We value your privacy

We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as cookies and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device for personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, and audience insights, as well as to develop and improve products.

With your permission we and our partners may use precise geolocation. You may click to consent to our and our partners’ processing as described above. Please note that some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing.

More Options

Thu 29 Nov 2012 | 03:33
Bryan Habana awarded IRPA Try of the Year 2012 for try vs All Blacks

21
Comments

Springbok flyer Bryan Habana has been awarded the 2012 International Rugby Players Association (IRPA) Try of the Year for his great chip and chase effort against the All Blacks in Dunedin, scored during the inaugural Rugby Championship.

The award is some consolation for a player that many may have expected to be included on the IRB Player of the Year shortlist, which was announced yesterday.

The shortlist features Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Frederic Michalak, and Owen Farrell.

Having suffered from a lack of form in recent seasons, Habana came back firing this year with some top quality performances for both the Stormers and Springboks, usually typified by an incredible workrate in both attack and defence.

He was named SARU (South African Rugby Union) Player of the Year for 2012, and this try was also named South Africa's Try of the Year. The try added to his total of 47 Test tries. 

"Scoring a try against the All Blacks is always special, but scoring against them in New Zealand, is even more special," Habana said.

"I really enjoyed getting across the try-line in Dunedin – contributing to the success of the team and also lifting the spirits of my teammates. Winning this Award is very special and hopefully I can continue scoring tries for the Springboks for a very long time," he added.

The other tries included on the IRPA Try Of the Year shortlist were those scored by Julian Savea, Julien Malzieu, and Hosea Gear. Along with online votes from global rugby fans, the final decision was made by a panel of Jaque Fourie, Mils Muliaina, Shane Williams, and Daisuke Ohata.

Unfortunately an injury meant Habana wasn't available for the end of year tour.

Previous winners:
2011 – Radike Samo (Australia) – Australia v New Zealand
2010 – Chris Ashton (England) – England v Australia
2009 – Jaque Fourie (South Africa) – South Africa v British & Irish Lions
2008 – Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland) – Australia v Ireland

Posted By: Grant Constable

21 Comments

  • frenchie
    2:53 AM 02/12/2012

    @ Mack:

    why is that? I don't get it. I believe it's because the crowd don't know the other teams, i mean in details. In the 2007 RWC in France i read in a newspaper that only 3 ABs could name their direct opponent on the pitch...incredible. That's maybe why the AB also lost on that day.

    Thanks for your honest comment.

  • stroudos
    1:23 PM 01/12/2012

    Totally agree with your second paragraph anyway. Especially if you're allowed to consider tries like Landajo's - against the All Blacks, which seems to be some people's rationale for Habana's try winning.

    I reckon Habana himself will be thinking "WTF?" a bit over this one. It's not even the best try HE's scored this year, let alone everyone else.

  • welshosprey
    8:02 PM 30/11/2012

    THAT was the best try anyone has scored this year? What a joke

  • reality
    5:18 PM 30/11/2012

    Bah, it's debatable. I'd argue that if you were kicking to the corner in that situation, you wouldn't do it off the side of your boot like that making it spin wildly, because the spin that you'd put on it would make it very likely to bounce out into touch. Tommy Bowe did it against France and got a great bounce and scored, but it was still lucky.

    Anyway, on purpose or not, I still don't think the try is at all impressive. For me, a simple chip and chase off messy lineout ball is not the try of the year.

  • al_woody7
    2:32 PM 30/11/2012

    Correct!

    Reid was a cut above the rest of the all blacks in the summer tours. McCaw, Reid, Carter, Dagg, Lobbe, North if he had been playing this Autumn.

  • colombes
    12:40 PM 30/11/2012

    In the McCaw-Carter-Farrell-Michalak shortlist can't really say who deserve it the most... as i thought guys like Read, Dagg or Sexton could have been nominated.

    McCaw, still influential captain and a poison in the rucks >> could be nominated for the palmares and tri-nations. Favorite 1

    Carter, still the most consistent player in term of talent and kicks. he rarely does a bad match. picked some injuries. Favorite 2

    Farrell is quite an enigma for me. The guy was very active during the 6N, but i haven't seen much of him after... and he's number 2 at his post in england squad. But with his kicking and defence, he has the cv to become a new wilko. Outsider 1

    Michalak is the other enigma but in a reverse way as he suffered many injuries during the last 3 years. He seemed very refreshed after his way on super15 and his last 4 games for France were outstanding. Outsider 2

    But IRB results never really matched with fans predictions

  • stroudos
    10:57 AM 30/11/2012

    Don't know where you - and a couple of others - get this idea that he sliced the kick. From the angle he's holding the ball it looked quite deliberately aimed. He's chipped the ball into the only space available. Any straighter and Dagg had it covered.

