| IRP Special Merit Award | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2007 |
| Presented by | World Rugby |
| First awarded | 2007 |
| Currently held by |  John Smit (2023) |
The International Rugby Players Special Merit Award is presented at the World Rugby Awards by World Rugby. The award is presented to a player by fellow players in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the professional game on and off the field. The recipient of the award is selected by the International Rugby Players organization. [1]
| Year | Recipients | Refs |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 |  Fabien Pelous | |
| 2008 |  Agustín Pichot | |
| 2011 |  George Smith | |
| 2015 |  Brian O'Driscoll Nathan Sharpe | [2] [3] |
| 2016 | Jean de Villiers | [4] |
| 2017 |  Richie McCaw  Rachael Burford | |
| 2018 | DJ Forbes Stephen Moore | |
| 2019 | Jamie Heaslip | [5] [6] |
| 2022 | Bryan Habana | [7] |
| 2023 | John Smit | [8] |
| 2024 | TBD |
Brian Gerard O'Driscoll is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. He captained Ireland from 2003 until 2012, and captained the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. He is regarded by critics as one of the greatest rugby players of all time.
The Ireland national rugby union team is the men's representative national team for the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and in the Rugby World Cup. Ireland is one of the four unions that make up the British & Irish Lions – players eligible to play for Ireland are also eligible for the Lions.
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The World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year is an award presented annually by World Rugby at the World Rugby Awards. It is given to honour "the achievements of those involved at the highest level of the world game on the field". First presented in 2001, it was initially named the IRB International Player of the Year; from 2007 until 2014 it was the IRB Player of the Year and in 2014 it was titled World Rugby Player of the Year, before being given its current name in 2016.
Dublin University Football Club (DUFC) is the rugby union club of Trinity College, in Dublin, Ireland, which plays in Division 1B of the All-Ireland League.
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The IRP Men's Try of the Year is an accolade awarded annually by World Rugby at the World Rugby Awards. The International Rugby Players (IRP) – formerly International Rugby Players Association – select the nominees from which the winner is decided by a public vote. As of 2017, the IRPA selection panel comprises Isaac Boss, Andries Pretorius, Hale T-Pole and Stefan Terblanche.
The Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service, previously called the IRB Distinguished Service Award, is awarded by World Rugby at the World Rugby Awards. It has been awarded annually since 2001. It honours an individual, Union or group, male or female, who has given outstanding service to their country and contributed to the International Game in as many as possible of the following areas: Playing, Coaching, Management, Training, Administration, Media & Broadcast.
The World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year is awarded annually by World Rugby at the World Rugby Awards. The award is open to all women’s 15s players who have played international test matches in the voting year, voting is assessed on international test matches only. Prior to 2015, the IRB presented the Women's Player of the Year award from 2001 to 2002, and in 2012 and 2014. The IRB Women's Personality of the Year award was presented from 2003 to 2011.
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World Rugby Men's 15s Dream Team of the Year was first presented in 2021 by World Rugby. The award is open to all men’s 15s players who have played international test matches in the voting year. They are voted by a panel of international past players and coaches, World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees and the rugby media.