All Blacks clean up at NZ Awards
The All Blacks were named Team of the Year at New Zealand’s sports awards ceremony, the Halberg Awards, at Auckland’s Vector Arena on Thursday.
The All Blacks claimed their fifth Halberg team award after winning all 14 of their Tests last year, becoming the first international side in the professional era to go through a calendar year unbeaten.
All Black coach Steve Hansen was also honoured as Coach of the Year.
All Black captain Richie McCaw was also given the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award while All Black great Jonah Lomu was also inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
All Black No.8 Kieran Read was also a finalist in the Sportsman of the Year category, while the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Rugby titles, the All Blacks’ epic win over South Africa in Johannesburg and All Black midfielder Ryan Crotty's last-gasp try against Ireland also featured on the Favourite Sporting Moments list.
New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew said: “It was fantastic for rugby to be involved in a night that celebrates all New Zealand sport and on behalf of all New Zealand Rugby, I want to congratulate all the rugby winners and nominees.
“Our congratulations also go to the winners from other sports. New Zealanders are truly lucky to have the opportunity to be involved in a vast number of team and individual sports and it was truly humbling tonight to see the incredible number of Kiwi sportspeople who are making their mark on the national and international stage.”
Kiwi success on the world stage saw finalists at the Halberg Awards come from numerous different sports, including rugby, yachting, golf, canoeing, swimming, para swimming, para shooting, blind bowling, athletics, cycling, equestrian, motorsport, softball, basketball, rugby league and surfing.
Rugby figures (and fellow finalists) honoured at the Halberg Awards were as follows:
Team of the Year:
All Blacks (Rugby)
Black Sox (Softball)
Men's Pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray (Rowing)
Women's 470 – Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (Yachting)
Men's 49er Class Team – Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (Yachting).
Coach of the Year:
Steve Hansen (Rugby)
Eddie Kohlhase (Softball)
Guy Wilson (Golf)
Nathan Handley (Yachting)
Sport New Zealand Leadership Award:
Richie McCaw
Sports Hall of Fame Induction:
Jonah Lomu
Sarah Ulmer
