Dusautoir/Ford win IRB awards.

http://www.irb.com/history/awards/newsid=2060050.html#thierry+dusautoir+irb+player+of+the+year

Thierry dusautoir has been named the IRB player of the year. Not sure about this - as until the final of RWC I would have said that there were several players in Europe alone who had better seasons. If there was a Player of the World Cup then he was a contender, but not sure about player of teh year. Fantastic player though.

More parochially great to see George Ford getting Junior Player of the Year.

"George Ford becomes England’s first recipient of this Award after playing a key role in his country’s run to the IRB Junior World Championship 2011 final in Italy, where they ultimately lost 33-22 to New Zealand. The youngest player in the tournament at only 18 years and three months, Ford’s skills and vision belie his tender age, his maturity on the pitch giving the impression he always has options, more often than not taking the right one."

In an award that is dominated historically by Kiwis (and has never been won by an englishman) it is great to see - especially as he qualifys for this for the next two years.

George Ford is coming on nicely and developing very well. Deserves the award after a great tournament for the England under 20s and has more than held his own against players far more experienced than him in the AP. Could well be Englands flyhalf in the not to distant future but will need a couple more years to fully develop his game.

I thought Kaino should of got it

Not surprised to see Thierry dusautoir win the award. He has been one of the few shining lights in the French RWC campaign and was awesome in the final.

But best player of the year? Not sure on this.

George Ford has won the IRB young player of the year award. What makes this even more impressive is the lad was playing in the under 20's world cup wint guys 2 years older. Its good to see that young George has been getting game time for the Leicester Tigers, although his chances are limited behind Flood at leicester he will get further chances particulary when the 6 nations gets udner way again.

Thierry


IRB

Dusautoir deserves all the credit he gets... without a strong captain who also put in massive performances personally, this french side would probably have limped home in the QF.. yet he dragged them to a whisker of RWC glory.

Nonu, Kaino et al could have won the award and would have been worthy of it... yet they play in a dominant side and get all the breaks as much as they themselves make them for their teammates.

Dusautoir sometimes looked like a one man team in this RWC.

The IRB awards are sometimes a bit odd in their selection... in 09 McCaw was awarded the trophy but he was pretty average in most people's eyes and NZ had their poorest year to date. That year the award should have gone to Fioure Du Preez but probably due to IRB politics it went to McCaw.

I reckon a lot of the IRB panel were probably a little miffed at how France were judged by Joubert which swung their vote. Still deserved though.

I reckon a lot of the IRB panel were probably a little miffed at how France were judged by Joubert which swung their vote. Still deserved though.

Absolutely.

What does the award take in to account? All the international games since January? As I don't remember Thierry doing much in the 6N's.

Just test matches apparently, I guess from the date of the last IRB award.

Given the RWC is the premier tournament in world rugby I don't begrudge the best player from the tournament being named world player of the year.

Anyone know what 'Junior' means in the above sense?

Does being capped at full international exclude you from this award?

Just that at 19 you would have thought someone like George North would walk away with it ahead of a player like George Ford.

9 tries in 15 tests since making his début a year ago at 18 is not bad.

George North does have an excellent record though I think the Junior Award is based on the JWC tournament which North wasn't part of and where Ford stole the show.

Nice to see the IRB gets it wrong again. More deserved winners miss out yet again.

Seems most of you forget about Imanol Harinorduquy. Harinorduquy was the player who led the French charge. Where was Dusatoir in the humiliating losses to Tonga and NZ (game 1).

Young player - numerous others. Not even best young Englishman.

No doubt if MJ and his coaching team stay he'll be in the 6 nations. He ticks every box for them.

beshocked wrote:Young player - numerous others. Not even best young Englishman.

No doubt if MJ and his coaching team stay he'll be in the 6 nations. He ticks every box for them.

