IRB FAIL

IRB FAIL

All Blacks captain, Richie McCaw, in what can be deemed as a complete joke, has been named the International Rugby Board Player of the Year for 2009.

The 28-year-old McCaw became the first person to have been awarded rugby’s most prestigious individual accolade twice, having previously been named IRB Player of the Year in 2006.

Now before the die-hard McCaw fans put a hit out on me, let me explain: There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that McCaw is a great player, perhaps one of the best to ever play the game, as well as an inspirational leader. The teams he has played for have for many years dominated the face of rugby worldwide, but let’s be honest, 2009 was not anywhere near McCaw’s best year in the game. In-fact, 2009 has been one of the weakest years I have ever seen in All Black rugby.

[Remember the video we posted of just how KAK the All Blacks have actually been this year?]

He was injured for the beginning of the season, playing only 10 tests. He didn’t have a great Super 14, nor did he win the Tri Nations, where he was largely dominated by the new kid on the block, Heinrich Brussow.

If you look at the stats [Rugby Stats] McCaw made less tackles on average than Brussow did, made less turnovers than both George Smith and Jaque Fourie and gave away the same amount of penalties on average.

Perhaps McCaw could have won the award in 2008, but the award is called the “IRB Player of the Year Award” because it should be awarded to the best player of the current year, based on that year’s form alone, not past form, nor reputation. The fact that he won baffles my mind in a year where Both Fourie du Preez and Brian O’Driscoll have been ahead of him.

Being a South African, maybe I am biased, but let’s take a look at Fourie du Preez’s year in rugby:

Let’s call a spade a spade here. In my opinion, the award went to the wrong player!

What are your thoughts? Should McCaw have won the award? If not, who should it have gone to? Leave your comments below