The International Rugby Board has announced the shortlist of nominees for the prestigious IRB Player of the Year 2012 Award. The less said about the list the better. Four players cracked the nod. They are three times winner Richie McCaw, 2005 winner Daniel Carter, Freddy Michalak and 21-year-old Owen Farrell.
Michalak has played all of four test matches this season. His standout performance against Australia would probably have ranked behind those of Bryan Habana and Francois Louw against the same opponents during the Rugby Championship game in South Africa earlier this year.
Owen Farrell is currently the guy on the England bench who has to carry drinks on for his teammates while the one-dimensional Toby Flood starts ahead of him. Farrell made a good start against weaker North Hemisphere rivals during the Six Nations but once he arrived in Africa he pretty much went into his shell and well, the Toby Flood now being picked ahead of him tells the rest about his form ever since. Yet a so-called “expert” IRB panel of former players saw fit for Farrell to be in line for world rugby’s supposed top player award.
The press seem to have it spot on when identifying the real-deal players that should have made the list. The likes of dependable All Black no.8 Kieran Read, inspirational Argentina captain Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe and Walsh flanker Dan Lydiate were the ones who’s names are being thrown around.
Based on Michalak’s short 2012 international stint, another player that should definitely have been considered is Sonny Bill Williams was quite sensational during five test matches this year.
Other awards being handed out on 03 December at the ceremony held in London, which doubles as the Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool Allocation Draw, are the Team of the Year and Coach of the Year.
Previous PotY winners:
2011 – Thierry Dusautoir (France)
2010 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2009 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2008 – Shane Williams (Wales)
2007 – Bryan Habana (South Africa)
2006 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2005 – Dan Carter (New Zealand)
2004 – Schalk Burger (South Africa)
2003 – Jonny Wilkinson (England)
2002 – Fabien Galthié (France)
2001 – Keith Wood (Ireland)
Could someone tell me what Owen Farrel has done to deserve to be there?I may have missed something there.
I thought Bryan Habana surely should have been there somewhere,especially considering how he picked himself up from a shocking 2011 season.