Bok pair up for IRB award
16 Nov 2009
Frans Steyn and Fourie du Preez have been nominated for the IRB Player of 2009.
The Bok pair are nominated alongside Irishmen Jamie Heaslip and Brian O’Driscoll, Tom Croft (England), Matt Giteau (Australia), and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. The winner will be announced during the final weekend of November internationals, as will the Team of the Year and Coach of the Year.
Du Preez is widely tipped to receive the award, but there have been numerous surprises in this process before (Shane Williams won last year). Steyn, who has now been overlooked by Bok coach Peter de Villiers as he’s playing overseas, was a surprise nominee ahead of Bok vice-captain Victor Matfield and Heinrich Brussow.
Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, Raphaël Ibanez, Francois Pienaar, Agustin Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga, Paul Wallace and convenor John Eales formed part of the independent panel who watched 46 matches to come up with the nominees.
‘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,’ said IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset. ‘Richie McCaw could become the first player to receive the accolade twice.’
‘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,’ said Lapasset. ‘The announcement will be made at the conclusion of the final weekend of matches.’
66 Comments
16 Nov 2009, 15:24 pm
Don’t think McCaw has had a great year. Should be interesting to see which dragon takes it.
16 Nov 2009, 15:29 pm
No Brussow or Morne Steyn?
Frans is an odd pick.
He did come into his own at fullback though and had a blinder in that match against the ABs.
Du Preez all the way!
16 Nov 2009, 15:36 pm
So McCaw had a stunning year in 2008 and wasnt even nominated. Now he’s in despite only coming back after a serious-injury and had to play his form back in against TriN opposition.
No doubt tho that since the 2ndH of season, McCaw is back to his best.
For consistent form throughout the season it has to be FdP.
Shane Williams won the Award last year for having 2 good games vs SA. Now Tom Crot gets nominated for 1 good Test for the Lions. What is it woth the IRB and their desperation to incl a NH player despite facts to the contrary ?
16 Nov 2009, 15:40 pm
Fourie without a doubt
16 Nov 2009, 15:42 pm
#3 WakaNathan: IRB are not well.
I recon Richie must get it, because he got skrewed last year. It’s Fdp’s turn to get skrewed. He can get it next year.
16 Nov 2009, 15:43 pm
Every nomination is dubious bar BOD and FDP….
It’s a straight shoot-out between those two…
Bod for me, with obvious bias…
A) Player of the 6 Nations by the proverbial mile. Parisse and Dusatoir were good but nowhere close to O’Driscoll..
B) Lions best player. Notice how Jamie Roberts looked like a world-beater alongside him and now will struggle to keep his place in the Welsh side. We lost the second test when he went off injured.
C) Round one of the EOYT defnitely goes to Bod. FDP was poor on Friday while the man himself saved us….
16 Nov 2009, 15:43 pm
#4 Bok fan: Absolutely FDP without a doubt, that is why the IRB will give it to someone else.
16 Nov 2009, 15:44 pm
#3 WakaNathan: Yip McCaw should have taken it last year. I think they were desperate for a NH player to get it. Shane Williams wtf
16 Nov 2009, 15:45 pm
I think they might give it to BOD for completing a Lions tour.
16 Nov 2009, 15:45 pm
#7 rossoneri: HAHA, probably
16 Nov 2009, 15:47 pm
#6 Just Another Paddy: BOD gave one try away and scored one – with an assist from ROG both times (I think – not entirely sure about the one he scored). Anyone could have scored that try – he just happened to be there.
16 Nov 2009, 15:52 pm
Kaksioek…
The first try was clearly O’Gara putting it on a tee for Mitchell. Had Bod somehow managed to catch it he would have had his ribs broken by Cooper….
Meanwhile it was clearly a smart play for the final try. I mean the Ozzie defence didn’t just disappear by chance….
I wouldn’t begrudge FDP if he won it. It can’t however be anyone else….
16 Nov 2009, 15:52 pm
Giteau? Had his worst season ever!
16 Nov 2009, 15:59 pm
by his own standards FDP had a terrible friday night, he’ll raise the bar and will be all over ireland.
key player in S14, Lions,3N and CC victories – shoe in
16 Nov 2009, 16:03 pm
By the way O’Driscoll was also, with Rocky Elsom, the main reason for Leinster’s heineken cup triumph, beating sides such as Leicester and Munster.
This is irrelavant however as club games are not counted. This is the same for the curry cup and s14 performances of FDP…..
16 Nov 2009, 16:05 pm
i wis FdP takes it! The imbeciles that made the nominations probably didn’t watch the s14 for them to nominate francois steyn!
16 Nov 2009, 16:08 pm
I would have put Jamie Roberts there for NH.
