Barnes named Top League MVP

TOKYO (Feb. 12) – Panasonic Wild Knights flyhalf Berrick Barnes was named Japan Rugby Top League MVP on Wednesday, a day after helping his side to the league title.

Barnes, who scored 30 points in the 45-22 win over Suntory Sungoliath was handed his trophy by Japan coach Eddie Jones.
 
“I am very happy and honoured to accept this award,” he said. “Obviously most of it depends on your teammates and fortunately for us we had a really good year, especially our forward pack. It’s nice to play five-eighth (flyhalf) when your forward pack is moving forward and I was very fortunate to be in a side that was.”
 
Barnes went on to single out prop Keita Inagaki and flanker Tadasuke Nishihara, who joined the Australian in the Top XV, but said the work ethic of all his teammates and the consistency of their performances had been key to Panasonic’s success.
 
“I am really happy for my teammates,” he said. “You saw a lot of the boys in tears yesterday after the game. It meant a lot to them and it feels good to be part of that.”
 
Barnes, Inagaki and Nishihara were joined by four of their teammates – Daniel Heenan, Shota Horie, Tomoki Kitagawa and Akihito Yamada – in the Top XV, selection for which was open to players who played 10 games in the regular season.
 
Inagaki was also named Rookie of the Year along with Yamaha Jubilo No. 8 Kyosuke Horie.
 
Japan internationals Kensuke Hatakeyama (Suntory) and Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba) and Wallaby legend George Smith (Suntory) were also named in the Top XV pack, while Suntory No. 9 Atsushi Hiwasa, Jaque Fourie (Kobe Kobelco Steelers) and the Yamaha pair of Male Sa’u and Ayumu Goromaru were picked in the backs.
 
Fourie was the top try scorer after touching down 17 times in the regular season, while Suntory Ryan Nicholas was the top points scorer and the top kicker.