Ardie Savea collected three awards at this year’s ASB Rugby Awards in Auckland last night, including the supreme Kelvin R Tremain Memorial award for the overall Player of the Year, bookending a year of consistently remarkable performances from the All Blacks and Hurricanes loose forward.
Savea, who underwent knee surgery yesterday and was not able to attend the award ceremony, was named the Investec Super Rugby Player of the Year, the All Blacks Player of the Year (new award), before being crowned as the Kelvin R Tremain Player of the Year award, which was won last year by Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge.
Savea reached a new level of play in 2019, starting eight of the All Blacks 10 Test matches, and he showed strength and versatility across the back row. Savea was a monster presence on the field in attack – often taking defenders for a ride – and on defence – he displayed a freakish ability to turnover crucial ball at the breakdown.
In another night for the history books, Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini won the Tom French Cup for Māori Player of the Year, the first woman to do so in the 70-year history of the award.
New Zealand Rugby Chair Brent Impey congratulated all award winners. “It has been a wonderful and successful year right across rugby. It has been a remarkable year again for the Black Ferns Sevens and the Crusaders who have won coach and team awards.
“I am delighted that 70 years after the Maori Player of the Year award was first presented in 1949 to Johnny Smith of North Auckland, Sarah Hirini becomes the first woman to lift the Tom French Cup. She is a player whose strength and leadership on the field, make her an appropriate winner of this award.
“As for Ardie, what an absolute pleasure he has been to watch this year. Both as a Hurricane and an All Black, this young man has been in sublime form and we hope to see much more of him next year.”
ASB Rugby Award Winners 2019
Sky Television Fan’s Try of the Year
TJ Perenara
New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year
Winner: Paul Williams
• Rebecca Mahoney (Wairarapa Bush)
• Ben O’Keeffe (Wellington)
Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year
Winner: Ian Spraggon (Bay of Plenty)
• Sue Mitchell (Taranaki)
• Kevin Pulley (Wellington)
NZRPA Kirk Award
Winners: Josh Blackie, Seilala Mapusua & Hale T-Pole
Steinlager Salver for an Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand Rugby
Steve Tew
New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year
winner: Fletcher Newell (Canterbury)
• Zach Gallagher (Canterbury)
• Tupou Vaa’i (Taranaki)
Mitre 10 Heartland Championship Player of the Year
Winner: Josh Clark (North Otago)
• Campbell Hart (Whanganui)
• Robbie Smith (North Otago)
Duane Monkley Medal
Winner: Chase Tiatia (Bay of Plenty)
• Gareth Evans (Hawke’s Bay)
• Salesi Rayasi (Auckland)
• Fletcher Smith (Waikato)
Fiao’o Faamausili Medal
Winner: Chelsea Bremner (Canterbury Women)
• Ayesha Leti-I’iga (Wellington)
• Patricia Maliepo (Auckland)
ASB National Coach of the Year
Winner: Scott Robertson (Crusaders)
• Andrew Goodman (Tasman, Crusaders) and Clarke Dermody (Tasman)
• Kieran Kite (Canterbury)
ASB New Zealand Coach of the Year
Winner: Cory Sweeney and Allan Bunting (Black Ferns Sevens)
• Steve Hansen (All Blacks)
• Glenn Moore (Black Ferns)
Investec Super Rugby Player of the Year
Winner: Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)
• Scott Barrett (Crusaders)
• Brad Weber (Chiefs)
Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year
Winner: Sarah Hirini (Ngāti Kahungunu)
• Ash Dixon (Ngāti Tahinga)
• TJ Perenara (Te Arawa / Ngāti Rangitihi)
Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year
Winner: Tone Ng Shiu (Tasman)
• Dylan Collier (Waikato)
• Andrew Knewstubb (Horowhenua Kapiti)
Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year
Winner: Tyla Nathan-Wong (Auckland)
• Kelly Brazier (Bay of Plenty)
• Sarah Hirini (Manawatu)
Black Ferns Player of the Year
Winner: Charmaine McMenamin (Auckland)
• Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury)
• Ayesha Leti-I’iga (Wellington)
All Blacks Player of the Year
Winner: Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)
• Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes)
• Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs)
adidas National Team of the Year
Winner: Crusaders
• Canterbury Women
• Tasman Mako
adidas New Zealand Team of the Year
Winner: Black Ferns Sevens
• All Blacks
• Black Ferns
Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year
Ardie Savea
Previous Kelvin R Tremain award winners (last 10 years):
2018 Kendra Cocksedge
2017 Samuel Whitelock
2016 Beauden Barrett
2015 Ma’a Nonu
2014 Brodie Retallick
2013 Kieran Read
2012 Richie McCaw
2011 Jerome Kaino
2010 Kieran Read
2009 Richie McCaw
2008 Andrew Hore
Source: New Zealand Rugby
