World Rugby Awards
Appearance
The World Rugby Awards are given out annually by World Rugby (until November 2014, known as the International Rugby Board), the worldwide governing body for rugby union, for major achievement in the sport. The idea of rewarding excellence in rugby were disclosed in 2001 following the Annual Meeting of the International Rugby Board Council in Copenhagen,[1] and the first ceremony was first awarded later that year.[2][3] The International Rugby Players' Association also gives out two awards, for Try of the Year (since 2007) and Special Merit, as a part of the programme.
2001
- IRB Player of the Year: Keith Wood
Ireland
- IRB International Team of the Year:
Australia
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Rod Macqueen
Australia
- IRB International Young Player of the Year: Gavin Henson
Wales
- IRB International Women's Player of the Year: Shelley Rae
England
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Ed Morrison
England
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Tim Grandadge
India
- IRB Distinguished Service Award: Tom Kiernan
Ireland
- IRB Development Award: Jorge Brasceras
Uruguay
- IRB Chairman's Awards: Kath McLean, Sir Terry McLean, Albert Ferrasse, John Eales
2002
- IRB Player of the Year: Fabien Galthié
France
- IRB International Team of the Year:
France
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Bernard Laporte
France
- IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Luke McAlister
New Zealand
- IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Pat Barnard
South Africa
- IRB International Sevens Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Women's Player of the Year: Monique Hirovanaa
New Zealand
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Colin Hawke
New Zealand
- IRB Distinguished Services Award: Allan Hosie
Scotland
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Old Christians Club
Uruguay
- IRB Development Award: John Broadfoot
England
- IRB Chairman's Awards: Bill Mclaren, George Pippos (posthumously)
2003
- IRB International Player of the Year: Jonny Wilkinson
England
- IRB International Team of the Year:
England
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Sir Clive Woodward
England
- IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Jean Baptiste Payras
France
- IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Ben Atiga
New Zealand
- IRB International Sevens Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Michael & Linda Collinson
Eswatini
- IRB Award for Distinguished Service: Bob Stuart
Australia
- IRB Referee Distinguished Service Award: Derek Bevan
Wales
- IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Kathy Flores
United States
- IRB Development Award: Tan Theany & Philippe Monnin
- IRB Chairman's Award: Vernon Pugh
Wales
2004
- IRB International Player of the Year: Schalk Burger
South Africa
- IRB International Team of the Year:
South Africa
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Jake White
South Africa
- IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Jeremy Thrush
New Zealand
- IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Jerome Kaino
New Zealand
- IRB International Sevens Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Simon Amor
England
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Jarrod Cunningham
New Zealand
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Ronnie Dawson
Ireland
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Jim Fleming
Scotland
- IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Donna Kennedy
Scotland
- IRB Development Award: Guedel Ndiaye
Senegal
- IRB Chairman's Award: Marcel Martin
France
2005
- IRB International Player of the Year: Daniel Carter
New Zealand
- IRB International Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Graham Henry
New Zealand
- IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Isaia Toeava
New Zealand
- IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Tatafu Polota-Nau
Australia
- IRB International Sevens Team of the Year:
Fiji
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Orene Ai’i
New Zealand
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Jean Pierre Rives
France
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Peter Crittle
Australia
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Paddy O'Brien
New Zealand
- IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Farah Palmer
New Zealand
- IRB Development Award: Robert Antonin
France
- IRB Chairman's Award: Sir Tasker Watkins V.C., G.B.E, D.L
Wales
2006
- IRB International Player of the Year: Richie McCaw,
New Zealand
- IRB International Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Graham Henry,
New Zealand
- IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Josh Holmes
Australia
- IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Lionel Beauxis
France
- IRB International Sevens Team of the Year:
Fiji
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Uale Mai
Samoa
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Polly Miller
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Brian Lochore
New Zealand
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Peter Marshall
Australia
- IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Margaret Alphonsi
England
- IRB Development Award: Mike Luke
Canada
- IRB Hall of Fame inductees: William Webb Ellis and Rugby School
England
2007
- IRB International Player of the Year: Bryan Habana,
South Africa
- IRB International Team of the Year:
South Africa
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Jake White,
South Africa
- IRB Under-19 Player of the Year: Robert Fruean,
New Zealand
- IRB Sevens Player of the Year: Afeleke Pelenise,
New Zealand
- IRB Sevens Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB Women's Personality of the Year: Sarah Corrigan, referee,
Australia
- In 2007, she became the first woman ever to referee in an IRB 15-man tournament outside of the Women's Rugby World Cup when she took charge of the match between
Zimbabwe and
Canada in the 2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship.
- In 2007, she became the first woman ever to referee in an IRB 15-man tournament outside of the Women's Rugby World Cup when she took charge of the match between
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Dick Byres, retired,
Australia
- After refereeing 14 Tests, he was a charter member of the IRB Referee Selector panel when it was formed in 1997, and was the longest-serving member of the panel when he retired in 2007.