My word you are sounding bitter tonight B

It seems the award is based on performances in the JWC - so I am surprised it did not go to a Junior AB. Ford was the fulcrum of that England team though, a team that played with a flair that we have not seen from the seniors in many a year. That Farrell had to play at 12, despite being 18 months older (which at U20 level is a lot) and more experienced indicates just how good Ford is at the junior level.

As a player who stands flat, likes to run and pass - I am not sure which boxes he ticks in Brian Smiths wishlist.

Is he the best U20 player in the world? - hell no. Was he the most influential player in Junior Rugby in 2011? - people other than the IRB seem to think so.

London Tiger. Bitter is my middle name. I apologise.

Also my main gripe is the wording.

By all means call Dusatoir the best player in the rwc. I don think he was but evidently others disagree.

Calling George ford the jwc player of the year would be fine. But neither have been the best player of the year.

Why call them players of the year if they haven't specifically been the best?

For the record if we are talking best young player of the year based on pitch performances alone the winner could well be Manu Tuilagi.

beshocked wrote:London Tiger. Bitter is my middle name. I apologise.

Also my main gripe is the wording.

By all means call Dusatoir the best player in the rwc. I don think he was but evidently others disagree.

Calling George ford the jwc player of the year would be fine. But neither have been the best player of the year.

Why call them players of the year if they haven't specifically been the best?

For the record if we are talking best young player of the year based on pitch performances alone the winner could well be Manu Tuilagi.

George North. They were going to award it to him but concerned that Chuck Norris might top himself

Gatts North made his breakthrough last year. Plus he's an old man now. Too many Welsh caps to his name.

Better to give the award to a player who is 3rd choice fh for his club. Good jwc though.

Maybe Toby faletau though. He had a bloody good wc.

beshocked wrote:Gatts North made his breakthrough last year. Plus he's an old man now. Too many Welsh caps to his name.

Better to give the award to a player who is 3rd choice fh for his club. Good jwc though.

Maybe Toby faletau though. He had a bloody good wc.

fair shout, but yes faletau seems to be a much better choice (just as long as he i swelsh!)


maybe it was a sneaky hint to england to get the new blood in! or just a consolation for a dismal RWC?

No consolation at all. George Ford has way too much in bloody common with the current England management - e.g. Rowntree, Johnson and Wells are all Leicester old boys. Ford is his father.

Simply a hurtful reminder.

beshocked wrote:No consolation at all. George Ford has way too much in bloody common with the current England management - e.g. Rowntree, Johnson and Wells are all Leicester old boys. Ford is his father.

Simply a hurtful reminder.

Sorry, run that past me again, who is George's dad?

Mike Ford, England defence coach

That is fecking hilarious

Nepotism?

beshocked wrote:No consolation at all. George Ford has way too much in bloody common with the current England management - e.g. Rowntree, Johnson and Wells are all Leicester old boys. Ford is his father.

Simply a hurtful reminder.

you not wearing your tin hat again?

nathan wrote:

beshocked wrote:No consolation at all. George Ford has way too much in bloody common with the current England management - e.g. Rowntree, Johnson and Wells are all Leicester old boys. Ford is his father.

Simply a hurtful reminder.

you not wearing your tin hat again?

Always. I need to.

Don't worry... B is just upset because Owen Farrel was ignored again and the winner, was of course, a Tiger.

beshocked wrote:No consolation at all. George Ford has way too much in bloody common with the current England management - e.g. Rowntree, Johnson and Wells are all Leicester old boys. Ford is his father.

Simply a hurtful reminder.

That may be but the vote was by the IRB not the RFU.

Actually seeing as it was the IRB (In the pocket of new zealand Rugby Board) I'm surprised a kiwi didn't win both.

It's not voted on by the IRB. It's a panel of ex-players (Greenwood has often been the English representive, I think Quinnell usually does it as well).

Club games don't come into these awards at all. They don't any year. They run from the AI last year to the tri-nations (extended to include the world cup this year).

