Epic New Zealand rugby year acknowledged

Adams misses out

Capping a stellar year for New Zealand rugby, World Cup champions the All Blacks and Super 15 finalists the Crusaders have been nominated for the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards.

The All Blacks have been named as one of six finalists for the Team of the Year award after their emotional victory in October, while the travel-hardened Crusaders are shortlisted for the Comeback of the Year after reaching the Super 15 final despite all the pain and suffering of the Christchurch earthquakes.

New Zealand ended 20 years of misery when they beat France 8-7 in a tense final in Auckland to win the World Cup for the second time.

Winners of the first World Cup in 1987, the All Blacks have been favourites to win on many subsequent occasions, but have missed out. Victory was especially sweet for long time captain Richie McCaw and coach Graham Henry.

New Zealand's victory came despite having to play most of the final with fourth choice first five-eighth Stephen Donald, after Dan Carter, Colin Slade and Aaron Cruden had been injured during the tournament.

Despite a narrow victory against France, the All Blacks were comfortably the best team in the tournament, winning all their seven games.

Their victory helped lift the spirits of a nation hit by successive tragedies in the the Pike River mine disaster and Christchurch earthquake.

Also nominated in that category are European Champions League winners Barcelona, NBA winners Dallas Mavericks, world No 1 cricket team England, the Japan women's football team and the Red Bull Formula One team.

The Crusaders were badly affected when their home city of Christchurch was hit by the massive February earthquake which caused 181 deaths and caused widespread destruction. With their home stadium badly damaged, the Crusaders were forced to travel more than 100,000km this year to play their rugby. Despite these hardships, they reached the final of Super 15.

Although they lost 18-13 to Queensland Reds, their performance helped to restore spirits in New Zealand. Among the Crusaders players were All Blacks stars Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Kieran Read.

The Reds are also nominated in the same category after their Super 15 triumph in the wake of the devastating Queensland floods.

However, New Zealand's world shot put champion Valerie Adams, who bettered the world championships record with a stunning win in Daegu and went unbeaten throughout the year, has not been named as a finalist in the Sportswoman of the Year category after being among the list of 15 nominees.

The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement during the calendar year 2011, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar.

The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, will be unveiled on February 7 (NZT).

Full list of nominees:

World Sportsman of the Year:

Usain Bolt (Jamaica) Athletics - two gold medals in world athletics championships in Daegu

Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Tennis - won Australian, Wimbledon and US Open grand slams

Cadel Evans (Australia) Cycling - winner of the Tour de France

Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football - FC Barcelona's star player, scored 53 goals in 2010/11 season

Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) Basketball - first European to be named MVP at NBA finals

Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Motor Racing - won second straight F1 world championship at 24

Sportswoman of the Year

Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) Athletics - won world championship 5k & 10K and cross-country title

Maria Hadiöfl-Riesch (Germany) Alpine Skiing - beat Lindsey Vonn to win overall World Cup

Carmelita Jeter (US) Athletics - won 100m and 4 x 100m relay gold medals in world championships

Petra Kvitova (Czech) Tennis - won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon, plus WTA championship

Homare Sawa (Japan) Football - won Golden Ball and Golden Boot in FIFA World Cup

Yani Tseng (Taiwan) Golf - at 22, won two golf majors and headed LPGA money list by over US$1m

Team of the Year

All Blacks (New Zealand) Rugby - won 2011 Rugby World Cup in their own country

FC Barcelona (Spain) Football - won Champions League and Spanish League in 2010/11

Dallas Mavericks (US) Basketball - won their first ever NBA Championship

England cricket team - became world No 1 after Ashes win in Australia and beating India 4-0

Japan women's football team - became first Asian team to win FIFA Women's World Cup

Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing - won second straight F1 constructors world championship

Breakthrough of the Year

Yohan Blake (Jamaica) Athletics - at 21, won 100m gold medal in world championships

Mo Farah (UK) Athletics - winner of the 5000 metres gold medal in the world championships

Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) Tennis - at 21, won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon

Rory McIlroy (UK) Golf - at 22, won US Open, his first major championship

Li Na (China) Tennis - won French Open to become China's first ever Grand Slam winner

Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics - first amputee to win track medal in non-disabled world championships

Comeback of the Year

Eric Abidal (France) Football - beat cancer to play in winning Barcelona Champions League team

Darren Clarke (UK) Golf - at 42, recovered from slump in form to win Open Championship

Crusaders (NZ) Rugby - despite Christchurch earthquake, Crusaders reached final of Super 15

Sergio Garcia (Spain) Golf - won two European Tour events, after three years without a victory

Liu Xiang (China) Athletics - after 2008 Olympic disappointment, won silver in world championships

Queensland Reds (Australia) Rugby - won Super 15 rugby despite floods in Queensland

Sportsperson of the Year with a disability

Daniel Dias (Brazil) Swimming - won 11 gold medals in 11 events at Parapan Games

Terezinha Guilhermina (Brazil) Athletics - won 4 gold medals in IPC world championships

Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics - first amputee to win track medal in non-disabled world championships

Esther Vergeer (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis - unbeaten in singles for more than eight years

David Weir (UK) Wheelchair Athletics - won 3 gold medals in IPC world championships

Irek Zaripov (Russia) Nordic Skiing - won 6 medals in IPC world skiing championships

Action Sportsperson of the Year

Jamie Bestwick (UK) BMX - came back from fractured skull to win 5th straight X Games gold

Philip Kadiöster (Germany) Windsurfing - became PWA Wave world champion at 17

Carissa Moore (US) Surfing - won her first world surfing championship at 19

Travis Rice (US) Snowboarding - takes on the world's most intimidating descents

Kelly Slater (US) Surfing - won 11th world surfing championship at 39

Shaun White (US) Skateboarding/Snowboarding - won Winter and Summer X Games gold

- © Fairfax NZ News