Mehrtens number one

By DARREL MAGER

Andrew Mehrtens has fended off All Black team-mates Jonah Lomu and Tana Umaga to take out New Zealand rugby's highest accolade.

The 26-year-old from Canterbury was last night awarded the K.R. Tremain Memorial Trophy for the Rugby Personality of the Year, edging out other top honour nominees Lomu and Umaga.

The award was made at the Rugby Union's Steinlager Rugby Awards dinner in Auckland.

The first five-eighths, who was absent from the ceremony because he is overseas, has scored 2039 points during his first-class rugby career.

Mehrtens has so far scored 594 points from 39 test matches and is close to beating former All Black superboot Grant Fox's record of 600 points in 44 tests.

Earlier this year, he equalled the world record of nine penalty goals kicked in a test match when the All Blacks beat Australia at Eden Park, and in this year's 10 tests he scored 166 points, a record for a season.

But big Jonah Lomu, who this week signed a two-year-contract to remain in the black jersey, did not go home empty handed.

The All Black star winger won the inaugural People's Choice Award after receiving thousands of votes from the public during the Rugby World Cup.

All Black great Colin Meads was presented with the Steinlager Salver, which goes to a legendary player who epitomised the All Black values of "excellence, humility and respect."

Wellington's Filo Tiatia was named the Air New Zealand NPC Division 1 player of the year.

Warren Johnston (Nelson Bays) and Victor Taingahue (East Coast) topped the second and third divisions.

Aucklander Suzy Shortland won the women's player of the year award.

* NZRFU prizewinners: Division 1 player of the year: Filo Tiatia, Wellington Division 2: Warren Johnston, Nelson Bays Division 3: Victor Taingahue, East Coast NPC coach of the year: Joe McClutchie, East Coast Super 12 player: Byron Kelleher, Highlanders Super 12 coach of the year: Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen (Crusaders)

Age grade player: Samiu Vahafolau, Auckland Women's player: Suzy Shortland, Auckland Richard Crawshaw Memorial Sevens Player: Orene Ai'i, Auckland K.R. Tremain Memorial Trophy for Personality of Year: Andrew Mehrtens, Canterbury Tom French Cup for Maori Player: Norm Maxwell, Canterbury Referee of the Year: Colin Hawke, South Canterbury Most promising referee: Lyndon Bray, Wellington People's Choice Award: Jonah Lomu, Counties-Manukau Steinlager Salver, Colin Meads New Zealand Universities Player of the Year: Paul Steinmetz, Wellington Supreme Media Award: Peter Williams (TVNZ) and Andrew Cornaga (Photosport)