Metal tiger the award has been given to the wrong tiger. Manu Tuilagi should have won it.

In regards to impact in the last year Tuilagi > Farrell > Ford.

You know what happened when Ford played Farrell in the AP.

beshocked wrote:You know what happened when Ford played Farrell in the AP.

That's got nothing to do with it. They only look at international games. Junior player may well be junior games (JWC, U20 6N, etc), in which case Tuilagi (or North) wouldn't be counted and Farrell was pants.

beshocked wrote:Metal tiger the award has been given to the wrong tiger. Manu Tuilagi should have won it.

Unfortunately though Manu burst onto the scene with such an almighty wallop that he went straight into our 1st XV (on which someone has said club games don't count?) Played 1 or 2 matches for the Saxons and then went straight into the main England Squad.

In those terms, his rise has been meteoric compared to Ford.... but Ford played in the junior competitions wheras Manusamoa Tuilagi virtually bypassed them ruling him out of the vote for Young Player of the Year.

I'm sure some stato out there will correct me if I have got the above wrong.

Metal Tiger wrote:Actually seeing as it was the IRB (In the pocket of new zealand Rugby Board) I'm surprised a kiwi didn't win both.

How did you come to that conclusion? We all know the NZRU has no money and the IRB is driven soley by $$ so surely the English would own that pocket

Manu has previously played for the England age teams he just didn't play in them this year ruling himself out of it.

You know what happened when Ford played Farrell in the AP

Farrell shuffled down the line to allow Hodgson to run the play whilst being given an arm chair ride by a far superior Sarries pack?

Considering the pressure he was under I thought Ford did blooming well in that game, he made his tackles (unlike many) and kept his composure despite the Sarries forwards hurling themselves at him every time he got the ball, there's a heck of size difference there as well. He made an awesome break in the second half if only the rest of the team were in support...

I find the whole awards system idiotic and flawed.

A more apt award for the two players would be:

George Ford - jwc player of the year
Thierry Dusatoir - best French captain of the year.

Dusatoir wasn't even the best Frenchman!

Sam is Ford a clone of Shane Williams?

Armchair ride...hmmm...Leicester pack doesn't spring to mind?

The player awards evidently need new criteria to not miss out on much more deserving candidates.

Imanol Harinorduquy was ultimately France's best player and has been their go to man for some time. Whenever he starts for France they rarely lose. He was the key to France's grandslam in 2010 and their world cup. Had little to no involvement in their humiliations either.

This is of course without mentioning any Nz player.

Armchair ride...hmmm...Leicester pack doesn't spring to mind?

I think the Sarries forwards were more than comfortabley in control that day. The Tigers pack was;

1.Stanko - 2nd choice
2.Chuter - 1st choice (currently, looks likely to change within the coming weeks)
3.Holford - 6th choice
4.Slater - 4th choice
5.Parling - 1st choice
6.Mafi - 2nd choice
7.Woods - 2nd choice
8.Savli - 3rd choice (3rd choice 8, first choice 7)

You'd expect the Sarries pack to better that. On current form only Parling and Slavi would start for Tigers.

Sam I mean in general the Leicester pack gives their backs an armchair ride. Bit rich you using that argument.

The Saracens pack in comparison

1.Gill (2nd choice)
2.George (2nd choice)
3. Nieto (1st choice)
4.Botha (1st choice)
5.Borthwick (1st choice)
6. Wray (5th choice 6, 3rd choice no 8)
7.Fraser (5th choice)
8. Joubert (1st choice)

Our front five was much stronger but our backrow was in general was inexperienced with no Brown, Burger,Saull or Melck.

Anyway my main gripe are the awards themselves.

I believe name changes are in order.

Not really, I fully accept that the likes of Youngs and Flood get much more ball and a lot more time to use it than most half backs. The gap between Tigers pack and most others in the league is narrowing though, it's now more control than the domination we enjoyed before and in some cases we only get parity (other than at scrum time) these days.