun might be very offensive, depending on your intent.

May I point out that the award is for the player of the year, not the team of the year or the best player in the team of the year?

Sergio Parisse and Benn Robinson have been quite outstanding over the review period. I can't recall a single sub-superb performance from either for a long while. Such players should not be penalized in, let alone excluded from, judgement of the best of the year simply because they play in inferior teams.

 

[Hugonaut]

Mate, I agree with you regarding not being excluded on the basis of playing for teams who aren't all that successful.

That's simply my list of candidates: I think that Fourie is probably the best scrum half of the professional era, that Matfield is the best lineout forward I've ever seen and that Dusauttoir's performances this year for France and Toulouse have been absolutely epic. I don't think you can leave Brussouw out after the phenomenal impact he has made on the season, and I think O'Driscoll [along with du Preez] is an automatic shortlist given how awesome he has been this season.

Robinson is a super player alright, as are Parisse, Bakkies, Richie McCaw, Morne Steyn, Dan Carter, Rocky Elsom ... I'm just giving a personal list of the 5 players who I think have been the best in the world this year.

There was a question asked [which I quoted] about O'Driscoll's form this season, and I answered it. I've no idea how much NH rugby you see in Australia, but I don't think anybody would be insulted by my answer. I meant "you" as in you plural: hardly going to start writing '"one" has a limited grasp on rugby' ...

 

[Biffo]

There was a question asked [which I quoted] about O'Driscoll's form this season, and I answered it. I've no idea how much NH rugby you see in Australia, but I don't think anybody would be insulted by my answer. I meant "you" as in you plural: hardly going to start writing '"one" has a limited grasp on rugby' ...

"You" in the Australian usage, not that ludicrous "one" the poms affect (sic). I thought you had the usage right Thanks.

I don't live in Australia and rarely visit it. I suspect I see more NH (I assume you really mean European?) rugby than about 90% of rugby people who live in Europe. If you really mean "NH", make that 100%.

 

[spectator]

Mate, I agree with you regarding not being excluded on the basis of playing for teams who aren't all that successful.

That's simply my list of candidates: I think that Fourie is probably the best scrum half of the professional era, that Matfield is the best lineout forward I've ever seen and that Dusauttoir's performances this year for France and Toulouse have been absolutely epic. I don't think you can leave Brussouw out after the phenomenal impact he has made on the season, and I think O'Driscoll [along with du Preez] is an automatic shortlist given how awesome he has been this season.

Robinson is a super player alright, as are Parisse, Bakkies, Richie McCaw, Morne Steyn, Dan Carter, Rocky Elsom ... I'm just giving a personal list of the 5 players who I think have been the best in the world this year.

There was a question asked [which I quoted] about O'Driscoll's form this season, and I answered it. I've no idea how much NH rugby you see in Australia, but I don't think anybody would be insulted by my answer. I meant "you" as in you plural: hardly going to start writing '"one" has a limited grasp on rugby' ...

Pedants may well have a field day with this Hugonaut. I thought you were being singular with your comment myself.

 

[Major Spliff Biggins]

Can't believe he hasn't been mentioned-

There can be only one-
Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe.

 

[Spook]

FdP surely has to win.

 

[Ash]

We don't get to see much NH club rugby up down here really. The HC games I saw of Leinster (like, the semi and final) he was not the stand out player, but hardly bad either. Either way, I did some research and club games are not considered for this award, only internationals over a 12 month windows (November -> October). My first encounter was O'Driscoll in the 2001 BILs, and I'm still tarnished by that. He's a more complete player now, but quite often I'm expecting him to rip us to shreds, whereas he's lost some dynamicism but rounded out his game.

Going by the selection criteria (tests only, silly period), unfortunately Brussouw was not likely to be picked as he did not play the last few tests from last year (being an international revelations vs the BILs). To be honest, I think the window (November -> October) is plum stupid as it cuts the SH international season off at the end. They'd be better off picking a time around June/July(?) as the cutoff. I suspect that they don't want non-tests to cut down on the number of games to watch, but it really hamstrings the ability of plenty of players to win the award. Plus, I can't recall if Matfield was on the Saffa EOYT last year? (Something tells me he wasn't...?)

As mentioned, beings a member of a winning team should mean nothing in this award. Neither should reputation, really, but unfortunately that seems to have influenced some picks.

Even with the above criteria, the selection of Giteau is bizarre. NH pundits seem to love him at times for his goal kicking and occasional break more than anything else. A lot of Aus rugby fans just want to see him back at 12, where he should be. Benn Robinson deserves selection though, outstanding EOYT last year, and I would think Australia's best player over that period - he's beaten most THs in the scrum that he's faced, and been very busy around the field, making tackles and winning turnovers. I can't recall a LH prop ever being nominated though?

