IRB Awards

The IRB Awards are given out annually by the International Rugby Board, the worldwide governing body for rugby union, for major achievement in the sport. They were first awarded in 2001.

2007

*IRB International Player of the Year: Bryan Habana, ru|ZAF
*IRB International Team of the Year: ru|ZAF
*IRB International Coach of the Year: Jake White, ru|ZAF
*IRB Under-19 Player of the Year: Robert Fruean, NZL
*IRB Sevens Player of the Year: Afeleke Pelenise, ru7|NZL
*IRB Sevens Team of the Year: ru7|NZL
*IRB Women's Personality of the Year: Sarah Corrigan, referee, flagicon|AUS 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 ZWE and CAN in the 2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship.
*IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Dick Byres, retired, flagicon|AUS 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, ESP
**After a playing career that saw him earn 38 caps for ru|ESP, 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.
*IRB Development Award: Jacob Thompson, flagicon|JAM 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.
*Spirit of Rugby Award: Nicolás Pueta, ARG
**Pueta regularly plays club rugby despite having a congenital condition that led to the amputation of one of his legs in childhood.
*IRPA Try of the Year: Takudzwa Ngwenya, ru|USA
*IRPA Special Merit Award: Fabien Pelous, ru|FRA
**Pelous is the most-capped player in France history, and also the most-capped lock ever.
*IRB Hall of Fame inductees:
**Pierre de Coubertin, FRA
**Wilson Whineray, ru|NZL
**Danie Craven, flagicon|ZAF South Africa
**Gareth Edwards, ru|WAL
**John Eales, ru|AUS

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)
*Spirit of Rugby Award: Polly Miller
*Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Brian Lochore
*IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Peter Marshall
*IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Margaret Alphonsi
*IRB Development Award: Mike Luke
*IRB Hall of Fame inductees: William Webb Ellis and Rugby School

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)
*Spirit of Rugby Award: Jean Pierre Rives
*Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Peter Crittle
*IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Paddy O'Brien
*IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Farah Palmer
*IRB Development Award: Robert Antonin
*IRB Chairman's Award: Sir Tasker Watkins V.C., G.B.E, D.L

2004

*IRB International Player of the Year: Schalk Burger (South Africa)
*IRB International Team of the Year, in association with Sodexho: nrut|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 in association with Waterford Crystal: Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)
*IRB International Sevens Team of the Year: New Zealand
*IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Simon Amor (England)
*Spirit of Rugby Award: Jarrod Cunningham
*Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Ronnie Dawson
*IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Jim Fleming
*IRB International Women’s Personality of the Year: Donna Kennedy
*IRB Development Award: Guedel Ndiaye
*IRB Chairman’s Award: Marcel Martin

2003

*IRB Player of the Year in assoc. with Heineken: Jonny Wilkinson (ENG)
*IRB Team of the Year: nrut|England
*IRB Coach of the Year: Clive Woodward (ENG)
*IRB U19 Player of the Year: Jean Baptiste Payras (FRA)
*IRB U21 Player of the Year in assoc. with Waterford Crystal: Ben Atiga (NZ)
*IRB Sevens Team of the Year: New Zealand
*Spirit of Rugby Award: Michael & Linda Collinson
*IRB Award for Distinguished Service: Bob Stuart
*IRB Referee Distinguished Service Award: Derek Bevan
*IRB Women’s Personality of the Year: Kathy Flores
*IRB Development Award: Tan Theany & Philippe Monnin
*IRB Chairman’s Award: Vernon Pugh

2002

*IRB Player of the Year, in assoc. with Heineken: Fabien Galthié (FRA)
*IRB Coach of the Year: Bernard Laporte (FRA)
*IRB Team of the Year: nrut|France
*IRB U19 Player of the Year: Luke McAlister (NZ)
*U21 Player of the Year, in assoc. with Waterford: Pat Barnard (SA)
*IRB Sevens Team of the Year: New Zealand
*IRB Women's Player of the Year: Monique Hirovanaa (NZ)
*IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Colin Hawke
*IRB Development Award: John Broadfoot
*IRB Distinguished Services Award: Allan Hosie
*Chairman's Awards: Bill Mclaren, George Pippos (posthumously)
*IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Old Christians Rugby Club

2001

*IRB Player of the Year, in assoc. with Heineken: Keith Wood (IRE)
*IRB Team of the Year: nrut|Australia
*IRB Coach of the Year: Rod Macqueen (AUS)
*IRB Young Player of the Year: Gavin Henson (WAL)
*IRB Women's Player of the Year: Shelley Rae (ENG)
*Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Ed Morrison
*Spirit of Rugby Award: Tim Grandadge (IND)
*Chairman's Awards: Kath McLean, Sir Terry McLean, Albert Ferrasse, John Eales
*Development Awards: Uruguay; Jorge Brasceras.
*IRB Distinguished Service Award: Tom Kiernan (IRE)