Carter named IRB Player of the Year
All Blacks top team
All-conquering New Zealand completed a golden 2005 this week when flyhalf Dan Carter was named IRB player of the year, the All Blacks team of the year and Graham Henry coach of the year.
The awards came three days after the International Rugby Players' Association named Carter and New Zealand as their player and team of the year.
On Saturday, the All Blacks beat Scotland 29-10 in Edinburgh to seal a grand slam against the four home nations on their tour of Britain and Ireland. Carter was inspirational for New Zealand in their 3-0 series win over the British and Irish Lions earlier this year.
His 33-point haul in the 48-18 second test victory in Wellington was described by some observers as the most complete performance in the game's history.
He missed the third test with a shoulder injury but stormed back as the All Blacks regained the Tri-nations title.
The 23-year-old Carter sparkled again on New Zealand's European tour, his sharp breaks setting up the two tries which helped beat world champions England 23-19 last week at Twickenham.
However, he watched from the stands on Saturday when his team-mates beat the Scots to complete their grand slam, an achievement that will contribute to next year's awards as voting was for the period up until the November internationals.
Carter was the clear winner for IRB player of the year from a short list that included fellow All Blacks Richie McCaw and Tana Umaga and Springbok duo Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield.
The Lions and Tri-nations successes made the All Blacks the only possible winners in the team section, where they eclipsed Six Nations grand slam winners Wales.
The IRB's Spirit of Rugby award went to former French flanker Jean-Pierre Rives and the chairman's award to former Welsh Rugby Union president Tasker Watkins.