Brilliant Du Preez snubbed
Fourie du Preez has unbelievably been overlooked for the IRB World Player of the Year award, with Richie McCaw claiming the top prize.
In a decision even more perplexing than the 2008 one which saw Wales wing Shane Williams win the award ahead of more deserving candidates, McCaw, who was anonymous in three defeats to the Springboks this year and nowhere near as prolific for the Crusaders as he has been in the past, was preferred to the superlative Du Preez.
The Bulls man was without peer in world rugby in 2009, playing a central role in the franchises Super 14 and Currie Cup success and in the Springboks’ Tri-Nations and British & Irish Lions campaigns.
The snub, and that of coach Peter de Villiers, who has lost just four of 12 Tests in 2009 (one of those in which he opted to field an understrength side with the Lions series sealed), for the Coach of the Year award (Ireland’s Declan Kidney won), won’t do anything to dispel the growing perception that the IRB has an axe to grind with the world champions.
The selection panel of Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, Raphaël Ibanez, Francois Pienaar, Agustin Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga, Paul Wallace and convenor John Eales, supposedly watched over 63 hours of action from 49 matches, awarding points to the three players they thought stood out in each match.
If this is the case, those who voted for McCaw either conveniently forgot to take delivery of the Springboks’ footage, or, despite their illustrious careers, know nothing about the game.
Let us also not forget that they omitted other exceptional Springboks Victor Matfield, Heinrich Brussow and Morne Steyn from the shortlist, all of whom have outshone the other candidates – Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip and Brian O’Driscoll, Australia’s Matt Giteau and England’s Tom Croft.
The IRB couldn’t be so blatantly biased as to overlook the Springboks for the Team of the Year award, and they deservedly scooped won that category, but it doesn’t ease the sense of frustration at being cheated out of the two other premier prizes.
By Ryan Vrede
December 1st, 2009 at 5:25 am
@Waster:
Okay, I forgot about the Southland boys……yeah, they looked pretty chuffed. Maybe it still means alot to the players, but whats happenned to the spectators? Jeez there are more blokes on the Marist club balcony on a Sat afternoon watching club footie than going to watch the Air NZ Cup!!
December 1st, 2009 at 5:27 am
@whatever: I dont know, I went to every game I could and most of my clubs games too
December 1st, 2009 at 5:59 am
@Waster:
Good man. You doing your bit
I think the sport as a whole has hit a bit of a flatliner from a growth point of view. My sons school is battling to get numbers to make up 3 teams. Admittedly it was never a rugby orientated school, but jeez it’s been an uphill battle to get the boys to play.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:16 am
@Kobus Kitty: @342
So whats yer point ? Noone nominated Ireland as Team of the Year either and yet they clearly deserved the title despite ABs ending us no1.
McCaw as Player of the Year is far more appropriate than the Boks taking a prize on the back of a 1 from 5 end to their season.
@whatever:
And what would you know, immigrant ? When Southland won, more rugby conversations about rugby sprung up between Kiwis than in years. SA doesnt have an equivalent so no wonder you dont appreciate the history or know what it means.
In fact, you clearly despise everything about NZ, why dont you just F.O. back to your homeland ?!
Still no1. And qualified for the WC – now tell me, what are soccer crowd no’s in NZ ? you seem to have all the stats. And if the crowd no’s arent great, how come the All Whites were still good enough to get there ?