New Zealand Rugby Awards
Kieran Read named NZ Player of the Year
December 5, 2013
Pam Tremain presents Kieran Read with the Kel Tremain Memorial Trophy © Getty Images
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New Zealand Rugby Awards 2013

  • Age Grade Player of the Year: Ardie Savea
  • Volunteer of the Year: Rob Jones (Manawatu)
  • Referee of the Year: Chris Pollock
  • Heartland Championship Player Of the Year: Jon Dampney
  • Women's Sevens Player of the Year: Portia Woodman
  • Sevens Player of the Year: Kurt Baker
  • Fans Try of the Year: Selica Winiata
  • NPC Player of the Year: Andy Ellis
  • Super Rugby Player of the Year: Ben Smith
  • Maori Player 0f the Year: Liam Messam
  • Women's Player of the Year: Kelly Brazier
  • Coach of the Year: Steve Hansen br>
  • Team of the Year: All Blacks
  • Player of the Year: Kieran Read

Kieran Read has been named Player of the Year at the New Zealand rugby awards, beating off challenges from All Blacks team-mates Ben Smith and Liam Messam to lift the Kel Tremain Memorial Trophy two days after being crowned IRB World Player of the Year.

The undefeated All Blacks were named Team of the Year and Steve Hansen was named Coach of the Year, also mirroring the IRB awards.

Hansen's rival coaching nominees all held strong claims, Dave Rennie overseeing a second-successive Super Rugby triumph with the Chiefs and Sir Gordon Tietjens leading the New Zealand Sevens team to victory in the World Cup and HSBC World Series. Those two teams were also in contention for team of the year, along with ITM Cup champions Canterbury.

Chiefs flanker Messam (Maori player) and Highlanders back Smith (Super Rugby player) both snared their own honours, while Canterbury halfback Andy Ellis was named best player in the ITM Cup. The Sevens player honours were won by Kurt Baker (men) and Portia Woodman (women).

Read said the enormity of the All Blacks' perfect year and his own personal contributions still hadn't quite settled, and that he would sit down and properly reflect in due time.

"From my point of view I wanted to be a big part of that," Read said. "I guess out on the field is where people judge you, so that's where you want to be performing and that's when I certainly said at the start of the year: being the guy that makes the difference on the field."

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw spoke highly of his No.8, saying Read had played superbly all year and deserved the recognition.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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