Kiwis head IRB list

IRELAND, England, Wales and Scotland’s players have been snubbed by the IRB for the Player of the Year award.

A six-man shortlist for this year’s award includes three New Zealanders, two Australian and a Frenchman, the winner to be announced in Auckland on Monday.

France captain Thierry Dusautoir and the New Zealand trio of scrum-half Piri Weepu, flanker Jerome Kaino and centre Ma’a Nonu are joined by Australia’s flanker David Pocock and scrum-half Will Genia, who will both play against Wales in tomorrow’s third place play-off at the World Cup.