Rugby
Habana wins best try award
2012-11-29 17:17
Bryan Habana (Gallo Images)
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Cape Town - Bryan
Habana’s spectacular score against New Zealand in the inaugural Rugby
Championship was named as the International Rugby Players’ Association’s (IRPA)
Try of the Year for 2012.
Habana became the second Springbok to win the award after Jaque Fourie earned
the honour in 2009 for his try in the second Test against the British &
Irish Lions at Loftus Versfeld.
Habana’s
Dunedin score was also named as South Africa’s try of the year to add to his
winning of the title of SARU’s player of the year for 2012. Habana took his
total of Springbok tries to 47 in 2012, before a knee injury cut short his
season before the end of year tour.
Former
team-mate Jaque Fourie, All Blacks centurion Mils Muliaina, former IRB Player of
the Year Shane Williams and Japan’s Daisuke Ohata, the leading try scorer in
Test Rugby, formed the panel of judges who opted for Habana’s effort ahead of
the three other shortlisted tries scored by New Zealand duo Hosea Gear and
Julian Savea and Frenchman Julien Malzieu.
Consideration
was also given to votes cast by rugby fans from all around the world via the
IRB’s interactive platforms.
Habana,
the IRB Player of the Year in 2007, stunned the All Blacks when he burst onto a
pass from flanker Francois Louw at full speed, chipped ahead and gathered to
score a try that briefly handed the Springboks the lead seven minutes into the
second half of the contest in Dunedin. New Zealand went on to win 21-11.
“Scoring
a try against the All Blacks is always special, but scoring against them in New
Zealand, is even more special,” said Habana.
“I
really enjoyed getting across the try-line in Dunedin - contributing to the
success of the team and also lifting the spirits of my team-mates.”
“Winning
this award is very special and hopefully I can continue scoring tries for the
Springboks for a very long time.”
Previous
winners:
2011 –
Radike Samo (Australia) – Australia v New Zealand
2010 –
Chris Ashton (England) – England v Australia
2009 –
Jaque Fourie (South Africa) – South Africa v British & Irish Lions
2008 –
Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) – Australia v Ireland