Have to say I am a huge fan of Dasautoir. I rate him higher than Parisse, to be honest. Like his play more. He strikes me as a hard, on the ball linkman, not what we like to describe as a fetcher. The French left and right flanker old style has always appealed to me as well, two flankers working in tandem. Used to love watching Olivier Magne run around <edit> - especially with Betsen (of which Dasautoir reminds me of, but as a better version).

Won the Heineken Cup for the first time in Leinster's history and was the top try scorer in the competition. Captained Ireland to the 6N Championship and Grand Slam and was the top try scorer in that competition. Announced as 6N Player of the tournament. If he's not on the shortlist, it shows that you have a limited grasp on rugby.

For the record, my five nominees would have been:

B. O'Driscoll [Ire]
F. du Preez [SA]
H. Brussouw [SA]
V. Matfield [SA]
T. Dusauttoir [Fra]

I think it'll come down to a straight shoot out between O'Driscoll and Du Preez, both of whom would be a worthy winner.

 

[Thomond78]

Mate, I agree with you regarding not being excluded on the basis of playing for teams who aren't all that successful.

That's simply my list of candidates: I think that Fourie is probably the best scrum half of the professional era, that Matfield is the best lineout forward I've ever seen and that Dusauttoir's performances this year for France and Toulouse have been absolutely epic. I don't think you can leave Brussouw out after the phenomenal impact he has made on the season, and I think O'Driscoll [along with du Preez] is an automatic shortlist given how awesome he has been this season.

Robinson is a super player alright, as are Parisse, Bakkies, Richie McCaw, Morne Steyn, Dan Carter, Rocky Elsom ... I'm just giving a personal list of the 5 players who I think have been the best in the world this year.

There was a question asked [which I quoted] about O'Driscoll's form this season, and I answered it. I've no idea how much NH rugby you see in Australia, but I don't think anybody would be insulted by my answer. I meant "you" as in you plural: hardly going to start writing '"one" has a limited grasp on rugby' ...

Pedants may well have a field day with this Hugonaut. I thought you were being singular with your comment myself.

This, gentlemen, is why the people of Cork retained a second person plural when English came around these parts. "I'm not talking to ye, I'm talking to you" permits of, oh, so much more precision. :thumb

 

[Inconceivable]

Parisse is overrated. Yes he is good, and has some fantastic skills, but I've never seen him dominate against quality opposition. Maybe I just haven't seen the right games.

Dusautoir is a machine and belongs on the list.

Overall though FdP has to be near unbackable odds.

 

[spectator]

Mate, I agree with you regarding not being excluded on the basis of playing for teams who aren't all that successful.

That's simply my list of candidates: I think that Fourie is probably the best scrum half of the professional era, that Matfield is the best lineout forward I've ever seen and that Dusauttoir's performances this year for France and Toulouse have been absolutely epic. I don't think you can leave Brussouw out after the phenomenal impact he has made on the season, and I think O'Driscoll [along with du Preez] is an automatic shortlist given how awesome he has been this season.

Robinson is a super player alright, as are Parisse, Bakkies, Richie McCaw, Morne Steyn, Dan Carter, Rocky Elsom ... I'm just giving a personal list of the 5 players who I think have been the best in the world this year.

There was a question asked [which I quoted] about O'Driscoll's form this season, and I answered it. I've no idea how much NH rugby you see in Australia, but I don't think anybody would be insulted by my answer. I meant "you" as in you plural: hardly going to start writing '"one" has a limited grasp on rugby' ...

Pedants may well have a field day with this Hugonaut. I thought you were being singular with your comment myself.

This, gentlemen, is why the people of Cork retained a second person plural when English came around these parts. "I'm not talking to ye, I'm talking to you" permits of, oh, so much more precision. :thumb

And I knew for sure that one particular pedant would come out to play.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

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

Won the Heineken Cup for the first time in Leinster's history and was the top try scorer in the competition. Captained Ireland to the 6N Championship and Grand Slam and was the top try scorer in that competition. Announced as 6N Player of the tournament. If he's not on the shortlist, it shows that you have a limited grasp on rugby.

For the record, my five nominees would have been:

B. O'Driscoll [Ire]
F. du Preez [SA]
H. Brussouw [SA]
V. Matfield [SA]
T. Dusauttoir [Fra]

I think it'll come down to a straight shoot out between O'Driscoll and Du Preez, both of whom would be a worthy winner.

100% spot on list. I would hav had Giteau as a shoe in post S14 where I thougth he plaayer of the tournie, but his intl form hasn't been up to it.

FdP to win a one horse race really.

 

[PaarlBok]

MR welcome on board! :thumb

 

[Biffo]

Parisse is overrated. Yes he is good, and has some fantastic skills, but I've never seen him dominate against quality opposition. Maybe I just haven't seen the right games.

Italy very rarely plays a team renked very close to or below itself. How can Parisse be expected to dominate 15 UnZidders or Boks?