IRB PLAYER OF THE YEAR - 2012

[Hugh Jarse]

The shortlist of six players will shortly be announced for the 2012 IRB Player of the year.

Who should be on the Shortlist?
Who will win?

Remember that politics and "balance" play an important role in these awards.

It has been suggested (by a NZ scribe in NZ Herald) that the shortlist could include:
Sir Ritchie GOAT
Kieran Read
Brian Habana
George North, Dan Lydiate or Leigh Halfpenny
Nathan Sharpe
Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
Cory Jane, Daniel Carter, Israel Dagg, Conrad Smith or Tony Woodcock
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10850176


2012 IRB Award categories:
IRB Player of the Year
IRB Team of the Year
IRB Coach of the Year
IRPA Try of the Year
IRB Women's Player of the Year
IRB Development Award
The Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service
IRPA Special Merit Awards


Already Announced 2012 Award Winners
IRB Spirit of Rugby Award
Canadian rugby player Lindsay Hilton for her remarkable achievement in playing rugby despite being born without any limbs.

IRB Junior Player of the Year
Jan Serfontein (South Africa)

IRB Sevens Player of the Year
Tomasi Cama (NZL)

IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service
Paul Dobson (South Africa)

IRB Hall Of Fame Inductees for 2012
Richard and Kennedy Tsimba (Zimbabwe)

US Olympic Rugby Gold Medal Winning Teams from 1920 and 1924:
1920 squad: Danny Carroll (player/coach), Charles Doe, George Fish, James Fitzpatrick, Joseph Hunter, Morris Kirksey, Charles 'Red' Meehan, John Muldoon, John O’Neil, John 'Jack' Patrick, Cornelius 'Swede' Righter, Colby 'Babe' Slater, Rudolph 'Rudy' Scholz, Robert 'Dink' Templeton, Charles Tilden Jr (captain), Heaton Wrenn, William ‘Bill’ Muldoon, Matthew Hazeltine, Davis 'Dave' Wallace, James Winston, George Davis, Harold von Schmidt.
1924 squad: Philip Clark, Norman ‘Peabody’ Cleveland, Dudley DeGroot, Robert Devereaux, George Dixon, Charles Doe, Linn Farrish, Edward ‘Mush’ Graff, Richard ‘Dick’ Hyland, Caesar Manelli, John O’Neil, John 'Jack' Patrick, William 'Lefty' Rogers, Rudolph 'Rudy' Scholz, Colby 'Babe' Slater (captain), Norman Slater, Edward Turkington, Alan Valentine, Alan Williams, Joseph Hunter, William ‘Bill’ Muldoon, Hugh ‘Pete’ Cunningham, John Cashel., Charles Austin (coach).

Romania Olympic Rugby Bronze Medal winning Team - 1924

Demi Sakata (Japan)

Ian and Donald Campbell (Chile)

More material here: http://www.irb.com/history/awards/nominees/index.html

2011 IRB Award winners -
IRB Player of the Year: Thierry Dusautoir (France)
IRB Team of the Year: New Zealand
IRB Coach of the Year: Graham Henry (New Zealand)
IRB Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC: Cecil Afrika (South Africa)
IRB Junior Player of the Year: George Ford (England)
IRB Women's Personality of the Year: Ruth Mitchell
IRB Development Award: Rookie Rugby
IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Keith Lawrence
Spirit of Rugby Award: Wooden Spoon
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Jock Hobbs
IRPA Special Merit Award: George Smith (Australia)
IRPA Try of the Year: Radike Samo (Australia v New Zealand)
IRB Hall of Fame inductees: Dr Roger Vanderfield, Richard Littlejohn, Sir Nicholas Shehadie, John Kendall-Carpenter, David Kirk, Sir Brian Lochore, Nick Farr-Jones, Bob Dwyer, Francois Pienaar, Kitch Christie, Rod Macqueen, Martin Johnson CBE, Sir Clive Woodward OBE, John Smit, Jake White, Gareth Rees, Agustín Pichot, Brian Lima and Jonah Lomu.

 

[Manuel]

I've heard that since 2009, the award is given by a points system, not unlike the John Eales medal. The IRB website is not very clear, but there is a panel who vote for the award, and is composed by: John Eales, Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, François Pienaar, Paul Wallace, Scott Quinnell, Agustín Pichot, Tana Umaga and Raphaël Ibanez.
I think this year it should go to Richie McCaw. He has won it before underservedly (e.g. 2009 over FdP or BOD), but that shouldn't play against him getting it when he does deserve it. Kieran Read could get it too, and Bryan Habana would have had a shot, but not playing the EOYT will have played against him.
I don't know how "short" the shortlist will be, but I could see Rodrigo Roncero making it as well. Michael Hooper too.

 

[BPC]

I would be shocked if it wasn't Kieran Read.

 

[Viking]

its gunna go to Rich MaCaw for guiding the all blacks to a RWC and a 20 game unbeaten streak, or keiran read for playing the house down. I would be amazed if some-one else won.

