World's best, but no Super 12 spot just yet

Stormers tighthead prop Pat Barnard won the International Rugby Board's under-21 player award for 2002.

Barnard was a key member of the South African under-21 squad which won the world championships in Johannesburg last July.

Barnard is still not sure of a place in the Stormers squad, though. The Cats want to draft him, but Stormers coach Gert Smal will only decide closer to the start of the Super 12.

France were the big winners at the ceremony in London on Sunday, taking three awards. The Six Nations champions won the award for team of the year, scrumhalf and captain Fabien Galthie was the player of the year, while coach Bernard Laporte was named coach of the year.

Commentator Bill McLaren was also recognised for his outstanding services to rugby with a Chairman's Award, and the Spirit of Rugby Award went to the Old Christians Club Montevideo, 30 years after their plane crashed in the Andes.

Last year, to mark the occasion, the survivors played the match that should have been played before the crash. Roberto Cannessa, who walked for 11 days in search of help, and another survivor, Gustavo Zerbino, received the award.