This article is about the award for Māori player of the year. For the London Wasps player, see Tom French (rugby union).
Waikato player Liam Messam won the Tom French Cup in 2012.
In rugby union, the Tom French Cup is an honour awarded by New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to the Tom French Memorial Māori player of the year. The cup has been awarded annually since 1949, when it was donated to the New Zealand Māori coach Tom French while the team was on tour in Australia.[1] French had represented Buller provincially, and was selected for New Zealand Maori in 1911. After the First World War, where he lost an arm at Passchendaele, French continued his involvement in rugby by serving as both a selector and administrator. In 1957 he was made a life member of the NZRU.[1]
The inaugural recipient in 1949 was Johnny Smith, who played for New Zealand's national team the All Blacks, and captained them in two Tests that year.[2] Keith Davis was the Tom French Cup winner in 1952–54, and played extensively for both the All Blacks and New Zealand Māori; his time with the Māori included matches against both South Africa in 1956, and the British Lions in 1959.[3] The record for cup wins is held by Sid Going, who played half-back for both New Zealand Māori and the All Blacks, and was awarded the cup six times; won consecutively between 1967 and 1972.[4] Tane Norton won the cup in 1973 and 74, and went on to finish his playing career as All Black captain—his 27 international Test caps were earned consecutively.[5] 1987 Rugby World Cup winner Buck Shelford was awarded the cup in 1985, and 1987–89; Shelford captained North Harbour, New Zealand Māori, and the All Blacks. During his 14 Tests as captain of the All Blacks the team never lost.[6] When Shelford was eventually dropped from the All Blacks, he was replaced at number eight by fellow Tom French Cup recipient Zinzan Brooke. Brooke was awarded the cup in both 1992 and 1994, and also captained the Blues to the 1996 and 1997 Super 12 titles.[7]
Carl Hayman was awarded the Tom French Cup in both 2004 and 2006, and was instrumental in helping New Zealand Māori defeat the British and Irish Lions for the first time in 2005. Hayman played 45 Test matches for the All Blacks.[8] Fellow All Black Piri Weepu won the cup in both 2008 and 2011. In 2011 he was a member of the World Cup winning All Blacks side, and was named man of the match in New Zealand's quarter-final victory over Argentina.[9][10]
union, the TomFrenchCup is an honour awarded by New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to the TomFrench Memorial Māori player of the year. The cup has been awarded...
Tom or Thomas French may refer to: Thomas French, journalist for the St. Petersburg Times Thomas French (cricketer) (1821–1909), English cricketer and...
Ben (16 May 2021). "Tom Pidcock beats Mathieu van der Poel to win Nove Mesto World Cup". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 23 July 2021. "Tom Pidcock already back...
done so more than once. The French team won its first World Cup title in 1998. The tournament was played on home soil and France defeated Brazil 3–0 in the...
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48:34–49:10 Brazil v France – 1998 FIFA World Cup Final – Full Match, 49:35–50:15 Elliott, Helene (13 July 1998). "Soul of French Team Finds Rare Air"...
World Cup squad: Bendtner is absent]. DR.dk (in Danish). DR. Retrieved 3 June 2018. "Dernière sélection". French Football Federation (in French). 17 May...
Zealand, who beat France. South Africa are the latest winners, having won the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. The Rugby World Cup final is the last match...
Merit, for services to rugby. In 1973 and 1974, Norton was awarded the TomFrenchCup for the outstanding Māori player of the year. A New Zealander of Māori...
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progressing to the semi-finals. The first two World Cup matches took place simultaneously and were won by France and the United States, who defeated Mexico 4–1...
(2023) France Prix de Royallieu - (1) - Sea La Rosa (2022) United States Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint - (1) - Big Evs (2023) "'Aussie Tom' Is A Pom...
first test series victory over the All Blacks. Going was awarded the TomFrenchCup for Māori player of the year a record six times; earning the accolade...
due to injury), and Tom Barrasso (missed four games due to injury) were unable to play. Racine name was left off the Stanley Cup, because he had not played...
tournament. Tom Marshall (13 May 2014). "Mexico Striker Peralta Signs for Club América". goal.com. Retrieved 25 June 2014. "Australia's final World Cup squad"...
the 1938 FIFA World Cup, in France was controversial, as the South American countries had been led to understand that the World Cup would rotate between...
September 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2010. "Peter Waterfield beats Tom Daley to National Cup title". BBC News. 7 February 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2010....
Zealand Māori from 1960 to 1971. He was a two-time recipient of the TomFrenchCup for Māori rugby player of the year, in 1960 and 1963. Herewini died...
(28 March 2024). "Kings World Cup Amine : Quelle est le nom de l'équipe de France pour l'évènement ?". Breakflip (in French). Retrieved 29 March 2024. Aflalo...
2011). "Tom Ford". AnOther. Retrieved December 24, 2011. "Fashion icon Tom Ford to make second movie this year". Yahoo! News. Agence France-Presse. February...
Zealand Māori, captaining the side against Tonga in 1983. He won the TomFrenchCup for Māori player of the year in 1981. Shelford was named the supreme...
represented the New Zealand All Blacks six times in 1998. In 1997 he won the TomFrenchCup, an honour awarded annually by New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to the...
vingt-cinq pour le Mondial" [The list of twenty-five for the World Cup] (in French). French Football Federation. Archived from the original on 9 November 2022...
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