16 Nov 2009, 16:14 pm
overrated Fdp far too overrated as a scrum half he’s more a fly half playing out of position in any case. Saffa players that should be nominated are Brussow or M. Steyn or F. Steyn they were the difference between us having a successful year instead of a very mediocre one, not Fdp. Always seems to get the accolades off others input somehow.
16 Nov 2009, 16:15 pm
Player: FdP
Coach: PdV
Team: Bokke
Anything else would be a travesty
16 Nov 2009, 16:22 pm
Really glad we have two guys there..wish Frans would take it so he can point and laugh at PdV for his pathetic overseas policies but I think FdP will deservadly win. Really dont know why Giteau is there- prob because they felt sorry for the aussies with their joke of a tri nations campaign. They say they will decide who gets the award after the Europe Internationals but whats gonna happen with Steyn? He obviously isnt involved in the Bok tour..are they gonna look at his Racing games because thats quite a disadvantage for him..
16 Nov 2009, 16:29 pm
Well DONE Frans Steyn on been nominated. VERY pleased to see that.
Wish he could win it but FdP deserves this one for sure.
#20 tarryn: Hello Tarryn, Wish that we could select overseas players. Not 15 of them other wise we would have none left here they would all leave for NH. The money would draw them away. Maybe if we could select 2 players only that are playing in NH that would be great.
JdV and Frans would make it everytime.
Just don’t think PdV will select overseas based players. So think we have lost Fransie until he comes home. Which is a long time still. He has signed a 3 year contract with Metro.
He is missed already as we could see with the game on Friday.
JdV too missed huge.
16 Nov 2009, 17:08 pm
#18 skopskiet: Thats because he played a major part in almost every try the Boks scored this year.
16 Nov 2009, 17:23 pm
Where does frans steyn fall out of?
16 Nov 2009, 17:35 pm
#21 Puma: how the hell did frans steyn get nominated :O
still WELL DONE FRANSIE !!!!!!!!! think those 60m penalties did the trick
16 Nov 2009, 17:38 pm
Surely, the IRB mixed up Frans Steyn’s name with Morne Steyn’s?!
16 Nov 2009, 17:40 pm
FdP is the best scrumhalf on planet earth, there is nothing at all overrated about him unless there better players on jupiter.
16 Nov 2009, 17:43 pm
BREAKING NEWS!!!! Bryan habana’s been cited for a “kick”
thnx to a dirty frech layer who pulled his leg
http : / / w w w.youtube.com/watch?v=ubnXLWSQb80
as if the french couldnt sink any lower !!
16 Nov 2009, 18:00 pm
#3 WakaNathan: Shane Williams had a brilliant 6N plus two good tests against SA.
That said, I agree with you on Croft. He only played two 6N games and two Lions tests.
16 Nov 2009, 18:01 pm
#26 cab: agree Cab, best player in the world this year. This award needs to go to BoD or FDP to save its credibility. Brussow was far better than McCaw this year, he’s a political selection because the Kiwis whinged so hard last year.
16 Nov 2009, 18:03 pm
#29 Big Hit:
yeah BoD also been in scintillating form for his club too.
16 Nov 2009, 18:04 pm
Not sure why McCaw is on the list, he’s hardly had his best year has he? Tom Croft ahead of Heinrich Brussouw? I think not, must be quota filling to keep it balanced between the hemispheres!
16 Nov 2009, 18:10 pm
Still trying to fathom what people see in this fly half who plays scrum half for the boks, any other country he wouldn’t feature as a scrummy but might have made their bench as a fly half option. Between him and Morne Steyn we lost against France this weekend, and last year between him and Butch we f’d up the tri nations so bad, everybody else got the blame except the real culprits.
16 Nov 2009, 18:17 pm
#32 skopskiet: do you know that you’re possibly the only rugby person in the world who thinks FDP is sh*t??
16 Nov 2009, 18:23 pm
well wouldn’t it just be me who swims against the star spangled blue tinted tide
Yeah Fdp is a fly half that got to play scrum half because in our country bigger is better and scrumhalves have to kick better than their fly halves can.
But he puts his entire backline on the back foot because he can’t distribute for sh’t and between and his Bulls team mate at 10, we kick 90% ball up in the air or over the dead ball line, no wonder the No.1 team gets wacked by the No. 5 team every time we play them, since 97 still haven’t figured them out. Mallet with Joost and Honiball running the show the last true Bok side that knew wtf to do wit a rugby ball in hand.
