Waratahs coach Chris Hickey, coach of the year
Waratahs head coach Chris Hickey has won the Australian Super 14 Coach of the Year Award for the second year running.
Hickey guided the Tahs to a 9-4 win-loss record for the second straight season, however an improved attacking game helped the team to third place on the Super 14 ladder and a semi-final appearance.
Just weeks after heavy speculation that Hickey was facing the axe, sublime performances from the Tahs against the Chiefs and Hurricanes sealed a semi-final appearance and meant that the Waratahs would finish ahead of every other Australian team.
Kurtley Beale and Drew Mitchell were placed in the top five in the Player of the Year category which was won by Queensland’s much improved Quade Cooper.
NSW lock Kane Douglas was a finalist the Rookie of the Year after playing all 14 matches in his debut year, including 13 in the starting XV, however the award went to Brumbies back Pat McCabe.
NSW whistleblower Stuart Dickinson won the Referee of the Year Award for the fourth straight year.
Player of the Year
22 Quade Cooper (Reds)
21 Will Genia (Reds)
15 James O’Connor (Western Force)
12 Kurtley Beale ( Waratahs)
11 Drew Mitchell ( Waratahs)
Coach of the Year
Chris Hickey ( Waratahs)
Rookie of the Year
Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
Try of the Year
Quade Cooper (Reds)
Referee of the Year
Stuart Dickinson (NSW)
James O’Connor? Really? No doubt my bias coming through but Benn Robinson killed it this year. How come there’s not a single forward on this list?
Quade Cooper is an excellent example of how a reformed criminal can make a contribution to society.
He’s reformed? Hasn’t even been to court yet!