We've examined the games, teams and performances of 2011 and we bring you our top picks. There's Coach and Team of the Year, 15s and 7s Players of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Performance of the Year. Check out who the stars of 2011 have been!
Team of the year: Canada 7s
The Canadian women’s 7s side swept all before them in 2011 winning all of the game’s major titles including the IRB Women's Sevens Challenge Cup in Dubai and titles in Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Amsterdam. They are leading women’s 7s team going into 2012 and will be looking to maintain their excellent form into the lead-up to the 2013 World Cup. (Fair to say that England's stellar year, where they finished Six Nations and Nations Cup campaigns came a very tight second here.)
Coach of the year: John Tait (Canada)
Tait has guided the Canadian 7s side to an array of titles this year but it is his juggling of all levels of rugby in his country that has impressed most. Amid Canada’s title winning run at 7s level, Tait guided Canada through a solid Nations Cup campaign and also developed a number of rising stars through the Canadian Development 7s side (the Maple Leafs) who saw plenty of action this year. His combined role cannot be easy but he has made a super start.
15s player of the year: Emily Scarratt (England)
The England centre, who has also featured for her country at fullback, had another standout year, having established herself as one of the top centres in world rugby. Her performances in the test series against New Zealand were a particular high in an excellent year. A wonderfully balanced runner, Scarratt regularly gets on the score-sheet, but it’s her pace and strength developed since bursting onto the scene as a youngster that have seen the 21-year old contribute so heavily to her side. It was her superb break at Twickenham that set up England’s only try in the first test of their-series and she was the stand-out player in that game. At such a young age, Scarratt, who can also goal-kick, is set to be an international mainstay for years to come.
7s player of the year: Kelly Van Harskamp (Netherlands)
This tall flying Dutchwoman has been the key player for the Netherlands for several years, but her talismanic properties were never more important than in 2011. The Dutch, seeded second, had to finish in the top three at the European Championships to be given professional status, but when Kelly was suspended for the pool game against Russia and they unexpectedly lost. 24 hours later the Dutch were playing for that vital third place against the same opposition, but with Kelly back in the side this time the result was never in doubt - and the Netherlands became women's rugby's first professional team. Also starred for her team in Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and Dubai - where they lifted their first international trophy.
Young player of the year: Jessy Tremoulière (France)
2011 was a year where several incredibly talented young players emerged but this 19 year old wins out vote for her truly meteoric speed of her rise through the ranks. She only started playing the game two years ago, after a promising football career, but within months she was playing with elite club side Romangnat, and by February was on the bench for the U20 international against England. Eight months later she was in the starting XV for full test team against Italy, a place she retained for the games against England. An astonishing young talent who gets better with every game.
Performance of the year: England beating New Zealand in the second test
Having beaten New Zealand at Twickenham in the first game, England made ten changes to their starting line-up and won the second game comfortably with star performances from the likes of 18-year-old Alex Matthews and young scrum-half Natasha Hunt – their future is bright. It was a superb all round performance and one which served to highlight the excellent strides Gary Street has made in developing a huge pool of talent. South Africa's defeat of the USA come a close second here - given it was their first victory over a top 6 team.