16 Nov 2009, 18:24 pm
#25 Durban Poison: i believe so too! morne did more than frans…
16 Nov 2009, 18:45 pm
@ #20 Puma.. I agree completely! Seems like u and I are the only two who appreciate his award nomination though! I believe Frans is one of the biggest losses to SA Rugby and I really think he settled well at fullback this year. I think we missed his physicality and possibly his goal kicking abilities on Friday and I honestly believe he wouldve done a better job than Kirchner. The guy is a prodigy and even John Smit speaks about how he believes Frans is a born rugby talent in his new book. I think hes been nominated because the IRB can appreciate just how much skill he has for somebody at the age of 22! In 5 years I really believe he will be the best player of the century..
16 Nov 2009, 18:47 pm
#36 tarryn: yeah right, “century”?
16 Nov 2009, 18:54 pm
#34 skopskiet:
I’m gobsmacked. Your attack on FdP sounds like it’s either personal, or your rugby awareness could be as good as a referee in the Wayne Barnes/Stuart Dickinson mould. Or just disagreeing with the whole world because you can.
So tell me Mr. Know-It-All, who would you rather have as your 9/10 combo?
16 Nov 2009, 19:01 pm
the irb nominations are a joke.mccaw,not at his best and out injured for a good period this year,gets a nomination.frans steyn knocks a few 50-60 metre kicks over and gets a nomination over morne steyn that basically won us the series against the lions.it probably will be a toss-up between o’driscoll and fdp now.
16 Nov 2009, 19:06 pm
#36 tarryn: i also want what you are smoking ras tarryn!
16 Nov 2009, 19:10 pm
two half backs that know wtf to do with a rugby ball in hand would be nice for starters instead of kick everything possible over the dead ball line or into no mans land. Might have offered France a bit of a game then perhaps. Instead of watching them do all the attacking while we play skop die ding doer toe or gaining grounds, dismal bunch of palooka’s we hail as best player of the year candidates
but then I’ve never been one to admire a whole lot of trash false impressionardo kop toe awards as being a true measure of anyones capabilities, such bs award ceremonies they should reserve for Hollywood. Stupid bow tie and tail affairs. Who the hell needs them or wants them for that matter?
16 Nov 2009, 19:10 pm
sorry fellow internet users but BOD will definitely win. over the year FdP deserves to win (in my opinion) but BOD will get the emotional vote. sure it’s unfair but SA is universally hated so we’re gonna get shafted again. solly for us.
16 Nov 2009, 19:21 pm
RAs dumisani butchers it again hahaha http : / / w w w.capetalk.co.za/pages/shows/aden.asp
16 Nov 2009, 19:29 pm
#43 mbaxman93: lmao…this guy is ridiculous! those imbeciles @ the sa embassy need to be shot!
16 Nov 2009, 19:30 pm
#42 fantasticbarnsmell:
The sad thing is , you are probably right !!
16 Nov 2009, 19:30 pm
gees this sorry sad persecution complex sure does run deep in the sunken furrows that is Sa rugby playing and supporting psyche.
The entire known world is against us, we carry this entire sorry sad lot of denying delinquents on our shoulders, we suffer this fate of the chosen scape goats of the rugby playing world with the resilient remorse and resigned accepting saint hood that befits our gallantry.
Somewhere in the far reaching realms of rugby heaven our trusted alleviator sees and witnesses all this unfair downtrodden sufference we endure while we toil mercilessly at the tread mill of this relentless yoke wrapped around our shoulders.
Oh IRB hallowed be thy sanctity when will you acknowledge this great nations magnitude in the true plight of our enduring selfless service to this great sporting cause and grant us the gratitude and accolades that are undoubtedly ours to be cherished and admired.
16 Nov 2009, 19:35 pm
when we ever going to get over ourselves god almighty, if ever, when?
16 Nov 2009, 19:43 pm
What a farce. Did they mean Morne or is Francois Steyn the most over-rated player ever. Richie McCaw??? Do these guys even watch the SH tournaments.
Also did you here Habana is cited. That French guy pulled his leg, he should be cited. Pathetic.
16 Nov 2009, 19:43 pm
#46 skopskiet: you’re on fire today skop!
16 Nov 2009, 19:50 pm
#47 skopskiet: about the same time you learn something about rugby
16 Nov 2009, 19:52 pm
#42 fantasticbarnsmell: Great nic! lol
16 Nov 2009, 19:52 pm
#29 Big Hit:
Far better my arrrrrrrrrrse. Brussow can be considered to have won the battle vs McCaw at Bloem; it was even-stevens at Durban where Brussow was pinged for illegalities and by Hamilton McCaw was back to his best and owned him. Lets not mistake a wonderful new player coming on the scene with too much helium in the hysterics stake. I dont see Brussow the ball-carrier, or as a lineout option, or as a link-man – otherwise you are just comparing breakdown-skills. Brussow is a gem but he simply doesnt bring as much to the game as McCaw does. Juan Smith brings way more to the Bok game in comparison to Brussow too.
