The nominees for this year’s Steinlager Rugby Awards, New Zealand’s premier rugby awards, have been announced.

The Steinlager Rugby Awards recognise and acknowledge the achievements of New Zealand’s teams, coaches, players, referees and volunteers in 2007. The ceremony will be held at the SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre on Thursday December 13 and shown live on SKY Sport and The Rugby Channel.

The nominees for the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year are Auckland loose forward Daniel Braid, Auckland first five-eighth Isa Nacewa and Wellington

No 8 Rodney So’oialo.

Braid is also a nominee for Super 14 Player of the Year together with his Blues teammate Isaia Toeava and Highlanders halfback Jimmy Cowan.

Nominees for the New Zealand Rugby Volunteer of the Year, which honours the many volunteers who work in community rugby, are Robbie Ball from Northland’s Kaeo Rugby Club, Myles Girvan from Hawke’s Bay’s Clive Rugby and Sports Club and Gus McMillan from Wellington’s Petone Rugby Club.

The nominees for New Zealand Rugby Coach of the Year are Auckland Air New Zealand Cup coach Pat Lam, Hawke’s Bay’s Peter Russell and New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens.

The adidas Team of the Year nominees are the New Zealand Under 19 team, which won the IRB Under 19 World Championship this year, Air New Zealand Cup champions Auckland and Air New Zealand Cup semifinalists Hawke’s Bay.

In the Women’s Player of the Year category, the nominees are 2003 winner Monalisa Codling from Auckland, her Auckland teammate Victoria Heighway and Otago winger Carla Hohepa.

In the domestic rugby competition categories, Wellington fullback Cory Jane receives his second consecutive nomination for Air New Zealand Cup Player of the Year, alongside Southland prop Jamie Mackintosh and Auckland first five-eighth Isa Nacewa.

The AA Rewards Heartland Championship Player of the Year nominees are North Otago flanker Ross Hay, Poverty Bay loose forward Malakai Ravulo and Wanganui prop Mike Thompson.

Several of the award winners, including the NZRU Referee of the Year, NZRU Age Grade Player of the Year, Richard Crawshaw Memorial Sevens Player of the Year and Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year, will be named on the night.

The Steinlager Salver, a special presentation to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand rugby, will also be presented on the night.

The judges for the 2007 Steinlager Rugby Awards were former All Blacks captain and former NZRU President John Graham, NZRU Board member Paul Quinn, SKY Sport rugby commentator Grant Nisbett, veteran journalist and author Bob Howitt, and NZRU Professional Rugby Manager Neil Sorensen.