In something of a surprise, Sam Whitelock did the double to take home the Super Rugby and overall Kelvin R Tremain Memorial player of the year awards, beating out star wing Rieko Ioane, the All Blacks' equal top points scorer in the Rugby Championship, and Black Ferns loose forward and sevens skipper Sarah Goss.
Whitelock, the 96-test veteran and most capped All Blacks lock, enjoyed an exceptional season.
In his rookie captaincy campaign, he helped guide the Crusaders to their first title since 2008 – that it came on the road in Johannesburg only amplifying the achievement.
Without familiar locking partner Brodie Retallick, Whitelock carried a huge load on the All Blacks northern tour. And in the final test of the season in Cardiff he also captained the All Blacks for the first time in Kieran Read's absence.
Ioane and Goss did not leave empty-handed.
Goss, who started every World Cup match and had a 98 per cent tackle rate, claimed the women's player of the year title, adding that to best female athlete in Oceania at the Association of Olympic Committee awards in Prague last month.
World Rugby breakthrough player of the year Ioane accepted the Tom French Memorial Maori player award after scoring 10 tries for the Blues.
