Victor Vito named French Top 14 player of the year

Victor Vito of La Rochelle runs for ball during the Top 14 match against Stade Francais. Photo/Getty Images

Former All Blacks and Hurricanes loose forward Victor Vito has been named French rugby's Top 14 player of the year.

Vito guided his La Rochelle side to first place in the Top 14 standings last year before the team was eliminated by Toulon in the semi-finals.

The 30-year-old, who beat out Briton Carl Fearns and Frenchman Remi Lamerat for the gong, is a two-time Rugby World Cup winner and played his last of his 33 All Blacks Tests in the 2015 World Cup final.

He left the Hurricanes to join La Rochelle at the end of 2016