The 2011 Planet Rugby Awards

With another year behind us, we take a look back on the last 12 months, rewarding the brilliant and the bumbling in equal measure.

With another year of fun and frolics behind us, we take a tongue-in-cheek look back on the last 12 months, rewarding the brilliant and the bumbling in equal measure as we dish out the gongs in the traditional Planet Rugby end-of-year awards ceremony!

There was no formal dinner party or other notable ceremony for these gongs, but that should not take away the importance of who was carving – or not – their moment into the virtual spotlight.

So arise, rugby characters of 2011 and come and collect the bouquets. And the brickbats…

First, the serious…

Team of the Year: The All Blacks.
They came, they saw, they conquered. New Zealand buried two decades of hurt by not – for once – choking and deservedly going on to scoop rugby's ultimate prize, the Rugby World Cup.

Coach(es) of the year: Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith.
Whoever coined the phrase 'the three wise men' to describe the All Blacks coaches probably did so out of jest – but the trio put some pride into the term after making up for New Zealand's RWC quarter-final exit in 2007 by guiding the team to victory four years later.

Northern Hemisphere Player of the Year: Sean O'Brien (Ireland and Leinster).
We were split on this decision but eventually locked our Thierry Dusautoir-obsessed editor in the stationary cupboard and went for O'Brien. The Irishman – voted European Cup Player of the Year following Leinster's Heineken Cup Final win in May – was instrumental for both club and country. His enormous power and aggression came into play every time he took to the field.

Southern Hemisphere Player of the Year: Kurtley Beale (Australia and Waratahs).
Another tough call, and as a Jerome Kaino fan, I'm in the middle of writing this with a sharp pencils pointed at me. So Beale it is! (Ok, put down the lead, lads). One of world rugby's most potent attacking threats with ball in hand, the gifted 22-year-old razzled and dazzled for the Waratahs in Super Rugby and the Wallabies on the Test arena. He is a class act at the back and provides much of the cut and thrust from deep for the 'Tahs and Oz with his turn of speed and elusiveness, as well being a handy back-up goal kicker.

Performance of the Year: The Crusaders
After losing their home stadium to the earthquake that rocked Christchurch, Todd Blackadder's team embarked an epic, five-month long roadtrip that took them all the way to the Super Rugby Final. The last leg in Brisbane proved to be a bridge too far, but it wasn't for lack of effort.

Rookie of the year: Rhys Priestland (Wales and Scarlets).
At long last, Wales have found a replacement for veteran fly-half Stephen Jones. The young playmaker was one of the few pivots to leave his imprint on the World Cup. He took his chance with both hands after Jones strained a calf muscle during a RWC warm-up clash against England, and hasn't looked back since.

Match of the year: World Cup Final (New Zealand v France).
Right up there with the best finals in terms of cliff-hanging tension, just pipping Ireland's pool win over Australia, while Wales' quarter-final win over the Irish was also one to remember.

Try of the year: Will Genia (Reds v Crusaders – Super Rugby Final).
Geez, this was a tough one. After much debate, we decided to go for the scrum-half's match-winning touchdown against the Crusaders, when Genia spotted a gap and kept going and going and going until he slammed the ball down to take the score to 18-13 in favour of the Reds with 10 minutes to go.

Match-winning penalty kick of the year: Mirco Bergamasco (Italy v France – Six Nations).
Italy came from 12 points down in the Stadio Flaminio to beat France for the first time in the Six Nations. The Italians were behind from the 14th minute until the 74th, when their goalkicker Bergamasco landed a touchline penalty – his fifth of the match – to hand Nick Mallett's team victory and their biggest scalp in 11 seasons in the competition.

Match-winning conversion of the year: Dewaldt Duvenage (Blues v Stormers).
The Blues had led for all of 78 minutes but in the dying moments of the match, Schalk Burger burrowed over for a try to level the scores before replacement scrum-half cum fly-half Dewaldt Duvenage knocked over the conversion to stun the Blues – who led by 16 points at half-time – 28-26.

Most controversial decision of the year: Alain Rolland sending off Wales captain Sam Warburton in the World Cup semi-final against France just 19 minutes into the match following the flank's tip tackle on Vincent Clerc.

Comeback team of the year: Wales.
From going eight Tests without a victory (brought to and end against Scotland in this year's Six Nations), to playing for a place in the World Cup final… enough said.

Comeback player of the year: Stephen Donald (New Zealand).
From drinking beer and whitebaiting on the Waikato River to kicking the winning points in a World Cup Final, Donald became New Zealand's accidental hero in the year's unlikeliest sporting fairy tale as the forgotten All Black's boot sent the country into raptures.

Colour of the year: The Reds.
The Queenslanders broke their 16-year wait by winning their first ever Super Rugby title. The Reds were only the second Australian team to clinch the southern hemisphere's top franchise competition after the Brumbies, completing an amazing turnaround from perennial also-rans to premiership champions.

Animal of the year: The Lions.
John Mitchell's pride won their first Currie Cup title since 1999 when they beat the Sharks 42-16 at Coca Cola Park. Almost unbelievably the Lions won their first outright Currie Cup Final on home soil since 1950 – a gap of 61 years.

And then the not so serious…

Witness protection programme award: Bryce Lawrence.
After an outcry over Lawrence's refereeing in the RWC quarter-final which saw the Springboks bow out to Australia , the rugby official says he will not officiate in SA should he fear for his life.

Harry Houdini award: Aurélien Rougerie.
The French centre escaped being cited for alleged foul play against Richie McCaw in the World Cup Final despite evidence showing he made contact with the eye area of the All Blacks captain.

Get me to the barbers award: Francois Steyn.
South Africa wanted their golden boy back in the country in time for the World Cup, but didn't expect him to look like something reminiscent of a caveman. Perhaps that's what happens when you play in the Top 14 alongside the 'Caveman' himself РS̩bastien Chabal.

The beer belly award: Please see above – Steyn was carrying more than curly locks