 

[farva]

The RWC was counted in last years awards so that is out.
As I understand it, the way the system works is that each game, the panel awards votes and the player with the most votes wins.
That system will count against Hooper who hasnt played enough games. It also means a game between Italy and Scotland is given the same preference as a game between NZ and Aus/SA but IMO is a good system.

 

[qwerty51]

What matches count? Only internationals or do provincial games count as well?

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

Nathan Sharpe
Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe

 

[Richo]

I haven't seen as much rugby as I'd like in the last few months, but it's pretty hard to go past Kieran Read as the best player in the world right now.

 

[ChargerWA]

If anyone other then Kieran Read wins it, it will be a travesty.

 

[qwerty51]

Shame Hooper didn't start the first 5 matches of the year, he'd easily win it.

Yeah Read for sure.

 

[Richo]

Shame Hooper didn't start the first 5 matches of the year, he'd easily win it.

Yeah Read for sure.

He's been Australia's best, certainly. But I don't think you could argue he's been better than Read.

 

[qwerty51]

I think you can, every single game he's started in he's either been our best or at least top 3. That consistency is amazing. Can't say the same about Read. Now I know one plays in the Wallabies and the other the All Blacks but got to reward the consistency there.

 

[p.Tah]

IRB Spirit of Rugby Award
Canadian rugby player Lindsay Hilton for her remarkable achievement in playing rugby despite being born without any limbs.

That is quite incredible.

 

[Richo]

Qwerty, you've basically made my argument for me. I agree with you that Hooper has been easily the best Wallaby, but Read has been a consistent standout in a side that also features Sir Richie, et al. That's pretty tough. I also think he's a flat-out better player, at least at the moment.

 

[swingpass]

read for me, daylight second

 

[brumsfan]

Read and Hooper named as two of six players considered by the IRB unluckily not to be nominated

 

[Braveheart81]

How the hell does Owen Farrell get nominated?

England hasn't won squat this year and he isn't even the preferred fly half currently.

 

[farva]

For those that are interested, it was Michelak, Carter, McCaw and Farrell.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Obviously the Matt Burke Theory has factored in the Selections (as always). Eurovision voting parallels anyone?

The shortlisting panel was:
John Eales (Chairman)
Will Greenwood,
Gavin Hastings,
Raphaël Ibanez,
Francois Pienaar,
Agustín Pichot,
Scott Quinnell,
Tana Umaga and
Paul Wallace.

RICHIE MCCAW (New Zealand)
The most capped All Black in history with 115 Tests and 19 tries to his name, McCaw continues to raise the bar and ensure that New Zealand do not rest on their laurels after last year’s Rugby World Cup success. An inspirational leader, the 31-year-old openside flanker has enjoyed another record-breaking season by becoming the first player to post 100 Test wins and most wins as captain. The benchmark by which all openside flankers are judged, McCaw will take a six-month sabbatical from the Game in 2013.

DAN CARTER (New Zealand)
The leading point-scorer in Test rugby, Carter boasts a CV with every major honour on it from Super Rugby success with the Crusaders to World Cup glory, even if a groin injury kept him sidelined for much of last year’s success. The finest fly half of his generation, though, is still hungry for more and remains as important to the All Blacks’ cause as McCaw. Carter is the complete package and, even in a season again disrupted by injury, has been the catalyst for many a New Zealand victory in 2012, even slotting over a rare drop goal at the death to break Irish hearts in Christchurch.

OWEN FARRELL (England)
The son of former England dual code international Andy, the young fly half enjoyed a rapid rise from IRB Junior World Championship finalist in June 2011 to make his Test debut against Scotland on the opening weekend of the RBS 6 Nations. One of the star turns of that Championship, Farrell headed to South Africa as England’s number one, but has since slipped behind Toby Flood. However, he has plenty of time on his side, having only turned 21 in September, and could reach a century of Test points on Saturday against the world champions.

FRÉDÉRIC MICHALAK (France)
Recalled to the French national team after an absence of more than two years by coach Philippe Saint-André for the June tour to Argentina, Michalak has been the architect of Les Bleus’ run of four consecutive victories over Argentina (twice), Australia and Samoa which have secured them a top four IRB World Rankings for the RWC 2015 Pool Allocation. The rejuvenated fly half has returned from another spell in Super Rugby with the Sharks to reignite an international career that looked to have stalled with just four appearances since RWC 2007

Awards to be announced in London on 3 December 2012.

Among those players unlucky to miss out on the shortlist are New Zealand number 8 Kieran Read, Australian duo Michael Hooper and Berrick Barnes, Scotland’s Ross Rennie, Springbok wing Bryan Habana and Argentina’s inspirational captain Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe.

Source: http://www.irb.com/history/awards/newsid=2064520.html#irb+player+year+shortlist+revealed

 

[qwerty51]

Well... just speechless.

Owen Farrell has been dropped for Flood the last 4 matches.

Michalak has started only 4 Tests this year.