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: José María Epalza,
Spain
- After a playing career that saw him earn 38 caps for
Spain, and coaching the Spanish national team from 1986 to 1990, he went on to a distinguished career in rugby administration, serving in several key posts in the Spanish Rugby Federation and FIRA–AER.
- After a playing career that saw him earn 38 caps for
- Spirit of Rugby Award: Nicolas Pueta,
Argentina
- Pueta regularly plays club rugby despite having a congenital femoral deficiency that meant that his left leg never grew to the same size as his right one.
- IRPA Try of the Year: Takudzwa Ngwenya,
United States
- IRPA Special Merit Award: Fabien Pelous,
France
- Pelous is the most-capped player in France history, and also the most-capped lock ever.
- IRB Development Award: Jacob Thompson,
Jamaica
- Ever since returning home to Jamaica from England in the 1970s, Thompson has tirelessly worked to promote the sport in his homeland. He has been president of the Jamaica Rugby Union since 1999.
- IRB Hall of Fame inductees:
2008
- IRB Player of the Year: Shane Williams,
Wales
- IRB International Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Graham Henry,
New Zealand
- IRB Junior Player of the Year: Luke Braid,
New Zealand
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: DJ Forbes,
New Zealand
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Roelien Muller and Patrick Cotter
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Andre Watson
South Africa
- IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Carol Isherwood
England
- IRPA Special Merit Award: Agustín Pichot
Argentina
- IRB Development Award: TAG Rugby Development Trust and Martin Hansford
England
- IRPA Try of the Year: Brian O'Driscoll
Ireland
2009
- IRB Player of the Year: Richie McCaw
New Zealand
- IRB International Team of the Year:
South Africa
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Declan Kidney (Ireland)
- IRB Junior Player of the Year: Aaron Cruden
New Zealand
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Ollie Phillips
England
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: L'Aquila Rugby
Italy
- The town of L'Aquila, with long rugby traditions, was hit on 6 April 2009 by an earthquake which left 307 people dead and tens of thousands homeless. Amongst the victims was promising young prop Lorenzo Sebastiani, who had played in the last IRB Junior World Championship in Wales. L'Aquila Rugby Club provided shelter, refuge and comfort to people in the town. L'Aquila's Rugby were in the front line of the rescue effort, and helped evacuate victims from damaged buildings.
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: to be awarded
- IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Debby Hodgkinson
Australia
- IRPA Special Merit Award: Kevin Mac Clancy
- IRB Development Award: to be awarded
- IRPA Try of the Year: Jaque Fourie
South Africa
2010
- IRB Player of the Year: Richie McCaw
New Zealand
- IRB International Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Graham Henry
New Zealand
- IRB Junior Player of the Year: Julian Savea
New Zealand
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Mikaele Pesamino
Samoa
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Jean-Claude Baqué
France
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Virreyes RC
Argentina
- IRB Women's Personality of the Year Carla Hohepa
New Zealand
- IRB Development Award winner Brian O'Shea
Australia[4]
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service Colin High
- IRPA Try of the Year: Chris Ashton
England
2011
- IRB Player of the Year: Thierry Dusautoir
France
- IRB International Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Graham Henry
New Zealand
- IRB Junior Player of the Year: George Ford
England
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Cecil Afrika
South Africa
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Jock Hobbs
New Zealand
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Wooden Spoon Society
United Kingdom
- IRB Women's Personality of the Year: Ruth Mitchell
- IRB Development Award winner: Rookie Rugby
USA
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Keith Lawrence
New Zealand
- IRPA Special Merit Award: George Smith
Australia
- IRPA Try of the Year: Radike Samo
Australia
- IRB Hall of Fame inductees:
- Roger Vanderfield
Australia
- Richard Littlejohn
New Zealand
- Nicholas Shehadie
Australia
- John Kendall-Carpenter
England
- David Kirk
New Zealand
- Nick Farr-Jones
Australia
- Francois Pienaar
South Africa
- Martin Johnson
England
- John Smit
South Africa
- Brian Lochore
New Zealand
- Bob Dwyer
Australia
- Kitch Christie
South Africa
- Rod Macqueen
Australia
- Clive Woodward
England
- Jake White
South Africa
- Gareth Rees
Canada
- Agustín Pichot
Argentina
- Brian Lima
Samoa
- Jonah Lomu
New Zealand
- Roger Vanderfield
2012
- IRB Player of the Year: Daniel Carter
New Zealand
- IRB International Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Steve Hansen
New Zealand
- IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Tomasi Cama
New Zealand
- IRB Development Award: South African Rugby Union
South Africa
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Paul Dobson
South Africa
- IRB Junior Player of the Year: Jan Serfontein
South Africa
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Viorel Morariu
Romania
- IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Lindsay Hilton
Canada
- IRPA Try of the Year: Bryan Habana
South Africa
- IRB Hall of Fame inductees:
2013
- IRB Player of the Year: Kieran Read
New Zealand
- IRB International Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- IRB International Coach of the Year: Steve Hansen
New Zealand
- IRB Sevens Player of the Year: Tim Mikkelson
New Zealand
- IRB Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Kayla McAlister
New Zealand
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Michel Lamoulie
France
- IRPA Try of the Year: Beauden Barrett
New Zealand
2014
Note: Some of the awards for this year were presented before 19 November, when the International Rugby Board changed its name to the current World Rugby.
