Richie McCaw and Graham Henry, two of New Zealand's five IRB Award winners in 2010 - IRB/Phil Walter
New Zealand had a year to remember in 2010, the All Blacks winning 13 of 14 Tests and claiming the Tri Nations title with a clean sweep, the Black Ferns winning a fourth successive Women’s Rugby World Cup and the Baby Blacks completing a hat-trick of IRB Junior World Championship titles with a sublime display in Argentina.
It was perhaps, therefore, no surprise that New Zealand claimed all of the major accolades in the IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline with captain and talisman Richie McCaw named Player of the Year, the All Blacks the Team of the Year and Graham Henry as Coach of the Year earlier this month.
This trio of honours came on the back of Under 20 wing Julian Savea being named IRB Junior Player of the Year in June after ending the Junior World Championship in Argentina as top try scorer, a feat fellow flying wing Carla Hohepa also achieved – albeit jointly with Canadian Heather Moyse – in being named Women’s Personality of the Year in September.
There was also recognition for Mikaele Pesamino, who scored a remarkable 56 tries on the IRB Sevens World Series to help Samoa claim a first ever overall title, much to the delight of the people back home in the Pacific island with a national holiday declared in their honour.
IRB Player of the Year: Richie McCaw
Inspirational New Zealand captain Richie McCaw was named IRB Player of the Year for a record third time, becoming the only player to win it two years in a row in the process, after seeing off competition from Mils Muliaina, Victor Matfield, Imanol Harinordoquy, David Pocock and Kurtley Beale.
Labelled “a phenomenal captain” by Henry, the flanker – who turns 30 today – led by example every time he took to the field in 2010 and was at his foraging best at the breakdown, while also scoring some crucial tries to spark the All Blacks on the comeback trail.
McCaw also became, in tandem with Muliaina, the most capped All Black of all time against Ireland on 20 November and is on course to become his country’s first centurion at Rugby World Cup 2011.
“Rugby is fortunate to have a player and person of the calibre of Richie McCaw. He is an outstanding captain, a world class player and a role model for our sport. In winning the Award three times, Richie has truly cemented his place right up there amongst some of the greats,” said IRB Awards panel convenor John Eales.
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IRB Team of the Year: New Zealand
New Zealand played a brand of attacking rugby in 2010 that many could only sit back and admire as they cast aside Australia and South Africa to claim the first clean sweep of the extended Tri Nations.
There was one blot on the landscape, a 26-24 Bledisloe Cup loss to Australia in Hong Kong on 30 October, which denied New Zealand the chance to surpass Lithuania’s record of 18 consecutive Test match victories.
“It’s been a good year and everyone has made a huge effort, from the coaches right through all the players. It’s been a lot of fun as well to work with quality players, and I just love playing Rugby and especially international Rugby,” said McCaw.
IRB Coach of the Year: Graham Henry
The recipient of this award for a record fourth time, Graham Henry oversaw Tri Nations success and a third Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland in six years during the course of 2010.
Only Australia managed to beat his New Zealand side, although there were a couple of close calls in the Tri Nations, with unbeaten series in June and November yielding some impressive results, including a 66-28 defeat of Ireland and 49-3 rout of Scotland.
IRB Women's Personality of the Year: Carla Hohepa
Carla Hohepa was one of a number of players to stand out at Women's Rugby World Cup 2010 in England, the 25-year-old's combination of speed, agility and creativity with a try-scoring instinct making her a threat from anywhere on the pitch.
One of the first female IRB Keep Rugby Clean Ambassadors, the flying wing ended the tournament as the joint top try-scorer with seven, including a vital one in the final as New Zealand beat England 13-10 to claim a fourth successive title.
"I can't take all the credit for it but it's an awesome honour to win this award," said Hohepa, who pipped England duo Maggie Alphonsi and Danielle Waterman and Australia wing Nicole Beck to the accolade.
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