Comments on: Bench warmer gets IRB nomination

By: Mike H

Mike H — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:37:14 +0000

Id have
Reid
Carter
Lobbe
Etzebeth

By: lawsy25

lawsy25 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:31:34 +0000

Should have been

Reid
Carter
McCaw
Lobbe
token NH player, I actually can’t think of one.

By: Skeppie

Skeppie — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:38:13 +0000

@jeest-96: Shows how poor these awards are. Reid was brilliant this year and while I am a huge admirer of Ritchie Macaw I would give this one to Reid. Carter would be in the mix for me but he has been out with injury for too much of the year.

By: Skeppie

Skeppie — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:36:48 +0000

@NZINCHINA-65: China we aren't winnign trophies because we are not playing well and your guys are, full stop. We however get shafted with awards because the IRB panel is filled with bok haters.....good thing these awards mean bugger all. Trophies and W/L ratios are the be all and end all.

By: husky

husky — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 06:00:38 +0000

Saffers very hard done by. I thought Craig Joubert for the AB’s was unlucky last year not to crack the nod for player of the year. Even this year he should have at least got a nomination.

By: jeest

jeest — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 04:11:53 +0000

Next thing you know Deans will be down for Coach of the year.

By: jeest

jeest — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 04:10:01 +0000

@cane-69: Holy **** – I’m actually agreeing with your post.

Write that down.

How did McCaw and Carter get nominated above Read. Read has been the form forward for the last couple of years. The list is a farce….as usual

By: john123

john123 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:23:32 +0000

Remember watching Lobbe for Sale Sharks in England great player but the other Lobbe at London Irish was even more talented

Louis Picamoles is the best number 8 in the world that guy is amazing the way he breaks through tackles and offloads is beautiful

Wales’ young winger George North has been very impressive the “Welsh Jonah Lomu”

By: Nils

Nils — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:59:27 +0000

@whatever-92: Who's talking?

By: mshiniwami

mshiniwami — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:53:41 +0000

@cane-69: @cane-69: George Smith or Imanol Harinodiquoy should have won in 02 Richie should have never won in 09,he was injured for most of tri nations and when he did play he was decidedly avg.he should have won 08 tho Kaino should have won 2011 Read should have won this yr 2012

By: whatever

whatever — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:32:43 +0000

@Nils-88: No wannabe, "your" mob have not arrived yet so the whinging is at an all time low!

By: DEE DAH

DEE DAH — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 19:49:43 +0000

I could be wrong and if I am I apologies upfront. Isn’t this John Eales’ annual(read anal)favorite player award. In which case you have to ask whether Eales is supermanning that ho!

By: Hans Wlomeyer

Hans Wlomeyer — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:24:40 +0000

the players know if they really deserve it or not, the award doesn’t really mean anything to a player if he knows that he doesn’t deserve it. should be a players player award, all the test players of that year should vote

By: kaksioek

kaksioek — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:50:41 +0000

Habana Wins IRPA Try of the Year Award
November 29, 2012
Bryan Habana’s spectacular score against New Zealand in the inaugural Castle Rugby Championship was named as the International Rugby Players’ Association’s (IRPA) Try of the Year 2012.
Habana became the second Springbok to win the award after Jaque Fourie earned the honour in 2009 for his try in the second Test against the British & Irish Lions at Loftus Versfeld.

Habana’s Dunedin score was also named as South Africa’s try of the year to add to his winning of the title of SARU’s player of the year for 2012. Habana took his total of Springbok tries to 47 in 2012, before a knee injury cut short his season before the end of year tour.

Former teammate Jaque Fourie, All Blacks centurion Mils Muliaina, former IRB Player of the Year Shane Williams and Japan’s Daisuke Ohata, the leading try scorer in Test Rugby, formed the panel of judges who opted for Habana’s effort ahead of the three other shortlisted tries scored by New Zealand duo Hosea Gear and Julian Savea and Frenchman Julien Malzieu.

Consideration was also given to votes cast by rugby fans from all around the world via the IRB’s interactive platforms.

Habana, the IRB Player of the Year in 2007, stunned the All Blacks when he burst onto a pass from flanker Francois Louw at full speed, chipped ahead and gathered to score a try that briefly handed the Springboks the lead seven minutes into the second half of the contest in Dunedin. New Zealand went on to win 21-11.

“Scoring a try against the All Blacks is always special, but scoring against them in New Zealand, is even more special,” said Habana.

“I really enjoyed getting across the try-line in Dunedin – contributing to the success of the team and also lifting the spirits of my teammates.”

“Winning this Award is very special and hopefully I can continue scoring tries for the Springboks for a very long time.”

Previous winners:

2011 – Radike Samo (Australia) – Australia v New Zealand
2010 – Chris Ashton (England) – England v Australia
2009 – Jaque Fourie (South Africa) – South Africa v British & Irish Lions
2008 – Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) – Australia v Ireland

By: Nils

Nils — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:12:04 +0000

Oh, well. Is there any kind of topic without usual bleating from usual bleaters?

Just curious.

By: Nils

Nils — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:09:16 +0000

Phew, I almost spilled my beer until noticed that he has been just “nominated”/

By: pattyfries

pattyfries — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:17:54 +0000

A few things

1. How can such an experienced panel select such a lame group of nominees. Read was far more prominent than Mccaw (who hobbled from ruck to ruck). Lobbe outplayed the All black loose forwards in both tests (pity his teammates didn’t follow his example). Where is Etzebeth? The guy who brushed aside anyone who stepped in his way right through the year. Where’s Habana’s nod? He was on fire this year? And the ever present Sergio Parisse?

2. Mccaw should never have won the award in 2009. Fourie Du Preez, Victor Matfield and David Pocock all played much better. Brad Thorn too.

3. A side note. Can anyone please explain to me how the All Blacks manage to get all their foul play bans reduced?

By: bokfan1

bokfan1 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:15:31 +0000

@Hurricane-83: Of course you would think they do! What a surprise. Kieran Read Estebeth Picomoles Lobbe and Lobbe should win it

By: bokfan1

bokfan1 — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:14:16 +0000

@spartan-49: The whole world knows Fourie shouldve won it - absolute joke by IRB. And 2010 shouldve been Matfield. But this year should Lobbe and Picomoles on the list!

By: Hurricane

Hurricane — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:13:41 +0000

@bokfan1-81: McCaw and Carter belong in there. So who do you think should be there?