Habana wins IRPA try of the year award [video]
South Africa’s Bryan Habana has won the International Rugby Players’ Association (IRPA) try of the year award for his score against New Zealand in September, it was announced Thursday.
The winger became the second Springbok to win the award, following Jaque Fourie who was honoured in 2009 for his try in the second Test against the British and Irish Lions.
Habana, the 2007 International Rugby Board (IRB) player of the year, stunned world champions New Zealand when he took 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.
However, the All Blacks recovered 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 in a statement.
“I really enjoyed getting across the try-line in Dunedin — contributing to the success of the team and also lifting the spirits of my team-mates.
“Winning this award is very special and hopefully I can continue scoring tries for the Springboks for a very long time,” added Habana, 29, who has so far grabbed 47 tries in 83 Tests for South Africa.
Fourie, All Blacks great Mils Muliaina, Wales’s 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 chose Habana’s effort ahead of the three other shortlisted tries scored by New Zealand duo Hosea Gear and Julian Savea and Julien Malzieu of France.
Consideration was also given to votes cast by rugby fans from all around the world via the IRB’s interactive platforms.
© AFP 2013- Explore:
- Bryan Habana, Rugby Union
November 30th 2012 @ 8:11am
Ryan said | November 30th 2012 @ 8:11am | Report comment
Very good and deserving try IMO
How he was not nominated for IRB player of the year over Farrell is ludicrous to say the least
November 30th 2012 @ 6:24pm
Hightackle said | November 30th 2012 @ 6:24pm | Report comment
What!?
O.Farrell should have won this award.
December 1st 2012 @ 9:33pm
all7days said | December 1st 2012 @ 9:33pm | Report comment
November 30th 2012 @ 11:10am
Bazza Allblack Supporter said | November 30th 2012 @ 11:10am | Report comment
Bloody good try – reminds me why we love watching rugby
Very well deserved!
November 30th 2012 @ 11:13am
Shop said | November 30th 2012 @ 11:13am | Report comment
Should really read ‘individual’ try of the year. I think Habana’s was definitely one of the best tries this year, but some of the others weren’t nearly as impressive as some of the team efforts. Dagg’s in the first Bledisloe and Landajo against against the AB’s spring to mind.
November 30th 2012 @ 11:21am
Jerry said | November 30th 2012 @ 11:21am | Report comment
Yeah, I tend to prefer great team tries over individual efforts unless it’s an absolute freak play the likes of Cullen, Lomu or Caucau are capable of.
I reckon Messam’s try vs Wales has got to be a contender for next year’s list, as does the 13 man Welsh maul for sheer bravado.
November 30th 2012 @ 12:16pm
Hoy said | November 30th 2012 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
By rights, Habana should have been squashed. Not much of a gap for him to squeeze through. Gus Gould always says “Pace is power”. True in this case. Smith was just left grabbing. Habana was his man I think and I can’t see why he didn’t get him. There was no other runner coming through there. Miss-communication with his prop?
November 30th 2012 @ 12:57pm
Colin said | November 30th 2012 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
Funny that. A player from the team everybody says is boring gets the try of the year…
Not sure I agree on some assertions that it should be a team try. This award is to recognise individual brilliance.
November 30th 2012 @ 1:08pm
Jerry said | November 30th 2012 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
Why?
November 30th 2012 @ 3:22pm
Shop said | November 30th 2012 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
I don’t think it should be a team try or an individual try. It should be the BEST try. I suggested above that all the nominations were solo efforts and I think it is unfair to overlook more graceful scores because it involved more than 1 player.
November 30th 2012 @ 6:03pm
soapit` said | November 30th 2012 @ 6:03pm | Report comment
but who do you award it to? the team or the individual.
happy enough that its for the best individual effort. they could do a separate top ten best tries of the year without an award
December 1st 2012 @ 12:08am
IvanN said | December 1st 2012 @ 12:08am | Report comment
Also, if one man runs through an entire team, and makes a pass on the line for another to score – the other would win the award ?
December 1st 2012 @ 12:17am
biltongbek said | December 1st 2012 @ 12:17am | Report comment
Think about it this way, we have no nominations for Player of the year, so the IRB consoles us with the try of the year.
November 30th 2012 @ 1:10pm
Dcnz said | November 30th 2012 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
Argentinas tries vs Wales and v the ABs in NZ …
November 30th 2012 @ 1:38pm
cm said | November 30th 2012 @ 1:38pm | Report comment
Habana’s try was certainly very pretty, but of those five I prefer Gear’s because of the teamwork and his excellent finish.
November 30th 2012 @ 5:31pm
biltongbek said | November 30th 2012 @ 5:31pm | Report comment
Tries aren’t pretty CM, they are either incredible or awesome, or well worked. But pretty is a word you use when you describe a lady.
December 1st 2012 @ 11:16am
cm said | December 1st 2012 @ 11:16am | Report comment
“Pretty is as pretty does”, or something like that, biltongbek.
Let me just say, then, that Habana’s try was beautifully worked. Is that lingo acceptable?
December 1st 2012 @ 2:25pm
biltongbek said | December 1st 2012 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
Most definitely cm.
November 30th 2012 @ 1:40pm
Ra said | November 30th 2012 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
They were all much of a muchness, same same, hard to seperate. Toss a coin really.
November 30th 2012 @ 1:43pm
Bert said | November 30th 2012 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
I’m sorry, but it smacks of bias. Why aren’t any of the great Wallaby tries scored this year making the cut?
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November 30th 2012 @ 1:48pm
Neuen said | November 30th 2012 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Which 1?
November 30th 2012 @ 2:14pm
Felix said | November 30th 2012 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
Exactly which wallaby try this year would compete with Habana’s?????