Jerome Kaino saw off the challenge of his All Blacks teammates Ma’a Nonu and captain Richie McCaw to be named New Zealand’s rugby player of the year.
Kaino was announced as the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial player of the year at the New Zealand Rugby Union awards dinner in Auckland on Thursday night.
Kaino, whose brother accepted the award in his absence, played all but 55 seconds of the All Blacks’ games in their march to the Rugby World Cup crown and he was also nominated for the IRB Player of the Year.
The All Blacks were predictably named the best team, outgoing All Blacks coach Graham Henry took out the coach award and Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett won the Super Rugby player of the year.
The NZRU also marked the work of its former chairman Jock Hobbs and the coaches and management of the All Blacks.
The Steinlager Salver, awarded for outstanding contribution to New Zealand rugby, was presented to Hobbs who led New Zealand’s bid to win hosting rights for this year’s Rugby World Cup and was the chairman of its organising body before his battle with cancer forced him to step down.
Another special award of pounamu mere went to Henry, assistant coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith and manager Darren Shand to mark them bringing up 100 Tests with the All Blacks.
Awards:
Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year: Jerome Kaino (Auckland, Blues, All Blacks)
Steinlager Salver: Jock Hobbs
Coach of the year: Graham Henry
Team of the year: All Blacks
ITM Cup player of the year: Aaron Cruden (Manawatu)
Heartland Championship player of the year: Jon Smyth (Wanganui)
Tom French Memorial Maori player of the year: Piri Weepu – Whakatohea (Wellington, Hurricanes, All Blacks)
Super Rugby player of the year: Wyatt Crockett (Canterbury, Crusaders, All Blacks)
Volunteer of the year: Andy MacDonald (Canterbury)
Women’s player of the year: Fiao’o Fa’amausili (Auckland, Black Ferns)
Referee of the year: Bryce Lawrence
Richard Crawshaw Memorial Sevens player of the year: Tim Mikkelson (Waikato, New Zealand Sevens)
Age Grade player of the year: Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, New Zealand Under 20)
Dick
Guest
How did Bryce Lawrence win the referee of the year award. His performances during the Super Rugby Comp and the recent World Cup were way below par. Just seems to be the same old boys club banding together. Male referees seem to get the nod all the time, is it because they are high profile or justone of the pretty boys!! No disrespect Bryce this wasn't your best year!! Nicky Inwood has performed admirably as a referee representing NZ abroad at International Tournaments around the world. To boot she is also on the IRB Womans Referee panel. No other woman referee in NZ has achieved this accolade. Nicky has had an outstanding season at club, national and international level. She did an excellent job of refereeing the Wellington / Auckland Womens final this year. Some of the best technical refereeing I have seen in a very long time. Time for the old boys to wake up and see real talent, maybe they might learn something and start promoting our woman referees and womens rugby in NZ after all they have won the world cup far more than the men have!!! Bryce Laurence think yourself very lucky to have won this award!!!
Johnno
Guest
This is also a funny clip Between IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset, NZ PM John key, and RIchei mCGAW on handshake for Mcgaw in getting webb ellis trophy very funny. http://youtu.be/rWjuiAPkEAw
Johnno
Guest
Yes Oldantucker same Matt Williams ex NSW Waratahs coach. It sure did hurt losing Oldantucker I have never been more excited about any sports event than this 2011 rugby world cup. it was such a meaningful sports event with so much at stake, we may never see a sports tournament as good for a long time in any sport, NZ public were sensational, and I am an aussie but the crowds do greet the all blacks in the 3 parades were massive and so passionate it meant so much to NZ full stop. great energy. Some people have put up some great videos of the celebrations . here is a good one. The ALL BLACKS doing the aka outside wellington nation parliament house, after the parade so much passion this world cup win was so meaningful to the AB'S. Redemption, as Grahame Henry said the country can now rest in peace. i don't know if NZ would have survived if they lost this world cup in NZ lol. I notice it in the black caps and smithy commentating seems so much more happy, he did call Thierry Dusautoir THIERRY Henry lol, too funny. But here is the video all black Haka outside NZ national parliament. Impressive stuff. http://youtu.be/GiB85FgGBQA
Olddantucker
Guest
Would that be the same Matt Williams who has demonstrated time and again that he knows nothing about rugby? Oh yes, why I believe it is. The more you lot whinge the sweeter the victory feels. It really hurt, huh?
Mike
Guest
It'd make a change for the acceptance speech to be delivered in Afrikaans!
Johnno
Guest
I agree with Kovana to Oldantucker the NZ player of the year award should of gone to Joubert. And i have posted a link that former Waratah coach Matt Williams and another panelist did in analysing the Rugby world cup final. great 5 minutes of TV. And Olddantucker you may change your mind and agree with Kovana and me. http://youtu.be/1XBqetaCfgo
Olddantucker
Guest
Change the record, mate. You're boring on planet Rugby with this nonsense and you're boring here.
p.Tah
Guest
7 out of 10 John Eales Medals have gone to forwards.
kovana
Guest
Why? Did he help win the RWC for NZ? No he didnt.. By all accounts that award should have gone to Joubert.
Kiwiboy
Guest
Kaino should've been IRB player of the year aswell
allblackfan
Guest
Brad Thorn may have been among the contenderss but the list only names the winners (Kaino deservedly so)
WQ
Guest
Certainly agree Mike, although Nonu did have a great Test season his domestic and Super Rugby efforts were a bit ordinary. Kaino's efforts were right up there throughout the whole season in both Super Rugby and Test Rugby. Hard to see how Brad Thorn was not amongst the top contenders for this award?
Mike
Guest
Well deserved, and it reinforces the value those kiwis place on forwards. Its so easy to give an award like to one of the flashier backs.