Five Hurricanes will be in the running for gongs at the 2015 Steinlager Awards to be held in Auckland on December 11.
While the 'Canes had a stand-out Super Rugby season in 2015, which saw them fall just short at the final hurdle, many of the team's individual players have also gone on to produce outstanding performances for both their international and domestic teams.
This excellence has been rewarded with nominations for Dane Coles and Ma'a Nonu, who are both up for the Kelvin R Tremain Player of the Year award. World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year, Nehe Milner-Skudder, certainly showed he has what it takes during his time in both the Hurricanes and All Blacks jerseys this year, and has been nominated for the Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year. Ardie Savea and James Broadhurst are also in the running for the ITM Cup Player of the Year, and Super Rugby Player of the Year awards, respectively.
The winners will be announced on the evening of December 11. Go the Canes!
The full nominees list is;
Age Grade Player of the Year
Alex Fidow (Wellington)
Charlie Gamble (Canterbury)
Akira Ioane (Auckland)
Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year
Tania Karaitiana and Vio Ugone (Stokes Valley RFC - Wellington)
Robert Neil (Pakuranga RFC - Auckland)
Andrew Reilly (Feilding Junior Rugby Committee - Manawatu)
New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year
Jessica Beard (Counties Manukau)
Glen Jackson (Bay of Plenty)
Richard Kelly (Taranaki Rugby)
Pink Batts Heartland Championship Player of the Year
Eric Duff (Mid Canterbury)
Lindsay Horrocks (Wanganui)
Stephen Perofeta (Wanganui)
New Zealand Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year
Sarah Goss (Manawatu)
Tyla Nathan-Wong (Auckland)
Portia Woodman (Auckland)
Richard Crawshaw Memorial Sevens Player of the Year
Scott Curry (Bay of Plenty)
Rieko Ioane (Auckland)
Joe Webber (Waikato)
ITM Cup Player of the Year
George Moala (Auckland)
Ardie Savea (Wellington)
Dominic Bird (Canterbury)
Investec Super Rugby Player of the Year
James Broadhurst (Hurricanes)
Aaron Smith (Highlanders)
Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders)
Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year
Charlie Ngatai (Ng?ti Porou/Te Whanau-?-Apanui) (Taranaki)
Nehe Milner-Skudder (Ng?ti Porou) (Manawatu)
Aaron Smith (Ng?ti Kahungunu) (Manawatu)
New Zealand Rugby Women's Player of the Year
Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury)
Fiao'o Fa'amausili (Auckland)
Linda Itunu (Auckland)
New Zealand Rugby Coach of the Year
Steve Hansen (All Blacks)
Jamie Joseph (Highlanders)
Scott Robertson (Canterbury, New Zealand Under 20)
adidas Team of the Year
All Blacks
Highlanders
New Zealand Under 20
Kelvin R Tremain Player of the Year
Dan Carter (Canterbury)
Dane Coles (Wellington)
Ma'a Nonu (Wellington)
Ben Smith (Otago)