  • stroudos
    10:39 AM 30/11/2012

    Jon:
    Farrel, wtf? That's absurd. Completely ridiculous. He got dropped by England! So he's the second string fly-half for a team that isn't playing all that well (no offense England but they haven't been setting the world on fire). And he's the player of the year? Ridiculous.

    On behalf of England, no offence taken mate. I like Farrell as a player, especially when he's given freedom to actually play, plus he seems a really decent bloke, but there is simply no rational explanation for his inclusion on this list.

  • stroudos
    10:34 AM 30/11/2012

    Think Alex means Read for IRB Player of the year, which I wholeheartedly agree with. He's been immense all season.

  • katman
    8:47 AM 30/11/2012

    No man, don't be that guy.

  • frenchie
    6:42 AM 30/11/2012

    Nice!
    my opinion is still the same: The Kiwi crowd IS THE MOST BORING crowd on the planet. It seems nobody in the stands enjoys a great try when it is coming from a team other than the AB. Sad faces.

  • 5:34 AM 30/11/2012

    Come on champ. You're the last person who should be talking about bitterness with the amount of bile you spew about anything new zealand.

  • yupyupgup
    5:12 AM 30/11/2012

    I am still wondering how Wales' Jonathan Davies try vs. Ireland in the six nations wasn't even shortlisted?

  • 1:13 AM 30/11/2012

    Completely agree, Argentina royally screwed this year with no lobbe nomination as well

  • foxtrot
    11:34 PM 29/11/2012

    I think out of all the players listed Michelak deserves it the most. If you watched him this year you could definitly say he has made a great comback. The way he played in the Super 15 helped bring the Sharks to the Final (he was integral to that feat) and he has revitalized his international career and is really playing well for France.

  • katman
    11:15 PM 29/11/2012

    Farrell is a complete mystery. Maybe it's in recognition of the calming influence he had whenever he replaced Flood for a few minutes.

  • pretzel
    10:28 PM 29/11/2012

    Well, I suppose we should add: "Congratulations to Bryan Habana" I mean he scored the try and it wasn't his fault it was short-listed and subsequently picked for this award. It wasn't his job to make it look pretty, it was his job to score it, which is totally fair enough but hey, if they felt he deserved it for that try, then it's their choice, however I disagree with it.

    I don't feel that any of the tries on that shortlist were particularly brilliant, yet many not included WERE...

    As for player of the year, once again its a bit of a dull line up, I mean McCaw, Carter... have they actually done anything outstanding? I'm sure McCaw has been out of a few games this year (not saying you have to play everything), Carter.. well maybe?!?!... Owen Farrell? Excuse me? The guy only came on the scene in early 2012 didn't he? What's he done? I'd say there are far more deserving players within the English team than Farrell....not that I know their names...

    Michelak? Has he shone this year? Maybe I've just missed all the fantastic moments...

  • katman
    9:10 PM 29/11/2012

    Jeepers, all this bitterness is not a particularly good look. I know it doesn't always seem that way, but the IRB are not compelled by law to give everything to a Kiwi.

    On the upside, they left both Fernandez Lobbe and Picomoles off the Player of the Year shortlist so they could squeeze two Kiwis in. That must count for something.

  • reality
    8:21 PM 29/11/2012

    I actually feel sick watching this 'try of the year'. I mean they barely get the ball out of the lineout because of their dithering, then Cruden seems to just do a matador act, Habana slices the kick horribly, and then somehow scores. What is actually good about that? I don't think this is even a good try, let alone the best of the year.

    My idea of the best try of the year would be one that you could show to someone who doesn't watch rugby and have them marvel at the speed, skill and intricate passing involved. If someone who didn't watch rugby saw this, he'd probably laugh and say that rugby seems to be very disjointed and based on lucky bounces.

  • pretzel
    8:07 PM 29/11/2012

    I'd still pick Landajo's try over any of these and over Reid's...

  • gonzoman
    6:53 PM 29/11/2012

    I agree...not the most impressive effort, and the chip and chase was certainly very lucky, given how badly the kick was sliced!

Related Articles