Who will be crowned as the 2012 IRB Player of the Year?
The IRB Player of the Year award, based solely on performances in international matches, has been won by many of the best players from the professional era, including Keith Wood, Jonny Wilkinson and Richie McCaw. Who are the favourites this year?
Kieran Read
The Crusaders star has continued his sublime World Cup winning form from last year and cemented his reputation as the best number eight on the planet. Back to back man of the match awards in his last two internationals, against South Africa and Australia, Read has terrorised opponents in both attack and defence in 2012. He is a very strong candidate to captain the All Blacks next year, when Richie McCaw takes a well-earned six month break from professional rugby, and like New Zealand’s most capped player, Read never puts in an average performance on the international stage.
Dan Carter
The 2005 winner has had an excellent comeback from the injury that prematurely ended his 2011 Rugby World Cup. Despite facing competition for the All Black number 10 shirt from Aaron Cruden, who has had a very promising 2012, the 93 capped stand-off has proved that he is still the best fly half in world rugby, emphasised by a commanding display against Scotland last Saturday. Carter has been at his best in New Zealand’s away matches this season, which will send shivers down the spines of the coaches and players from Italy, Wales and England before New Zealand’s remaining autumn internationals.
Dan Lydiate
Dan Lydiate produced a series of outstanding defensive displays in this year’s Six Nations and he was dually named the player of the tournament in Wales’ third Grand Slam since 2005. The Gwent Dragons blindside flanker also performed strongly down under, albeit in a test series defeat to Australia. He is a huge loss to Wales this autumn, following an early season ankle break, and judging by the performance against Argentina they are already missing him. But Lydiate should still be considered as one of the best international performers in 2012 and a return to fitness and form should guarantee him a place in the Lions squad next summer.
Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe
The Pumas captain led his country into unchartered territory when the South American side appeared in the Rugby Championship earlier this year. But the Toulon star well and truly led from the front, with his fiercely competitive spirit, immense work rate and impressive line out play. Argentina’s win over Wales in Cardiff was much deserved and Lobbe put in a very telling man of the match display, which included an excellent offload assist for his country’s first try, against the 2012 European champions.
Bryan Habana
A resurgent Habana was far more consistent in 2012 than he was in the previous three seasons. Top try scorer in the inaugural Rugby Championship, the 2007 IRB Player of the Year was recently named the South African Rugby Union’s best player in 2012, for the third time in his career. Like Lydiate, he is unavailable for selection this autumn, due to an injury he picked up in Western Province’s Currie Cup Final win over the Sharks, but the 2007 Rugby World Cup winner looks as hungry as ever as he approaches the final few years of a glittering career.
Players that deserve honourable mentions include Will Genia, Chris Robshaw, Wesley Fofana, George North, Rodrigo Roncero and Ma'a Nonu (plus many of his All Black teammates that have not been mentioned already). Sonny Bill Williams played superbly at the start of the international season, and would be a strong contender, but by moving to Japan, and confirming a return to Australian NRL Rugby League next year, he is unlikely to be considered for the IRB’s top individual prize.
You can never rule out three time winner Richie McCaw but Read has performed marginally better than his great club and country teammate this year (hence McCaw’s omission from this shortlist) and he would be a fitting choice to take the award back to Christchurch, where it has resided for four of the last seven years, thanks to Carter and McCaw.
