Monkley proud of rugby medal honour
The best men’s player in this season’s national provincial rugby competition will now pick up the Duane Monkley medal.
The recipient will be hoping his fingers are in better shape to grab it than Monkley’s.
New Zealand Rugby announced the player-of-the-year in the Mitre 10 Cup will receive the medal named in honour of the Waikato great, while the star of the Farah Palmer Cup will claim the Fiao’o Fa’amausili Medal.
Monkley, President of the Waikato Rugby Union, played 135 matches for the province between 1987 and 1996.
He played the majority of his club career with Fraser Tech and a couple of seasons, 1996 and 1997, for Morrinsville Old Boys/ Morrinsville Sports.
He also made the inaugural Chiefs team in the first year of Super Rugby in 1996.
He attended Morrinsville College and now lives in Hamilton.
His body bears the scars of a long rugby career, with two grotesquely mis-shapen fingers the most obvious signs.
‘‘I stopped playing rugby when I was 32 because I couldn’t run anymore,’’ Monkley said.
‘‘I had my first hip replaced when I was 38, my second when I was 45 ... got a few busted fingers, couple of operations on my knee.’’
Monkley said having the MVP medal named after him was ‘‘a very prestigious honour’’.
‘‘I’m very excited and very proud that I’ve been asked to use my name for the medal. Provincial rugby is a big part of who we are as New Zealanders; they’re very passionate and know their rugby.
‘‘I was very fortunate to play in one of the greatest generations ever in provincial rugby. It would have been nice to be part of professional rugby but I played in an incredible era and I have lots of great memories.
‘‘In a strange and twisted way, because I didn’t become an All Black, it’s like I became respected more from the rugby people.
‘‘When you think of me, you think of provincial rugby.’’
Fa’amausili is currently captaining New Zealand at her fifth women’s Rugby World Cup and is set to become the first Black Fern to reach 50 test caps.
She could also become the first woman to bring up 100 provincial matches when she plays for the Auckland Storm in September.
The Player of the Year awards will be determined by a seasonpoints system, with match officials picking their players of the match awarding three points, two points and one point for the game’s top three performers.
Previously the provincial player of the year has been determined at the end of the season by a judging panel. The new awards system mirrors the AFL’s Brownlow Medal.
The medals have been designed by renowned Maori artist Dave Burke, who has previously worked with New Zealand Rugby to design the Maori All Blacks jersey.