Giteau nominated for award

Giteau nominated for award

November 17, 2009 - 6:59AM

DUBLIN: Australian back Matt Giteau is one of seven nominations for world rugby's player of the year.

Giteau, who plays both five eighth and inside centre, would be considered something of an outsider to take out the award given he wasn't at his best during the 2009 Tri Nations where Australia only won one game.

New Zealand flanker Richie McCaw could become the first man to twice win the award after being shortlisted.

South Africa's dominance of the Tri Nations and their series victory over the British and Irish Lions is recognised by the inclusion of versatile back Francois Steyn and scrum Fourie du Preez, who picked up his national player of the year award earlier this month.

Ireland are represented by captain Brian O'Driscoll who scored the converted try that levelled the Test against the Wallabies on Sunday, and back row forward Jamie Heaslip.

England flanker Tom Croft is also in the running for the individual award, which, along with the IRB coach and team of the year awards, will be announced at the end of this month.

The nominees were selected by a panel comprised of former internationals Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, Raphael Ibanez, Francois Pienaar, Agustin Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga and Paul Wallace, which was chaired by Australian legend John Eales.

Previous winners include former Ireland captain Keith Wood, who won the inaugural award in 2001, Jonny Wilkinson (2003) and Dan Carter (2005). Wales wing Shane Williams is the current holder.

AFP

IRB Player of Year shortlist announced

(IRB.COM) Monday 16 November 2009

The International Rugby Board has announced the shortlist for the IRB Player of the Year 2009 in association with Emirates Airline. The winner will be announced, together with the IRB Coach of the Year and IRB Team of the Year, during the final weekend of November Tests.

This year sees an extended list of seven nominees following the closest vote in the Award's history. Ireland's Jamie Heaslip, Australia's Matt Giteau, Tom Croft of England and South Africans Francois Steyn and Fourie du Preez compete against two international captains in Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll and Richie McCaw of New Zealand to win the most prestigious individual award in the Game.

"The IRB Player of the Year Award is the ultimate accolade for a player and takes into account performances in all internationals played during the year, including the RBS Six Nations, British & Irish Lions Test Series, Tri Nations and the June and November Tests," said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

"The list of past winners includes the iconic names of the decade - Jonny Wilkinson, Schalk Burger, Richie McCaw, Fabien Galthié, Dan Carter, Bryan Habana and Keith Wood have all been worthy recipients of the Award. Richie McCaw could become the first player to receive the accolade twice."

The nominees were selected by the IRB Awards independent panel of judges, comprising former internationals with over 500 Test caps between them. Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, Raphaël Ibanez, Francois Pienaar, Agustin Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga, Paul Wallace and convenor John Eales watched over 60 hours of action from 46 matches, awarding points to the three players they thought stood out in each match.

"Now that the shortlist has been selected the panel will reconvene at the completion of the November tests when the IRB Player of the Year will be selected. The announcement will be made at the conclusion of the final weekend of matches," added Lapasset.

The Player of the Year Award is the sixth of the 13 coveted IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline to be presented in 2009.

In May, England captain Ollie Phillips was named IRB Sevens Player of the Year, while New Zealand captain Aaron Cruden was named IRB Junior Player of the Year in June. Australia's Debby Hodgkinson was named IRB Women's Personality of the Year in August and L'Aquila Rugby Club received the Spirit of Rugby Award in September. This month, Francis Palmade received the IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service.

In a new format for the IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline, winners will be named throughout the year, culminating in the announcement of the prestigious IRB Player, Coach and Team of the Year in November.

Previous Winners

2001 - Keith Wood
2002 - Fabien Galthié
2003 - Jonny Wilkinson
2004 - Schalk Burger
2005 - Dan Carter
2006 - Richie McCaw
2007 - Bryan Habanna
2008 - Shane Williams

i honestly don't think gits should even be in the list with his performances this year. Thought there are other wallabies that could of been there before him.

Was going to add an option for an "Any other player" type thing but they are the official options I guess, agreed though MG.

Edit: Personally I wouldn't have thought Steyn was in the best seven players in the World, or SA for that matter...

IRB Awards committee never seems to pay much attention to what goes on down here...

Definately not Gits or Frans Steyn

Am i missing the point here?

