All Glory to GOD

New Zealand Rugby has tonight congratulated rugby figures and others honoured at New Zealand’s sports awards ceremony, the Halberg Awards.

The Awards, which honour and celebrate New Zealand sporting excellence, were held tonight at Auckland’s Vector Arena.

The All Blacks were named Team of the Year – their fifth Halbergs team award - after winning all 14 of their Tests last year, becoming the first international side in the professional era to go through a calendar year unbeaten.

All Blacks Coach Steve Hansen was also honoured as Coach of the Year.

All Blacks Captain Richie McCaw was also given the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award while All Blacks great Jonah Lomu was also inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

All Blacks number eight Kieran Read was also a finalist in the Sportsman of the Year category, while the Chiefs back-to-back Super Rugby titles, the All Blacks epic win over South Africa in Johannesburg and All Black midfielder Ryan Crotty's last-gasp try against Ireland also featured on the Favourite Sporting Moments list.

NZR CEO Steve Tew said: “It was fantastic for rugby to be involved in a night that celebrates all New Zealand sport and on behalf of all New Zealand Rugby, I want to congratulate all the rugby winners and nominees.

“Our congratulations also go to the winners from other sports. New Zealanders are truly lucky to have the opportunity to be involved in a vast number of team and individual sports and it was truly humbling tonight to see the incredible number of Kiwi sportspeople who are making their mark on the national and international stage.”

Kiwi success on the world stage saw finalists at the Halberg Awards come from numerous different sports, including rugby, yachting, golf, canoeing, swimming, para swimming, para shooting, blind bowling, athletics, cycling, equestrian, motorsport, softball, basketball, rugby league and surfing.

Rugby figures (and fellow finalists) honoured at the Halberg Awards were as follows:

Westpac Team of the Year

All Blacks (Rugby)
Black Sox (Softball)
Men's Pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray (Rowing)
Women's 470 - Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (Yachting)
Men's 49er Class Team - Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (Yachting).

SKY SPORT Coach of the Year

Steve Hansen (Rugby)
Eddie Kohlhase (Softball)
Guy Wilson (Golf)
Nathan Handley (Yachting)

Sport New Zealand Leadership Award

Richie McCaw

Sports Hall of Fame Induction

Jonah Lomu
Sarah Ulmer 

funny how this has nothing to do with God.Who knew.Weldone New-zealnd.  

I just wish God™ would spend less time watching All Black games and more time addressing some of the worlds more pressing issues. 

A fantastic year for the All Blacks & NZ rugby. I am sure even the Boks fans appreciated the two test matches between the Boks & ABs. Other great rugby highlights last year too.
2014 will be even better IMO. Although the Boks had a light schedule in 2013 they are developing well 

 All Glory belongs to God Hacked Waaagh - no question about that.
However I suspect any meeting to celebrate nz sporting prowress would be abysmally short. Most likely they strung out the rugby part conveniently overlooking the dubious means used and the astonishing luck they had. 
It cant last.
Anyhow great to have you back Hacked Waaugh. 
JW batten down the hatches boet, Cloudy too. They Boks are coming to blow you away.As we have seen from recent encounters they are the superior team and are on a sharp upward curve.Now I just hope ou saSUE doesnt go looking into the past few years to justify the inevitable future. No wonder Storming Ed has not been back with this sort of nonsense abounding from the kiwi bird brains.

 Beanob God has been punishing you yarpies by the looks . What other explanation can there be for your big bad arse African country being on the recieving end of such an arse kicking from our small rugby nation ?

 

BTW How's your Olympic team doing at the Winter Olympics ?

OOps sorry i forgot you banned the only player that qualified for Sochi coz he was'nt white.

God will not be pleased with that mate. LOLZA

Beeno: nice to see you back posting & I hope that this means your new business ventures are working out well - that takes care of the niceties for 2014 as far as brother Beeno is concerned. Noone can say I didn't make an effort

 

Great to see such optimisim for 2014, I am sure it must be well founded 

 

All the bickering about which Bok players to start; who is too old; who is too young; who is too slow (slothful); who can't tackle (who didn't tackle); who is too fat; what strategy should be used... these are nothing to be worried about I am sure, lol

 

And yes there is always the unfortunate reality of history but hopefully Storming ED won't be too shy. Hakwa & Sasuke San will help those of you who have memory problems.

 Black udder dont know the incident but know your peropensity fdor disinformation you quite possibly got it wrong. The raceit boot is on the other foot in SA these days.Winter sports are not of much interest here.Business is at a very interesting stage. We shall see.
JW my councelling skills are always available so dont be proud.