Taking it to a new level...

This post is not about the All Blacks being the number 1 side of the world or about them claiming the IRB Team of the Year Award. That would be unnecessary for me to flog that bitter horse after France 2007. I promise I won´t mention any of this.

Instead I want to mention how amazing Shane Williams is. Not only did he take time out to feature in 3 Peter Jackson movies but he also is a professional rugby player. And a good one at that.

I am number 3, I AM number 3..!

Shane has added to his impressive dual professionalism this week by winning the 'IRB player of the Year Award'. Well that is the quote unquote 'official' name of the award but really... it isnt that at all. You see the recipients over the last 10 years look like this. Give or take a few strong argument either way, this Awards real name is the 'IRB Player of the World that is not danielcarterorritchiemacaw'.

You see the perennial new zealand nominees have only won it [once] a piece, yet in the modern game they have dominated it in every which way. One can only assume that the IRB look beyond them every year in a fairness type of way as it would be unfair to just have them share it each year. The two are definitely measured on a different scale to other players. You  see Macaw at half mast is still the best forward in the world by a country mile, and Carter on a bad day is the second flyhalf in the world.

2001: Keith Wood

2002: Fabien Galthie - 

2003: Johnny Wilkinson - RM nominated.

2004: Schalk Burger - 

2005: Daniel Carter - RM nominated.

2006: Richie Macaw - DC nominated.

2007: Bryan Habana - RM nominated.

2008: Shane Williams - DC nominated.

I remind you of Macaw's 80 minutes in cape town this year where he destroyed the Springboks, fresh from their first away win in NZ for 10 years, at every ruck and set up the 19-0 All Black shut out of the quote unquote world champions. I also remind you that that was his first minute of rugby after a 6 week injury break; ankle injury, so I am not sure how much running cardio you can do in 6 weeks on an ankle injury. 

I suppose since Shane Williams works for Peter Jackson and Peter Jackson works for the NZRFU it is a pyric victory, but we might be speculating...