Do our expectations of Gitteau out way even his own abilities.

I dont think he has played that well this year, he can only benefit from a change back to Inside Centre immediately.

He is no match winner and certainly not the missiah.

Is the missiah a bad kicker? Coz then maybe he is...

Perhaps its a reflection of a year of bad form for a lot of players that Steyn and Giteau are on the list. I think that Giteau has had better years (like last year) and that Steyn has never really played that well.

It will go down to McCaw, du Preez and O'Driscoll. And of those three du Preez has to win it surely. Champion with the Bulls, Champion in the Tri-Nations with the Springboks and has been in incredible form this year.

I think it will go to McCaw or Du Preez. It's about time a forward gets it actually.

Giteau is the best try scoring fly half going around at the moment. Most International fly halves just kick and pass all day but i think its fair to say most people expect to much of him. Probably because he rarely has a bad game, which is why he would have got so many votes.

Giteau hasn't done anything to warrant his name on the list. His S14 season was average and now his international's been average. Even he's admitted it.

du Preez and (because voting for McCaw goes against the grain) O'Driscoll. du Preez to win

Most players will tell you they have had bad seasons every year. Giteau has had a pretty good year and is one of the worlds best players. I think he deserves it anyway.

O'Driscoll me thinks.

McCaw had some injury time this year and took a little while to run into some form. If the award is for this year alone, it's between BOD and Du Preez for mine.

I'd rather see Giteau win this one after playing a next season for the Brumbies ... Du Preez to be rewarded

November 17, 2009

http://twf.com.au/picture.php?albumid=40&pictureid=637

Robbie Deans is heaping the praise on Matt Giteau

Coach Robbie Deans has hailed Matt Giteau a little marvel after the Qantas Wallabies ace was named on the shortlist for world Rugby's Player of the Year award.

Giteau, 27, is among seven nominees, joining South African favourite Fourie du Preez, his Springboks teammate Francois Steyn, Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll and Jamie Heaslip, New Zealand captain Richie McCaw and England flanker Tom Croft.

Giteau last month received the John Eales Medal as Australia's Player of the Year after dominating for the Wallabies and the Western Force in the Investec Bank Super 14 and setting contless tryscoring and pointscoring records along the way.

Despite the Wallabies finishing last in the Bundaberg Rum Tri Nations, Giteau tallied an Australian-record 72 points during the tournament and is also the side's leading tryscorer in 2009.

Among several other notable records, Giteau became Australia's all-time highest tryscorer against the Springboks with another three five-pointers taking his tally to nine and also completed the rare career double of 100 points for the Wallabies against both South Africa and New Zealand.

All this while being charged to direct the Australian backline during a generational change at the Wallabies.

The brilliant flyhalf has missed just one of Australia's 26 Tests in 2008-09 and Deans said his nomination was "just reward" for one of the most durable and accomplished players in the game.

"It's great. He's clearly a class act, but it's his consistency," Deans said.

"He's been one bloke who's been a constant and he fronts up every week. He's got a great ethic, not only in games but in his preparation.

"The circumstances around him haven't always been easy, but he's one bloke who's been pulling on the reins and been a point-of-difference player for us from the start of the year to the end.

"And he's remarkably resilient. He's pretty tough."

Giteau was also nominated for the award in 2004 after his first full season in the Test arena.

"Last time I probably took it for granted a little bit," he said.

"It's extra special and something I am pretty proud of. To be recognised amongst this calibre of players is obviously an honour.

But he's not expecting to win, tipping du Preez and McCaw to fight it out.

South Africa's dominance of the Tri-Nations and their series victory over the British and Irish Lions is recognised by the inclusion of crafty halfback du Preez and the versatile Steyn.

Ireland also have dual representation after classy centre O'Driscoll and dynamic back-rower Heaslip helped clinch the Emerald Isle their first Six Nations crown since 1948.


The winner will be announced at the end of this month.


Previous winners: Keith Wood (2001), Fabien Galthie (2002), Jonny Wilkinson (2003), Schalk Burger (2004), Dan Carter (2005), Richie McCaw (2006), Bryan Habana (2007), Shane Williams (2008).

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/aap/s-6.../section/21893