Auckland, 11 February 2011 – Football scored some big goals at the Westpac Halberg Awards Dinner in Auckland last night winning two categories – Ricki Herbert (coach) and the 2010 World Cup All Whites (sports team) – with the All Whites completing a memorable hat-trick by capturing the overall Halberg Award.

In a major boost for the code, it was the first time in the history of the awards, dating back to 1949 when Bert Sutcliffe won the inaugural ‘Sportsman of the Year’ title, that football has claimed the Halberg Award, widely regarded as New Zealand’s most sought after sporting prize.

It was also the first time since the triumph by the Silver Ferns back in 2003, that an individual did not hold aloft the statuesque silver Halberg Award at the end of the night - and on that occasion, the netballers had beaten arch rivals Australia in the Netball World Championship final.

To win the Halberg Award the All Whites first headed off fellow finalists – the All Blacks, The Kiwis, rowing pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, and the Silver Ferns to win the Westpac Sports Team category. Then as the night progressed, Valerie Adams and Richie McCaw scored the respective Westpac Sportswoman and Sportsman categories.

When three-time Halberg Award winner Rob Waddell and special celebrity guest, CPL Willie Apiata, VC – a hero in every sense of the word – announced the All Whites as the big winners, they were presented with the Halberg Award by John Adshead and Steve Sumner, coach and captain of the 1982 All Whites who reached the World Cup finals in Spain, and also received a personal tribute message from FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

The All Whites, who joined the other 31 nations at the 2010 World Cup finals following a 1-0 win over Bahrain late in 2009, defied all predictions and made a mockery of their FIFA World ranking (74) in South Africa.

Following their epic draws against Slovakia, 4th ranked Italy and Uruguay, they ended the tournament as the only unbeaten team and ranked ahead of four-time World Cup winners Italy and 1998 champions France.

Herbert, who also steered Phoenix to the A League finals last year, ensured it was an ‘All White night’ as he headed off All Blacks coach Graham Henry, Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney and NZ Sevens coaching guru Gordon Tietjens to win the SPARC Coach of the Year category.

For All Black captain McCaw, twice a previous finalist, it was third time lucky as he won the Westpac Sportsman of the Year category ahead of All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen, Kiwis game breaker and captain Benji Marshall and X Games world champion, Jossi Wells. McCaw is only the third rugby player in the last 20 years, and the first since Jeff Wilson back in 1997 to win Sportsman of the Year.

In the race for Sportswoman of the Year honours, Adams won the title for a 5th year from fellow Commonwealth Games competitors Nikki Hamblin (athletics), Alison Shanks (cycling), Joelle King (squash) and Casey Williams (netball), who won 7 medals between them – 3 gold, 3 silver and a bronze.

The Westpac Emerging Talent award needed a second ballot before Commonwealth Games swimming silver medallist Gareth Kean edged out world under-20 shot put champion Jacko Gill for a $15,000 Westpac scholarship. The other finalists were Julia Edward (rowing) and Tyler Bleyendaal (rugby).

The Eagles Golfing Society of New Zealand, who began their support of the Halberg Trust more than 40 years ago, presented the Trust with a cheque for $143,555 lifting their support for the Trust since 1969 to over $3.8 million.

Also at the Westpac Halberg Awards two former New Zealand sporting identities champions were inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. Michael Jones, one of the heroes of the 1987 World Cup winning All Black team, and Bill Baillie, among the country’s most versatile and redoubtable athletes across three decades, were presented with their awards by national sporting icons Sir Murray Halberg and Sir Brian Lochore.

The recipients of two other special awards, which have become regular features at the dinner, were very warmly received. Long time Auckland club and provincial rugby and softball stalwarts Eric and Ellen Kohlhase were presented with the Lion Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. While former All Black flanker and captain and long serving NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs was awarded the SPARC Leadership Award.

Voting for the 2010 Westpac Halberg Awards was carried out by an academy of 28 sporting journalists, coaches and former sporting greats. The 2010 finalists and winners are listed below:

2010 Halberg Award: World Cup All Whites (football)

Richie McCaw (Westpac Sportsman of the Year)

Valerie Adams (Westpac Sportswoman of the Year)

All Whites (Westpac Sports Team of the Year)

Westpac Sportsman of the Year: Richie McCaw (rugby)

Richie McCaw (rugby) Benji Marshall (rugby league)

Ryan Nelsen (football) Jossi Wells (X Games)

Westpac Sportswoman of the Year: Valerie Adams (athletics)

Valerie Adams (athletics) Nikki Hamblin (athletics)

Joelle King (squash) Alison Shanks (cycling)

Casey Williams (netball)

Westpac Sports Team of the Year: World Cup All Whites (football)

All Whites (football) All Blacks (rugby)

Kiwis (rugby league) Silver Ferns (netball)

Eric Murray and Hamish Bond (rowing)

SPARC Coach of the Year: Ricki Herbert (football)

Ricki Herbert (football) Graham Henry (rugby)

Stephen Kearney (rugby league) Gordon Tietjens (rugby)

Westpac Emerging Talent Award: Gareth Kean (swimming)

Gareth Kean (swimming) Jacko Gill (athletics)

Julia Edward (rowing) Tyler Bleyendaal (rugby)

ENDS

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