As for ‘whinging’ to the IRB, who did that exactly ? I can only remember 1 whinge to the IRB in 2009 and it came courtesy of an armband.
16 Nov 2009, 20:04 pm
#52 WakaNathan: Whateva wankernation. like McCaw is a real lineout option! Haha!! Did you see Ratel the ball-carrier in the CC final. Ritchie was injured most of the year! WTF? Come on dude do you hate us so?
16 Nov 2009, 20:22 pm
#53 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR):
You really are a smallminded little man. Just because I gave a balanced critique of your new wee hero does not suddenly equate to me ‘hating’ anyone. Neither does me making FdP as Player of the Year in to ‘loving you’. Its called objectivity, Ratel, acquaint yourself some time.
McCaw takes alot of pill at lineout. He also takes many kickoffs. And is a ballcarrier. My only point was that he has a far greater range of skills. Which he does.
Im intrigued that you now acknowledge that McCaw ‘was injured’, this is a change of tune to when it suited you ie comparing an injured player to a fit 1, earlier in the season ie at Bloem. Fit again, McCaw outplayed Brussow at Hamilton without question.
The point is that McCaw played better in the season when he wasnt nominated than in the season he was. But since Durban he has been the dominant no7 fer sure.
I would most certainly nominate Brussow as Newcomer of the Year tho. Does that make you feel better, Schnookums ?
16 Nov 2009, 20:41 pm
#54 WakaNathan: Why come on to an SA site and cause ****? Small-minded? Hate us, yes. I support the All Blacks over all NH sides. I used to respect them more though. Now i can’t stand your arrogance and even enjoy watching you lose to old enemies like the Aussies. Schnookums? Well why don’t you tell tour management that they can’t just change the rules everytime they lose. Shame. Brussow outplayed McCaw in the S14, so bt your admition McCaw dominated Hamilton (your opinion), drew at Durban (your opinion!), got smoked in Bloem (both of ours) and got smoked in S14 Crusaders vs Cheetahs (my opinion). That equates to, objectively, Ratel outplaying McCaw. Just like Morne Steyn had a better year than Matt Git and Francois Steyn shouldn’t be there at all??? WTF. Why don’t you just go and blog with other NZers?
16 Nov 2009, 20:49 pm
#55 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR):
continue to ‘enjoy watching NZ lose’ to others and I’ll stick with the small-minded critique rather happily. On that basis, this EOYT must be slowing eating away at temper thresholds like never before.
Do you think the Boks have a chance against the SA-racens for their first win on tour ?
BaXXies !
16 Nov 2009, 21:01 pm
#56 WakaNathan: “continue to ‘enjoy watching NZ lose’” thanks, I will. You guys seem to be doing it more and more these days! How’s that trophy cabinet? 3-0
16 Nov 2009, 21:12 pm
#54 WakaNathan: I see you are still trying to polish yourself, give it up you will never shine
16 Nov 2009, 21:22 pm
Pretty pathetic.
Precisely why I think some saffa supporters are far and away some of the most fragmented bunch of ignorant fools going. Sorry to say.
****** this trophy phobia is seriously some kind of **** measuring competition, never seen such a bunch of insular inferiority complex willy wanky’s anywhere. Wtf is this idiocy all about actually, sure would like to know. Its fast dawning on me exactly how far gone some rugby enthusiasts psyches have degenerated into mindless maniacal stupor.
16 Nov 2009, 22:18 pm
fransie steyn should not have been nominated.
the real chillie boy – habenero – was outstanding this year.
by far the best finisher in world rugby this season. maybe the best ever.
the boy is a superstar!!!!
17 Nov 2009, 01:25 am
#52 WakaNathan: yes, far better. How McCaw or Croft were nominated I have no idea.
17 Nov 2009, 08:38 am
#56 WakaNathan: Dont go blog with other NZs. I for one love hearing from a Kiwi perspective in you, Nils and NZMaori, English in Big Hit, Aussie in Donut Dunning. It would be insanely boring if we all agreed and we would be the poorer for it.
17 Nov 2009, 08:47 am
There can only be one winner – Fourie du Preez. He has been consistantly outstanding this season and delivered the goods when it mattered most.
17 Nov 2009, 09:49 am
#60 charo: I think they meant Morne Steyn and someone made a mistake and now it’s too late to fix it.
17 Nov 2009, 11:02 am
#62 Taahirah:
Have no fears, I wouldnt dare leave you alone with Ratel and Transformation and JL1, that would be scary enough for anyone.
17 Nov 2009, 17:18 pm
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