McCaw? Give us a break!

Rugby wizards: The IRB panel of judges pulled off the biggest trick

We feared this would happen. Just like clockwork, the International Rugby Board pulls a rabbit from the hat by announcing Richie McCaw as 2009's Player of the Year. Say what?

Well, you have to hand it to the IRB Awards independent panel of judges: at least they consistent by pulling the wool (no pun intended Richie) over our eyes.

But while McCaw was bleating on about "how proud" and what a "huge honour" it was to win, even he must have been wondering at the back of his mind how rugby's much sought-after individual prize ended up with his name engraved on it - again.

We all know how good a player he is. But with the likes of Ireland skipper Brian O'Driscoll and South Africa scrum-half Fourie du Preez having a far better stellar season than the New Zealand flanker, the IRB should - but won't - feel very sheepish indeed for making yet another blunder.

Personally, I would have been happy if either one of BOD or Du Preez had won it. But instead the decision, perhaps influenced over a juicy lamb chop dinner on the IRB's expense, will now go down as a historic achievement for McCaw, who really should have been awarded this gong last year. Heaven knows he deserved it more then than he does now!

Perhaps that was the bone that the IRB were left fighting over by making the wrongs of last year right. No offence Shane Williams, but even a Welsh Wizard of your class couldn't conjure up a spell on how to make the two favourites for rugby's top award disappear. It really was some piece of magic that has left plenty of supporters gobsmacked.

And sadly for us, a magician never reveals his tricks. But luckily we have IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset heading the Harry Potter panel of experts and he had this to say: "There is no doubt that this was a particularly closely-fought year with each of the shortlisted players producing outstanding performances. Richie is an inspirational figure, a fine leader and one of the greats of the game in recent years, and a deserving recipient of the IRB Player of the Year Award for the second time."

Ok, let's try and carve this down and shed a wee bit of light on what went on at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...er, I mean the IRB offices!

Besides BOD and Du Preez - the rest of the nominees were like lambs to the slaughter compared to the duo's feats in 2009. O'Driscoll was responsible for leading his team to their first Six Nations Grand Slam since 1948, helping Leinster to their first ever Heineken Cup title, featured prominently in the British & Irish Lions back-line and captained Ireland to a draw and a win over southern hemisphere heavyweights (leaving them unbeaten in eleven outings). He was also voted as Ireland's best player this year.

Du Preez played a big part in guiding the Bulls to their second Super 14 title, played a key role beating the Lions, was a standout in South Africa's third Tri-Nations title, lifted the Currie Cup trophy and shone for all the right reasons in South Africa's disastrous end-of-year tour. He was also voted as South Africa's best player this year.

McCaw missed half of the Super 14, but upon his return he captained the Crusaders to a semi-final defeat. During that match, he got injured again and missed New Zealand's June internationals against France and Italy but made a return to the Tri-Nations where he led his troops towards three defeats to South Africa and a Bledisloe Cup whitewash over Australia.

Granted, McCaw played well but he never got the better of someone like Heinrich Brussow in the side's three meetings. And John Smit was by far the better leader between the two.

The grass was perhaps a bit greener on the Northern Hemisphere side and it's fair to say he saved his best for last on the All Blacks' successful European trip. Sadly it seems that is what stuck the most in Tana Umaga's head, I mean the IRB panel of judges' heads casting their ridiculous vote.

Inspirational figure, fine leader and one of the greats of the game McCaw may be, but best player of the year 2009 he is not.

By Dave Morris