Rugby lists top performers
Fluhler and Smith each in the running for three awards
Sevens dynamo Stacey Fluhler and All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith each have a chance of taking out three awards at the New Zealand Rugby Awards. The list of nominees has been revealed, ahead of the announcement on Thursday in a Covidrestricted Tv-only event.
Fresh from leading the All Blacks to the Tri Nations victory in Australia, captain and loose forward Sam Cane is among the nominees for All Blacks Player of the Year, alongside hooker Dane Coles and halfback Smith.
Smith is also in the running for the Tom French Memorial Ma¯ori Rugby Player of the Year, as are Ma¯ori All Blacks captain and hooker Ash Dixon and World Sevens Series winner Fluhler.
A breakthrough season for midfield back Fluhler also sees her a nominee for Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year, along with playmaker Kelly Brazier and halfback Tyla Nathan-wong. Fluhler is in the running for the Fiao’o Faamausili Medal, nominated alongside Waikato team-mate centre Chelsea Alley and Canterbury halfback Kendra Cocksedge, who are also both nominated for Black Ferns Player of the Year, along with Waikato loose forward Kennedy Simon.
After claiming the World Series Sevens title for the first time since 2014, co-captains Scott Curry and Tim Mikkelson are nominated for the Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year award along with Ngarohi McgarveyBlack.
Highlanders halfback Smith also gets the nod for Super Rugby Aotearoa Player of the Year, as do Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu, Crusaders playmaker Richie Mo’unga and Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett.
The stand-out performers from the Mitre 10 Cup, as voted each week by Sky commentators, will compete for the Duane Monkley Medal. The finalists for that award are lively Hawke’s Bay halfback Folau Fakatava, Auckland outside back Salesi Rayasi and Bay of Plenty fullback Kaleb Trask.
Championship-winning teams the Crusaders, Tasman, Hawke’s Bay and the Canterbury Farah Palmer Cup side will have the chance to pick up another piece of silverware as all are nominated for National Team of the Year.
All teams in black that took the field in 2020 will be in the running for New Zealand Team of the Year, and their respective coaches nominated for New Zealand Coach of the Year.
The National Coach of the Year nominees include the Crusaders’ Scott Robertson, Tasman’s Andrew Goodman and Clarke Dermody, Waikato FPC coach James Semple and Hawke’s Bay’s Mark Ozich.
Ben O’keeffe, Paul Williams and Mike Fraser are nominated for New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year.
The community award for Volunteer of the Year sees nominations for Allen Grainger (Waikato), Scott Kahle (Bay of Plenty) and Jane Chamberlain (Horowhenua Kapiti).
With public voting closed, the hotly contested Fans’ Try of the Year has been narrowed from a list of 10 to three. Fans have put Hawke’s Bay’s Neria Fomai, Christ’s College’s Jack Jones and Napier Boys’ High School’s Bethel Lutele-malasia in the top three.
Three awards will be announced on the night — the NZRPA Kirk Award, the Steinlager Salver and the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year.