Black Ferns cap stellar year by claiming team, coach, try awards
AUCKLAND: What a year it has been for the Black Ferns.
A fifth World Cup crown received global recognition with World Rugby’s team of the year award for the first time, and that success was backed up with sweeping success at the New Zealand Rugby awards last night.
After dropping one match this year, the Black Ferns claimed the team, coach and try of the year gongs, Glenn Moore edging out rookie Crusaders mentor Scott
Robertson, and Portia
Woodman’s stunning solo effort in the
World Cup semifinal victory over the
United States rightly recognised.
In something of a surprise, Sam Whitelock did the double to take home the Super Rugby and overall Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial player of the year awards, beating star wing Rieko Ioane, the All Blacks’ equaltop pointsscorer in the Rugby Championship, and Black Ferns loose forward and sevens skipper Sarah Goss.
Whitelock, the 96test veteran and most capped All Blacks lock, enjoyed an exceptional season.
In his rookie captaincy campaign, he helped guide the Crusaders to their first title since 2008. That it came on the road in Johannesburg only amplified the achievement.
Without familiar locking partner Brodie Retallick, Whitelock carried a huge load on the All Blacks’ northern tour. And in the final test of the season in Cardiff he also captained the All Blacks for the first time in Kieran Read’s absence.
Ioane and Goss did not leave emptyhanded.
Goss, who started every World Cup match and had a 98% tackle rate, claimed the women’s player of the year title, adding that to best female athlete in Oceania at the Association of Olympic Committee awards in Prague last month.
World Rugby breakthrough player of the year Ioane accepted the Tom French Memorial Maori player award after scoring 10 tries for the Blues.
Stepping aside from the All Blacks, Wayne Smith received the special recognition for his phenomenal service to the game here. Smith’s career in the black
jersey began as a player in 1980 and ended — for now at least — after the Rugby Championship, having been a key member of the coaching team that led the All Blacks to successive World Cup titles.
On a similar note, DJ Forbes picked up the Richard Crawshaw Memorial sevens player of the year, and NZRPA Kirk award for his outstanding contribution to the game.
Forbes played his 150th World Series tournament and announced his retirement from sevens this year.
Canterbury’s Ruby Tui was named Black Ferns sevens player of the year.
In another surprise decision, Northland centre Jack Goodhue took the Mitre 10 Cup’s Duane Monkley Medal ahead of Asafo Aumua, the Wellington hooker who lit up the competition and forced his way into the All Blacks.
Versatile Counties Manukau back Hazel Tubic claimed the Farah Palmer Cup’s Fiao’o Fa’amausili Medal.
During the evening, Black Ferns skipper Fiao’o Fa’amausili was presented with a greenstone mere, in recognition of her 50th test milestone, achieved during the World Cup campaign, making her the most capped Black Fern of all time.
Horowhenua Kapiti prop Scott Cameron picked up the Heartland Championship player of the year after leading his team to the Meads Cup final.
Wellington’s Ben O’Keeffe was named referee of the year. — NZME