Masoe tops the pile in France

All Black loose forward Chris Masoe was voted Top 14 player of the year by his fellow players on Monday.

The 33-year-old – capped 20 times from 2005-07 – was outstanding for Castres last season as they reached the Top 14 semifinals and has maintained his form this season after joining Toulon.

Masoe, who played his last game for the All Blacks when they lost in the 2007 World Cup quarterfinals to France, succeeds France flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc as winner of the prestigious award.

Revelation of the year went to Castres' French international fullback Brice Dulin, the 22-year-old having had an outstanding season with Agen last season.

The Toulouse coaching team of Guy Noves, Yannick Bru – who is now one of the national side's coaches – and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde won the Top 14 coaching award for guiding the side to their second successive national title.

The Second Division coaching award went to the Grenoble staff of Fabrice Landreau, Sylvain Begon and Franck Corrihons, for guiding them to top of the table last season.

Grenoble centre Nigel Hunt was named best player in the second tier.

This season Grenoble have built on that success and after eight matches are a very respectable fifth in the table having won five matches.

International referee Romain Poite got the nod for best Top 14 official for the second successive year.

AFP