Wellington, Dec 4 NZPA - All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, star first five-eighth Dan Carter and Taranaki hooker Andrew Hore were today named as nominees for the rugby player of the year award.

Following the recent announcement of nominees for the Steinlager Rugby Awards, nominees for the NZRU Women's Player of the Year and the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year have been released today.

Wellington, Nov 20 NZPA - Nominees for the 2009 New Zealand rugby awards function in Auckland on December 17:-

Age grade player: Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty), Aaron Cruden (Manawatu), Zac Guildford (Hawke's Bay), Winston Stanley (Auckland).

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

Wellington, Nov 4 NZPA - Wanganui's Meads Cup rugby form has seen eight of their players named in this year's Heartland 15.

The team were announced today following last Saturday's finals of the Meads Cup, won by Wanganui, and the Lochore Cup, won by North Otago.

Wanganui's Heartland Championship winning form has seen eight of their players named in this year's Heartland XV to play a special fixture against a New Zealand Marist XV in Masterton on Saturday 14 November.

Wellington, Nov 4 NZPA - Wanganui's Heartland Championship winning rugby form has seen eight of their players named in this year's Heartland 15.

The team was announced today following Saturday's finals of the Meads Cup, won by Wanganui, and the Lochore Cup final, won by North Otago.

Wellington, Sept 26 NZPA - Mid Canterbury beat North Otago 30-21 in Ashburton today to consign their southern neighbours to the second-tier of the Heartland rugby championship.

Wellington, Sept 5 NZPA - Mid Canterbury first five-eighth Kieran Lindsay calmly slotted an 82nd-minute dropped goal to give his side an unlikely 16-13 Heartland Championship rugby win over South Canterbury in Timaru today.

Wellington, Aug 30 NZPA - Spare a thought for Thames Valley rugby captain David Harrison.

The 25-year-old second five-eighth kicked lights out yesterday but it still wasn't enough to earn his side victory in their opening Heartland Championship match of the season.