- World Rugby Player of the Year: Brodie Retallick
New Zealand
- World Rugby Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- World Rugby Coach of the Year: Steve Hansen
New Zealand
- IRB Sevens Player of the Year: Samisoni Viriviri
Fiji
- IRB Women's Player of the Year: Magali Harvey
Canada
- IRB Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Emilee Cherry
Australia
- IRB Junior Player of the Year: Handré Pollard
South Africa
- IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Bob Francis
New Zealand
- IRPA Try of the Year: Francois Hougaard
South Africa
2015
- World Rugby Player of the Year: Dan Carter
New Zealand
- World Rugby Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- World Rugby Coach of the Year: Michael Cheika
Australia
- World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year: Nehe Milner-Skudder
New Zealand
- World Rugby Women's Player of the Year: Kendra Cocksedge
New Zealand
- World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year: Werner Kok
South Africa
- World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Portia Woodman
New Zealand
- World Rugby Referee Award: Nigel Owens
Wales
- IRPA Try of the Year Julian Savea
New Zealand
- 2015 Rugby World Cup best match moment:
Japan's final try and victory against
South Africa
- IRPA Special Merit Award:
- Award for Character:
Pakistan Rugby Union
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Nigel Starmer-Smith
2016
- World Rugby Player of the Year: Beauden Barrett
New Zealand
- World Rugby Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- World Rugby Coach of the Year: Steve Hansen
New Zealand
- World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year: Maro Itoje
England
- World Rugby Women's Player of the Year: Sarah Hunter
England
- World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year: Seabelo Senatla
South Africa
- World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Charlotte Caslick
Australia
- World Rugby Referee Award: Alhambra Nievas
Spain and Rasta Rasivhenge
South Africa
- IRPA Try of the Year: Jamie Heaslip
Ireland
- IRPA Special Merit Award: Jean de Villiers
South Africa
- Award for Character: Rugby Opens Borders
Austria
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Syd Millar
Ireland
2017
- World Rugby Player of the Year: Beauden Barrett
New Zealand
- World Rugby Team of the Year:
New Zealand
- World Rugby Coach of the Year: Eddie Jones
England
- World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year: Rieko Ioane
New Zealand
- World Rugby Women's Player of the Year: Portia Woodman
New Zealand
- World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year: Perry Baker
United States
- World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Michaela Blyde
New Zealand
- World Rugby Referee Award: Joy Neville
Ireland
- IRPA Try of the Year: Joaquín Tuculet
Argentina
- IRPA Special Merit Award: Richie McCaw
New Zealand and Rachael Burford
England
- Award for Character: Eduardo Oderigo
Argentina
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Marcel Martin
France
2018
- World Rugby Player of the Year: Jonathan Sexton
Ireland
- World Rugby Team of the Year:
Ireland
- World Rugby Coach of the Year: Joe Schmidt
Ireland
- World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year: Aphiwe Dyantyi
South Africa
- World Rugby Women's Player of the Year: Jessy Tremouliere
France
- World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year: Perry Baker
United States
- World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Michaela Blyde
New Zealand
- World Rugby Referee Award: Angus Gardner
Australia
- IRPA Try of the Year: Brodie Retallick
New Zealand
- IRPA Special Merit Award: Stephen Moore
Australia and DJ Forbes
New Zealand
- Award for Character: Doddie Weir
Scotland
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Yoshirō Mori
Japan
2019
- World Rugby Player of the Year: Pieter-Steph du Toit
South Africa
- World Rugby Team of the Year:
South Africa
- World Rugby Coach of the Year: Rassie Erasmus
South Africa
- World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year: Romain Ntamack
France
- World Rugby Women's Player of the Year: Emily Scarratt
England
- World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year: Jerry Tuwai
Fiji
- World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Ruby Tui
New Zealand
- World Rugby Referee Award: Wayne Barnes
England
- IRPA Try of the Year: TJ Perenara
New Zealand
- IRPA Special Merit Award: Jamie Heaslip
Ireland
- Award for Character: Kamaishi
Japan
- Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Bernard Lapasset
France
References
- ^ "IRB announce new awards scheme". ESPN. 4 April 2001. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ Murray, Shane (12 November 2001). "Wood wins prestigious title". RTE News. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ "Wood wins top award". BBC Sport. 30 November 2004. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ^ Irb Announces Development Award 2010 Winner (22 October, 2010). Voxy. Retrieved 20 February 2021
- ^ "Barrett and Hunter named World Rugby Players of the Year 2016". World Rugby. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Barrett and Woodman named World Rugby Players of the Year 2017". World Rugby. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
External links