Peers pick Carter for top award

Daniel Carter

All Blacks first five-eighth Daniel Carter looks set to make a clean sweep of the major rugby awards New Zealanders qualify for in 2005.

He was named player of the year by a third rugby organisation last night when his peers picked him for the supreme award in the inaugural New Zealand Rugby Players' Association's awards in Auckland.

His All Blacks teammate and Wellington halfback Piri Weepu was voted young player of the year.

Carter was named player of the year by the International Rugby Board and the International Rugby Players' Association recently, and is the favourite to win the New Zealand Rugby Union's (NZRU) main award and Super 12 player of the year in Auckland in February.

He has also been nominated for the Halberg Awards, although golfer Michael Campbell is the favourite to take out the supreme award in the New Zealand premier sports award, also in February.

Carter headed fellow All Blacks finalists Tana Umaga and props Carl Hayman and Tony Woodcock for the supreme award at Ellerslie Race Course last night.

Weepu edged utility back Isaia Toeava, lock James Ryan and the only non-All Black among the finalists, Otago halfback Chris Smylie.

Carter helped the Crusaders to their fifth Super 12 title and finished as the competition's leading scorer.

He starred in the 3-0 series win over the Lions, playing what many believed was the perfect game by a No 10 in the second test in Wellington, broke his leg in the Tri-Nations, but returned to play a key role in the All Blacks grand slam-winning tour of Britain and Ireland.

- NZPA