WILL GENIA GOES BACK-TO-BACK AS REDS CLEAN UP AT THE 2012 FxPro SUPER RUGBY AWARDS
The St.George Queensland Reds have taken out four of the five Awards on offer today at the 2012 FxPro Super Rugby Awards in Sydney.
Reds scrumhalf, Will Genia, secured the 2012 FxPro Super Rugby Player of the Year Award by a single vote to claim the top Award for the second time in as many years.
Going into the last round Genia was equal on points with team mate, Scott Higginbotham and RaboDirect Rebels playmaker Kurtley Beale and was just two points behind the leaders, University of Canberra Brumbies fly-half, Christian Lealiifano and Emirates Western Force captain, David Pocock.
With Lealiifano, Pocock and Beale all out injured in the final round of the season it came down to the two Queenslanders and whether or not one of them could poll maximum votes in their game against the HSBC Waratahs.
As he did in 2011 Genia polled three votes in the final home and away match of the year to leapfrog Lealiifano and Pocock to take the top award while his team mate Higginbotham polled two points to finish equal second in the voting.
Going into the final round last year Genia was tied with Reds playmaker, Quade Cooper and it was the scrumhalf’s man-of-the-match effort against the Chiefs that secured him the 2011 title while Cooper polled a single vote to deliver him outright second.
Genia polled votes in seven matches this year compared to nine last year, including four man-of-the-match performances against the Sharks in Durban in round 4, the Blues in Auckland in round 10, the Lions at Suncorp in round 13 and the Waratahs at Suncorp in round 18.
After winning the Award for the second season running Genia becomes just the third player to achieve the feat joining former Brumbies and Wallabies flanker George Smith and former Waratahs and Reds fullback Chris Latham as the only other players to go back-to-back.
The Reds also secured the Australian Team of the Year award for topping the Australian Conference table, while former World Cup winning Wallaby and Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie was named Australian Coach of the Year for a record fifth time in his career.
McKenzie, who secured the award last year after he led the side to the top of the Australian conference and ultimately Queensland’s maiden FxPro Super Rugby title, was first awarded the title in 2005 while at the helm of the Waratahs.
In 2006 he claimed the honours again before collecting a third Award in 2008 during his final season with the Waratahs.
The only other coach to win the award more than twice is McKenzie’s former Wallaby team mate David Nucifora who was named Australian Super Rugby Coach of the Year three years running from 2002 – 2004 while at the helm of the ACT Brumbies.
The Reds also took out the FxPro Super Rugby Try of the Year Award for a tremendous team effort against the Rebels in round 16, which was finished off by Dom Shipperley.
The only other Award on offer for the Queensland Franchise was Rookie of the Year, which was awarded to Brumbies flyer Joseph Tomane refusing the Reds of a clean sweep of Awards in 2012.
A revelation in his first season of FxPro Super Rugby after two years in the NRL, Tomane was one of the main strike weapons for the rejuvenated Brumbies.
Tomane finished the year with just three Player of the Year votes after polling in two games, however his efforts on the field were not missed by the selectors who rewarded the young Brumby with a Gold Qantas Wallabies jersey and his first Test cap during the June Test window.
After retiring at the end of the 2011 season Stuart Dickinson was not eligible to win a record sixth straight TNT Referee of the Year Award.
Steve Walsh was awarded the top honour for Australian referees in 2012.
It is the first time Walsh has claimed the Award and has been appointed to oversee this weekend’s Semi-Final between the Stormers and the Sharks in Cape Town.
ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill AO, congratulated all the award winners on their success and another exciting and enjoyable FxPro Super Rugby season.
“The 2012 FxPro Super Rugby season has certainly kept us wondering about a number of things including final table positions and awards,” Mr O’Neill said.
“In the end it came down to the results and performances in the final round of the year.
“While we only had one side in the Finals this year there was certainly a great deal shown by a number of the Australian Franchises that they will provide big threats in 2013.
“Commiserations to the Reds who missed out against the Sharks last weekend, however it was certainly a valiant effort and one that I am sure will provide them with a great deal of confidence when they shape up again in 2013.
