Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge beats Retallick, Mo'unga and Codie Taylor to be named NZ's top rugby player in 2018

December 13, 2018

Relive all the action from the 2018 NZ Rugby Awards.

10.37pm: That completes our live updates of tonight's awards, thanks for tuning in.

10.35pm: The New Zealand Team of the Year is the Black Ferns Sevens, edging out the All Blacks and the Men's Sevens.

10.26pm: National Team of the Year is the Crusaders, beating out Auckland and Thames Valley.

10.20pm: The Kel Tremain Memorial Player of the Year is Kendra Cocksedge, beating out Brodie Retallick, Richie Mo'unga and Codie Taylor to be named NZ's best rugby player in 2018. Kendra is the first women ever to win the award.

10.15pm: The NZ Rugby Women's Player of the Year is Kendra Cocksedge.

10.05pm: The Black Ferns Sevens' Player of the Year is Michaela Blyde.

New Zealand's Michaela Blyde runs in a try against Japan on day one of the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series in Sydney on 26th January, 2018. Photo credit: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby

9.58pm: The All Blacks Sevens' Player of the Year is Scott Curry.

Scott Curry and the New Zealand team returned from the Gold Coast last night.

9.52pm: The Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year is Codie Taylor, beating out Reiko Ioane and Black Ferns' Sevens captain Sarah Goss.

9.49pm: The Super Rugby Player of 2019 is Richie Mo'unga, beating out the Chiefs' Solomon Alaimalo and the Crusaders' Matt Todd.

Mo'unga slotted the winning kick to seal the All Blacks' 32-30 win over South Africa.

9.40pm: The New Zealand Coach of the Year is Men's Seven's Coach Clark Laidlaw, beating out Steve Hansen and Women's Sevens Allan Bunting.

9.36pm: We're back into it, the hotly contested National Coach of the Year is Auckland's Alama Ieremia, beating out the Crusaders Scott Robertson and Canterbury Women's mentor Kieran Kite.

8.52pm: Everyone's having dinner, there's a bit of a break in the awards, we'll be back with more awards shortly. 

8.32pm: The winner of the Fiao'o Faamausili Medal is Kendra Cocksedge for the best Women's NPC Player. It's a Canterbury double act.

8.28pm: He's been on the outer a bit with the All Blacks but Luke Romano has been recognised for a great NPC with the Duane Monkley Medal for NPC player of the year.

8.20pm: The winner of the Heartland Championship Player of Year is Brett Ranga From Thames Valley.

Also a big congratulations to the NZ Rugby Volunteer of the Year Irene Eruera-Taiapa. You legend Irene, well done. 

8.10pm: Welcome to the 2018 NZ Rugby Awards from Sky City, where all the game's movers and shakers have gathered to celebrate  another hugely successful year for all of our national and provincial teams.

Of particular interest to most will be New Zealand's Player of the Year with Richie Mo'unga going up against 2016 winner Brodie Retallick, Codie Taylor and Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge.

All the nominees were selcted by a judging panel consisting of Graham Mourie, Matt Sexton, Mike Eagle, Dr Farah Palmer and Tony Johnson.

Check out the full list of nominations and winners below.

2018 NZR Awards Nominees & Winners

Try of the Year

Kelly Brazier (Black Ferns Sevens), Chris Hala’ufia (St Peter's College) , Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders)

New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year

Glen Jackson (Bay of Plenty) , Richard Kelly (Taranaki), Rebecca Mahoney (Wairarapa Bush)

Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year

Irene Eruera-Taiapa (Horowhenua Kapiti) , Steve Webling (Taranaki), Kim Wheeler (King Country)

New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year

Sam Darry (Canterbury), Tom Christie (Canterbury) , Risaleaana Pouri-Lane (Tasman), Kaleb Trask (Bay of Plenty)

Mitre 10 Heartland Championship Player of the Year

Craig Clare (Wanganui), Brett Ranga (Thames Valley), Willie Wright (South Canterbury)

Duane Monkley Medal

TJ Faiane (Auckland), Luke Romano (Canterbury) , Fletcher Smith (Waikato)

Fiao’o Faamausili Medal

Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury) , Krysten Cottrell (Hawke’s Bay), Jackie Patea-Fereti (Wellington)

National Coach of the Year

Alama Ieremia (Auckland) , Kieran Kite (Canterbury Women), Scott Robertson (Crusaders)

The back-to-back Super Rugby champions applied some boxing techniques in their pre-season training at Round 12 Gym.

New Zealand Coach of the Year

Allan Bunting (Black Ferns Sevens), Steve Hansen (All Blacks), Clark Laidlaw (All Blacks Sevens)

The coach could walk away after next year's World Cup.

Investec Super Rugby Player of the Year

Solomon Alaimalo (Chiefs), Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders) , Matt Todd (Crusaders)

Assistant coach Ian Foster said while management sees Mo'unga as a first-five, he also has the skills for fullback.

Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year

Sarah Goss (Ngati Kahungunu), Rieko Ioane (Ngapuhi / Te Whanau a Apanui), Codie Taylor (Ngati Raukawa / Muaupoko)

Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year

Scott Curry (Bay of Plenty) , Vilimoni Koroi (Otago), Regan Ware (Bay of Plenty)

Vilimoni Koroi of New Zealand against Argentina during day 2 of the 2017 HSBC Cape Town Sevens at Cape Town Stadium on 10 December 2017 © Ryan Wilkisky / www.photosport.nz

Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year

Michaela Blyde (Bay of Plenty), Kelly Brazier (Bay of Plenty), Sarah Goss (Manawatu)

New Zealand's Michaela Blyde runs in a try against Japan on day one of the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series in Sydney on 26th January, 2018. Photo credit: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby

New Zealand Rugby Women's Player of the Year

Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury) , Aroha Savage (Counties Manukau) Selica Winiata (Manawatu)

New Zealand's Kendra Cocksedge scores a try during the Black Ferns vs Australia Women's rugby match at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday the 25th of August 2018. Copyright Photo by Marty Melville / www.Photosport.nz

Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year

Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury), Richie Mo’unga (Canterbury), Brodie Retallick (Hawke’s Bay), Codie Taylor (Canterbury)

Taufua was a new face in Steve Hansen’s squad announcement this morning.

National Team of the Year

Auckland, Crusaders, Thames Valley

Matt Hall-Smith looks at Scott Robertson's squad as they bid for a third straight crown.

New Zealand Team of the Year

All Blacks, All Blacks Sevens, Black Ferns Sevens

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