Rugby
Carter wins best player award
2012-12-03 17:54
London - Dan Carter led a New Zealand clean sweep of the 2012 International Rugby Board (IRB) awards announced here on Monday.
The
flyhalf was named player-of-the-year, with Steve Hansen winning coach-of-the-year and the All Blacks the team-of-the-year following a 20-match
unbeaten run by the world champions that only came to an end with a
shock 38-21 defeat by England at Twickenham on Saturday.
That New
Zealand undefeated sequence started last year, on their way to winning
the World Cup, and 2012 saw New Zealand win 12 out of 14 Tests, with
their only blemishes an 18-18 draw away to Australia in October and
Saturday's stunning setback.
It was the second time the
30-year-old Carter, who this year returned from injury problems that saw
him miss out on New Zealand's World Cup triumph, had won the IRB
honour, following his success in 2005.
The other nominees for 2012
player of the year were All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, a three-time
winner, England flyhalf Owen Farrell - who scored 17 points
against New Zealand on Saturday - and France pivot Frederic
Michalak.
This was the third straight year New Zealand had won the
team award, with Hansen keeping the coaching prize in the country
following the back-to-back wins of World Cup-winning boss Graham Henry.
IRB player of the year winners:
2012: Dan Carter (NZL)
2011: Thierry Dusautoir (FRA)
2010: Richie McCaw (NZL)
2009: Richie McCaw (NZL)
2008: Shane Williams (WAL)
2007: Bryan Habana (RSA)
2006: Richie McCaw (NZL)
2005: Dan Carter (NZL)
2004: Schalk Burger (RSA)
2003: Jonny Wilkinson (ENG)
2002: Fabien Galthie (FRA)
2001: Keith Wood (IRL)
IRB team of the year winners:
2012: New Zealand
2011: New Zealand
2010: New Zealand
2009: South Africa
2008: New Zealand
2007: South Africa
2006: New Zealand
2005: New Zealand
2004: South Africa
2003: England
2002: France
2001: Australia
IRB coach of the year winners:
2012: Steve Hansen (NZL)
2011: Graham Henry (NZL)
2010: Graham Henry (NZL)
2009: Declan Kidney (IRL)
2008: Graham Henry (NZL)
2007: Jake White (RSA)
2006: Graham Henry (NZL)
2005: Graham Henry (NZL)
2004: Jake White (RSA)
2003: Clive Woodward (ENG)
2002: Bernard Laporte (FRA)
2001: Rod Macqueen (AUS)