“While we no longer have any Australian sides in the hunt for the 2012 title I think there is certainly a lot of potential and hunger brewing for Australian based success next year.
“I want to congratulate the Reds, Joseph Tomane, Steve Walsh and Will Genia for what they have achieved this season and for securing Awards today.”
*Notes to Media*
A list of previous award winners is included below and attached is the complete list of the Super Rugby Player of the Year polling. A short outline of how each award winner is determined follows the previous award winners list.
Player of the Year Recipients
Coach and Team of the Year Recipients
Rookie of the Year Recipients
Referee of the Year Recipients
2012 – Will Genia
2011 – Will Genia
2010 – Quade Cooper
2009 – George Smith
2008 – George Smith
2007 – George Smith
2006 – George Smith
2005 – Chris Latham
2004 – Chris Latham
2003 – Joe Roff & Chris Latham
2002 – Stirling Mortlock
2001 – Phil Waugh
2000 – Chris Latham
1999 – Joe Roff
1998 – Stephen Larkham and John Eales
2012 – Ewen McKenzie (Reds)
2011 – Ewen McKenzie (Reds)
2010 – Chris Hickey (Waratahs)
2009 – Chris Hickey (Waratahs)
2008 – Ewen McKenzie (Waratahs)
2007 – Laurie Fisher (Brumbies)
2006 – Ewen McKenzie (Waratahs)
2005 – Ewen McKenzie (Waratahs)
2004 – David Nucifora (Brumbies)
2003 – David Nucifora (Brumbies)
2002 – David Nucifora (Brumbies)
2001 – Eddie Jones (Brumbies)
2000 – Eddie Jones (Brumbies)
1999 – John Connolly (Reds)
1998 – John Connolly (Reds)
2012 – Joseph Tomane
2011 – Nick Phipps
2010 – Pat McCabe
2009 – Laurie Weeks
2008 – Tyrone Smith
2007 – Lachie Turner
2006 – Benn Robinson
2005 – Peter Hewat
2004 – Nic Henderson and Drew Mitchell
2003 – Matt Giteau
2002 – Van Humphries
2001 – David Croft
2000 – Phil Waugh
1999 – Nathan Sharpe
1998 – Chris Whitaker
2012 – Steve Walsh
2011 – Stuart Dickinson
2010 – Stuart Dickinson
2009 – Stuart Dickinson
2008 – Stuart Dickinson
2007 – Stuart Dickinson
2006 – Scott Young
2005 – Andrew Cole
2004 – Andrew Cole
2003 – Peter Marshall
2002 – Stuart Dickinson
2001 – Peter Marshall
2000 – Wayne Erickson
1999 – Stuart Dickinson
1998 – Scott Young
Super Rugby Player of the Year:
The Super Rugby Player of the Year award has been decided by 18 of Australia’s esteemed Rugby television, radio and print journalists and commentators over the course of the 2012 FxPro Super Rugby Season. Every week one journalists submitted their 3 -2 -1 votes for each of the Super Rugby games involving an Australian franchise. With 3 votes awarded to the player they adjudge to be ‘Man-of-the-Match’, 2 for next best and 1 for next best. Any player playing in an Australian Franchise was eligible to be considered for a vote during the 18 home and away rounds of FxPro Super Rugby.
Super Rugby Coach and Team of the Year:
The Super Rugby Coach and Team of the Year awards are given to the team and coach of the team that tops the Australian conference.
Super Rugby Rookie of the Year:
Selected by ARU’s High Performance Unit the Rookie of the Year is awarded to the player who is deemed to have been the most outstanding first year player in Australia. Consideration is given by the HPU panel to votes polled during the FxPro Super Rugby Season.
TNT Referee of the Year:
The referee of the year is selected by Head of ARU’s High Performance Unit, David Nucifora and ARU’s National Programs Manager, Anthony Eddy.
Super Rugby Try of the Year:
Is selected by a panel Fox Sports Rugby experts.