Leigh Halfpenny’s stunning 12 months continues after he was named Wales Sports Personality of the Year on Monday night.
rugby365
Fresh from playing a pivotal role in Cardiff Blues’ European Cup win over Glasgow Warriors at the weekend, Halfpenny picked up his latest accolade at a dinner in the Welsh capital as he saw off the challenge of the likes of the world’s most expensive football player, Gareth Bale, to succeed 2012 Olympic gold medallist Jade Jones.
Halfpenny also beat world triathlon champion Non Stanford and double world gold medal cyclist Becky James, as well as Paralympic world champion Aled Sion Davies, to his country’s most prestigious sporting award.
The 24-year-old, who has also been nominated for the overall Sports Personality of the Year Award, was named the best player in both the Six Nations and the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia and was voted the ‘Best Player in the World’ by French rugby newspaper Midi Olympique in October.
“It has been a dream of a year and I could not have wished for it to have gone better,” said Halfpenny, who missed out to All Black No.8 Kieran Read for the International Rugby Board Player of the Year award earlier this month.
“To receive this award is a huge honour and to be added to a list of such Welsh talent is a real privilege.
“I have been very fortunate to have been part of some special teams like Wales and the Lions. To win the Six Nations again was magical in the style we did, especially after the run of games we had before coming into the tournament [Wales had lost eight Tests in a row].
“To lift the trophy after defeating England at the Millennium Stadium was a real highlight and one of the best games I have been involved with.
“To then go to Australia and be part of a winning Lions tour after they had not achieved a series victory in 16 years means it does not get much better than that.”
Halfpenny will turn his attentions back to the European Cup again this Saturday as the Blues look for back-to-back wins over the Warriors.
Victory at the Arms Park gave their hopes of a first European Cup quarterfinal since 2009 a huge boost and a third straight pool success would keep the pressure on Pool Two leaders Toulon ahead of their trip to the Stade Felix Mayol in Round Five.
The 2010 European Challenge Cup winner kicked 16 points in last Friday’s 29-20 victory over the Scots as he hit the target with six out of seven attempts at goal.
That tally followed an 11-point haul in the shock win over Toulon, meaning he has now scored 227 points in 32 European games for the Blues.
I think Leigh Halfpenny was the best fullback of 2013… and on top of it probably the best goal kicker in Internationals in 2013.
Stem saam. Hy is soort van ‘n all round package op fullback. Dagg het baie stagneer en doen niks meers as wat van hom verwag word nie, hy is nogsteeds gevaarlik maar Halpenny is net daai trap bo Dagg. Willie sal volgende jaar sy stempel as die nommer een 15 in die wêreld af druk.
2 @ Timothy Bornman:
Hy is veilig soos ‘n spreilig op heelagter, val blerrie goed aan… en sy ander grootste wapen is daai dodelike skopvoet pale toe, iets wat nie Dagg of Willie le Roux bied nie.
Ja stem weereens saam. Ek is ‘n groot Halfpenny fan en sal hom enige dag in enige span as my nommer 1 heelagter in sit.
@ grootblousmile:
@ Timothy Bornman:
Gents, I would agree that he is indeed one of the best no 15’s in world Rugby at the moment.
There is however just one problem…….. he’s a TAFFY BASTID, and just for that reason he should NEVER, EVER be picked for any team is there’s an Englishman that is even 10% as talented, or has 50% the number of arms and legs as the taffy…………..
5 @ Scrumdown:
What’s it with you and the poor Welsh… hehehe
Did a taffy kid steal your sweets as a youngster?
As a non-Mud Island inhabitant, I confess I do not understand the nuances of the relationships between the English, Welsh, Scots and Irish… in fact I do not understand the English portion of that in general!
Thought in general that the Irish always got the short end of the stick and most of the ridicule.
Luckily South Africa has made you a decent human…. hahaha
Well done to Halfpenny, mr dependable. A good all round fullback possibly not as much attacking flair as the likes of Le Roux and Hogg but his ability with the boot gives Wales more flexibility in chosing their flyhalf.
The focus is on Wales rugby today as there is yet another meeting in the on going European Cup saga, the Welsh Rugby Union are meeting/have meet the Welsh rugby regions today to discuss the way forward with the regions apparently keen to turn their backs on Heineken Cup rugby. I thought rather than put up yet another article about talks about talks on this will wait and see if anything is reported after the meeting.
Doesn’t seem like WRU and Welsh regions meeting today has made any concrete decisions regarding participation by the regions in competitions next season, they have agreed to meet again…
BT internet is down here and telephone through them (still/again) so sorry am not putting article up about the goings on, former Welsh captain Ryan Jones has added his voice to the situation calling for competition for Welsh players to take part in that will pay more to help keep them at home rather than play for the ‘rich’ clubs in England and France.
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