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Ardie Savea stands out as nominee for prestigious All Blacks award
After being crowned the world’s best men’s player at the World Rugby Awards in Paris last month, Ardie Savea would have to be considered a clear favourite for another prestigious honour in New Zealand.
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New Zealand Rugby has revealed the award nominees for the best women’s, men’s, coaches, teams, referees and volunteers in the country ahead of the prestigious 2023 ASB Rugby Awards.
Savea, who will miss the entirety of next year’s Super Rugby Pacific season after taking up a sabbatical in Japan, is one of four nominees for the All Blacks Player of the Year accolade.
While the nominees for the illustrious Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year award, which recognises the best rugby player in New Zealand, Savea certainly appears to be the favourite.
Barrett brothers Jordie and Scott are also up for the All Blacks POTY of the Year honour, as well as legendary halfback Aaron Smith who played his last Test in the Rugby World Cup final defeat.
Scott Barrett is also in the running to be named Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year but will face still competition from fellow All Blacks Mark Tele’a and Damian McKenzie.
Also in the men’s game, World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year nominees Leroy Carter and Akuila Rokolisoa are in the running for the Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year award.
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Interestingly, both Michaela Blyde and Tyla Nathan-Wong have missed out on the Black Ferns Sevens’ equivalent despite being recognised as contenders for the World Rugby Award. Nathan-Wong picked up the award in Paris.
Instead, rising stars Jorja Miller and Risaleanna Pouri-Lane have been nominated for Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year along with fan favourite Stacey Waaka.
“We know that right across New Zealand many rugby clubs serve their communities far beyond rugby and recognising the great work of our clubs, with the support of Bunnings Warehouse, is a great inclusion in the awards,” NZR CEO Mark Robinson said in a statement.
“As is acknowledging the dedication from individuals across the game, we had some incredible nominations which highlights the special people involved in rugby.
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“Congratulations to all those nominated for awards, it is a reflection on the hard work and tenacity shown across all levels of the game both on and off the field. We’ve had another bumper year of rugby so it’s fantastic to be able to recognise the teams and individuals that have contributed to that.”
Here are the nominees for the other awards:
2023 ASB Rugby Award nominees are;
New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year
Maggie Cogger-Orr
Angus Mabey
Ben O’Keeffe
Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year
Chris Fife (Northland)
John Hume (Counties Manukau)
Sharlene Wiselam (Canterbury)
Allen Grainger (Waikato)
Bunnings Warehouse Rugby Club of the Year
Tamatea Rugby Sports Clubs (Hawke’s Bay)
Auckland University Rugby Football Club (Auckland)
Beachlands Maraetai Rugby Club (Counties Manukau)
Te H?pai New Zealand Rugby Community Impact Award
Steven Li (Asian Non-Contact Rugby Program)
Te Kahurangi Skelton (Otago M?ori Rugby)
Richard Perkins (Otago Rugby Football Union)
New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year
Harry Godfrey (Hawke’s Bay)
Macca Springer (Tasman)
Angelica Mekeke-Vahai (Auckland)
Ian Kirkpatrick Medal (Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship Player of the Year)
Siu Kakala (South Canterbury)
Stuart Leach (Poverty Bay)
Alekesio Vakarorogo (Whanganui)
Duane Monkley Medal (Bunnings Warehouse NPC Player of the Year)
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Counties Manukau)
Adrian Choat (Auckland)
Fergus Burke (Canterbury)
Timoci Tavatavanawai (Tasman)
Fiao’o Faamausili Medal (FPC presented by Bunnings Warehouse Player of the Year)
Krysten Cottrell (Hawke’s Bay)
Laura Bayfield (Canterbury)
Kaipo Olsen-Baker (Manawatu)
ASB National Men’s Coach of the Year
Nigel Walsh (South Canterbury)
Neil Barnes (Taranaki)
Scott Robertson (Crusaders)
ASB National Women’s Coach of the Year
Rawinia Everitt (Northland)
Blair Baxter (Matat?)
Willie Walker (Auckland)
ASB New Zealand Coach of the Year
All Teams in Black coaches eligible
DHL Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year
Mark Tele’a (Blues)
Scott Barrett (Crusaders)
Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)
Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year
Renee Holmes (Matat?)
Lucy Jenkins (Matat?)
Luka Connor (Chiefs Manawa)
Tanya Kalounivale (Chiefs Manawa)
Tom French Memorial M?ori Player of the Year
Aaron Smith (Ng?ti Kahungunu, Manawatu)
Billy Harmon (Ng?i Tahu)
Stacey Waaka (Ng?i T?hoe)
Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (Nga Puhi, Ngai Tahuhu)
Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year
Leroy Carter
Akuila Rokolisoa
Dylan Collier
Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year
Jorja Miller
Stacey Waaka
Risaleaana Pouri-Lane
Black Ferns Player of the Year
Maiakawanakaulani Roos
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u
Amy du Plessis
All Blacks Player of the Year
Jordie Barrett
Scott Barrett
Ardie Savea
Aaron Smith
adidas National Men’s Team of the Year
Crusaders
Taranaki Bulls
South Canterbury
adidas National Women’s Team of the Year
Auckland Storm
Northland Kauri
Matat?
adidas New Zealand Team of the Year
All Teams in Black eligible
To be presented on the night: Steinlager Salver – Outstanding contribution to New Zealand Rugby and Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year
Comments on RugbyPass
Danny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
35 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to comments