IRB award nominees announced

Three New Zealanders and two South African players have been nominated for the IRB Player of the Year award.

All Blacks Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Tana Umaga and Springboks Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield are in contention for the prestigious prize at the annual ceremony, to be held in Paris on Sunday, November 27.

The event rewards the highest achievements in the game from the end of the 2004 autumn internationals until 2005’s autumn Tests, and also honours outstanding past contributions to rugby.

New Zealand and Wales are on the shortlist for Team of the Year, with the two teams’ respective coaches Graham Henry and Mike Ruddock singled out as the two candidates for the Coach of the Year award.