The New Zealand sevens side has claimed two top prizes at the 2007 IRB awards in Paris this morning.

Afeleke Pelenise was named the IRB Sevens Player of the Year at the 2007 IRB awards in Paris while his Gordon Tietjens coached side was also named the IRB Sevens Team of the Year.

Young Wellington centre Robert Fruean, an instrumental part of this year’s world championship winning New Zealand Under 19 side, was named IRB Under 19 Player of the Year.

Springbok flyer Bryan Habana took away the main prize, claiming the 2007 IRB Player of the Year after a superb season of international rugby as well as scoring the most tries at the Rugby World Cup in France. He beat four other nominees to the top award; Argentina’s Juan Martin Hernandez and Felipe Contepomi, All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw and French midfield back Yannick Jauzion.

The Springboks’ World Cup winning coach Jake White took the IRB Coach of the Year award. Fittingly, South Africa also won the IRB Team of the Year, following its 15-6 defeat of England in the World Cup final.

Five new inductees were also admitted into the IRB Hall of Fame at the ceremony in Paris.

They were Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, former All Black captain Sir Wilson Whineray, former Springbok and South African coach Dr Danie Craven, Welsh wizard Gareth Edwards and World Cup-winning Wallaby skipper John Eales.

The announcement followed a public vote and the deliberations of the Hall of Fame Induction Panel, chaired by the IRB Chairman Dr Syd Millar.

The IRB Hall of Fame Induction Panel comprised Gerald Davies, Nigel Starmer-Smith, Henri Garcia, Rugby News columnist Don Cameron and Pablo Mamone.