World Cup - All Black trio on World Player list

Wed, 19 Oct 09:18:00 2011

All Black trio Piri Weepu, Jerome Kaino and Ma'a Nonu make up half of the list of nominees for rugby's World Player of the Year award.

2011 Rugby World Cup New Zealand Haka - 0

The New Zealanders, who are almost certain to play in the World Cup final this weekend, were joined by Australia's David Pocock and Will Genia on the shortlist for rugby's most prestigious individual award.

The final nominee was France flanker Thierry Dusautoir, who will captain his country against the All Blacks in Sunday's final at Eden Park.

"This has been one of the closest years to date," said the head of selection panel John Eales, the former Australia captain.

"In fact the result could be influenced significantly by the next two matches and that's what it should be like in a World Cup year."

Flanker Kaino has been his country's form loose forward this season with several standout performances in the World Cup so far.

Centre Nonu, who has been among the world's best backs for several years, has also been in impressive form but Weepu's nomination was something of a surprise.

The scrumhalf returned from a long-term injury in April and although he was included in the New Zealand World Cup squad, he only made the starting role his own during the tournament.

Weepu assumed the kicking duties after the loss of New Zealand's flyhalf Dan Carter to injury, however, and was instrumental in their victories over Argentina and Australia in the quarter and semi-finals.

Pocock is nominated for the award for the second season in a row after losing out to fellow openside flanker Richie McCaw when the All Blacks captain won for a third time last year.

Scrumhalf Genia was one of the driving forces behind Australia claiming the Tri-Nations title for the first time in a decade earlier this year.

Australia face Wales in the third-place playoff at Eden Park on Friday and the winner of the award will be announced next Monday, the day after the final.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 10 of 10

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. wow .. over the year wearing my blacked out glasses ..­ i would say Kaino and Mccaw ...
    tho kurtley beale would­ be up there
    Kaino for me ...but feel if we win on­ sunday .. it would be hard to go past 100+ capped­ captain fantastic RICHIE!!!

    From lone star, on Fri 21 Oct 20:21

  2. Do you want to play the game or do something else with­ w’ealthy , handsome, good and gorgeous guys and­ beauties? If you don't have the courage, go­ away,! If you like, welcome to ===Affluent single.­ c^0^m===

    From kandyeerxiang, on Thu 20 Oct 11:31

  3. Lou...

    - NZ have been the best team in the world by a­ mile over the last few years. Stop overplaying the home­ advantage aspect.
    - There was also nothing contentious­ about Dagg's try - it was actually just plain­ brilliant.
    - It wasn't the scoreline against­ Australia that was impressive, but the manner in which­ they controlled the game.
    - France have been dire, and­ are easily the worst team ever to reach a final­ (although the talent is there, and the players do have­ the potential to ignite).
    - France 2007 were at least­ as good as France 2011, with a proper 10, a far­ better centre in Jauzion, and far better coached
    - NZ­ 2011 is probably a little stronger than NZ 2007.­ Kelleher was a better 9 than Weepu and Hayman was (is)­ an awesome prop. But the current team has a better­ centre partnership, better fullback, better backrow­ unit and better locks.

    And Kaino would be a more than­ worthy IRB Player of the Year. Agree with Sam that­ Weepu and Dusautoir should not be on the list. Genia,­ to be fair, had a great season with the Reds, and did­ okay for Australia considering that he was starved of­ ball, behind a retreating pack and inside the liability­ that is Quade Cooper. Beale should definitely have been­ in there, along with Sean O' Brien.

    From Sparky, on Thu 20 Oct 8:27
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Piri Weepu, Jerome Kaino and Ma'a Nonu...
    ...should­ NOT win Player of the Year...
    ... the biggest­ "player" for the All Blacks...
    is their HOME­ ground advantage !!!
    The only time the All Blacks won­ the Web Ellis Cup was back in 1987 !!!
    Now (2007 vs.­ 2011)
    All Blacks Now (2007 vs. 2011)... I'll take­ 2007
    France Now (2007 vs. 2011)... I'll take­ 2011
    Weepu missed the conversion and then hit the post­ with a simple penalty shot...
    ...against the­ Wallabies...
    All Blacks unthinkably finished with just­ the one try...
    ...scored by Ma'a Nonu in the 6th­ minute...
    ...even THAT try had its contentious­ aspect...
    ...All Blacks 20 Wallabies 6... an­ arse-kicking ???
    ...only a 14 point margin...
    ...1999­ "Allez Les Bleus" (Come on, France) against­ the All Blacks...
    ...was a shocking: All Blacks (31-43)­ France...
    ...13 point winning margin !!!

    From Lou, on Thu 20 Oct 5:09

  5. Yah, Sean O'Brien as European Player of The Year­ should have been shorlisted, also Beale who had a­ really terrific Super 15 series and World Cup. But i­ guess it'll o to a AB again. SBW is overrated and­ one dimensional,crash bang offload.Stick to the­ boxing.!

    From ray, on Wed 19 Oct 21:24

  6. Funny how the European Player of the the Year Sean­ O'Brien doesn't feature on the list but Theirry­ Dusautoir does. I think he merited inclusion - after­ all it's not called the 'International Player­ of the Year Award' meaning that both Club and­ National team performances should count in the­ consideration.

    From julian, on Wed 19 Oct 17:46
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    a new zealander will win it of course. its a fix. Brian­ O Driscoll Clearly should have won it a few years ago­ to be pipped by Richie McCaw (of course!). What had­ Richie McCaw done that season? Not much. What had­ O'Driscoll done? Only captained the Ireland team to­ their first Grand Slam in 61 years and brought Leinster­ to their first Heineken Cup in 14 Years

    From craigkelly10, on Wed 19 Oct 17:21

  8. Don't agree at all with Weepu, Genia or Dusautoir­ being on this list
    Weepu missed most of the year due to­ injury and has only just taken the number 9 shirt from­ Cowan
    Genia has been average in his Australia­ performances, if this was last years award then­ maybe
    Dusautoir shouldve won it in 2007, this year,­ he's not been at his best
    I think these are more­ deserving;
    Kaino- Best blindside in the world by a­ country mile
    McCaw- Still the best 7, proved that­ against Pocock last week
    Sonny Bill- Makes rugby a joy­ to watch (levelled Cooper with a shoulercharge too,­ must be worth a few points)
    Jamie Roberts- imo, better­ than Nonu. But Ma'a has an extra match to do­ something special
    Vincent Clerc- when he's not­ being tip-tackled, he's one of the deadliest­ finishers around
    Regardless of the differences in the­ lists, I think its about time the unrecognised 6's­ won something, so Kaino should win.

    From Sam, on Wed 19 Oct 17:20

  9. you're right Pinky. Beale has been fantastic. Genia­ as well perhaps. I struggling to think of any Northern­ Hemisphere players that have really stood out all year.­ A few that have come good during this World Cup but not­ all year

    From Noo Noo, on Wed 19 Oct 16:55

  10. KAINOOOO will surely win this award. bit surprised­ kurtley Beale isn't on the list he has been­ magnificent, he should be there instead of weepu.

    From Pink Pig, on Wed 19 Oct 16:24
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account