Luke Whitelock, Sam Cane and George Ford candidates for IRB 2011 Junior Player of the Year Award
The international Rugby Board (IRB) has announced the names of three short listed players for the IRB 2011 Junior Player of the Year award. Baby Blacks' captain Luke Whitelock and his team-mate back-row forward, Sam Cane, and the 18-year-old England’s fly-half
George Ford are the three finalised players announced by the IRB on Thursday, July 7.
Ford scored 51 points during the recently concluded 2011 Junior World Championship (JWC) in Italy, while Sam Cane scored 15 points in the tournament.
IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset, has expressed his delight at the gradually increasing quality of the JWC. He further added, “These three players excelled in Italy and they reflect the exciting talent that was on show in a tournament which continues to go
from strength to strength. The quality of rugby played in Italy shows the important role this tournament plays in developing the future stars of the world Game.”
Ford has termed this achievement as the result of team effort. England Under-21s side was defeated in the finals by the All Blacks Under-21s side. He said, “It was a massive team effort over there though, and while we were gutted not to win the whole thing,
we performed well throughout and can take a lot from the competition. I can't take too much credit for the nomination; we had a squad of 26 players who all played their part.”
Ford added, “It's a massive honour to be nominated for the award, especially when you consider that the likes of All Blacks regulars Luke McAllister and Isaia Toeava are among previous winners.”
Commenting on the nomination of Cane and Whitelock for the award, Ford said, “Sam Cane and Luke Whitelock are both good players who I have massive respect for and they both deserve their nominations.”
No English player has yet won an IRB Junior Player of the Year Award. The previous winners of the IRB Junior Player of the year award have been dominated by players from New Zealand.
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