Player of Year Burger beefs up Baa-Baas

SCHALK BURGER, the International Rugby Board’s Player of the Year, will line up for the Barbarians against New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Barbarians yesterday secured the release of three Springboks Burger, his back row colleague AJ Venter and centre Gcobani Bobo.

They join an illustrious list of internationals already signed up by the Barbarians, including fellow South Africans Os Du Randt and Brent Russell plus Australian internationals Matt Giteau, Brendan Cannon, Dan Vickerman, Lote Tuqiri, Mat Rogers and Phil Waugh.

Barbarians coach Bob Dwyer has mouth-watering options in the back row with Burger, Waugh, Venter and England's Chris Jones confirmed in the squad. New Zealand scrum-half Justin Marshall, who was rested for the All Blacks' tour, will turn out for the Baa-Baas at Twickenham along with England utility back Mike Catt and French ace Thomas Castaignede.

Meanwhile, while Burger became the International Rugby Board's player of the year, his Tri-Nations-winning team-mates claimed most of the other major honours.

Jake White, who took over after the World Cup, was named coach of the year and his Springboks held off grand slam winners France to win the team award and sweep the board.

"Schalk's emergence as a major force has meant a lot to South African rugby but has also influenced world rugby," said White.

"People have looked at the way he springs up so quickly from the tackle he's like a bouncing ball.

"He's become to South African rugby what Jonty Rhodes was to South African cricket. It's amazing what he has achieved in such a short time in his international career."

Burger topped a list which included Ireland centre Gordon D'Arcy, the RBS 6 Nations player of the year, and Australian star Matt Giteau who was central to the Wallabies' victory over England at Twickenham on Saturday.

England's World Cup heroes swept the board themselves last year, but following 12 months of transition at Test level their only success this time came in the form of Sevens captain Simon Amor who was named the international Sevens player of the year.

"I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award. There are so many other great sevens players on the circuit at the moment that this is a genuine honour," said the Gloucester fly-half.

IRB International Player of the Year: Schalk Burger (South Africa)

IRB International Team of the Year: South Africa

IRB International Coach of the Year: Jake White (South Africa)

IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Jeremy Thrush (New Zealand)

IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)

IRB International Sevens Team of the Year: New Zealand

IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Simon Amor (England)

Spirit of Rugby Award: Jarrod Cunningham

Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Ronnie Dawson

IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Jim Fleming

IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Donna Kennedy

IRB Development Award: Guedel Ndiaye

IRB Chairman's Award: Marcel Martin.