Rugby World Cup 2019: TJ Perenara claims Try of the Year award, Ruby Tui women's sevens title

While the Springboks dominated the World Rugby Awards, New Zealand walked away with two trophies, with All Black TJ Perenara claiming the Try of the Year award, while Ruby Tui was named Women's Sevens Player of the Year.

Perenara's try came against Namibia in the All Blacks' third pool match at the Rugby World Cup, which New Zealand won 71-9.

The 27-year-old started and finished the spectacular play, when he side-stepped Prince Gaoseb, before racing into opposition territory and producing a stunning pass to George Bridge.

Brad Weber received the ball and passed behind his back to Perenara, who dived over in the corner. 

Also nominated were tries by Charles Ollivon for France against Wales in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final, Sergio Parisse for Italy in a warm-up match against Russia, and South Africa's Cobus Reinach's hat-trick try against Canada. 

Perenara said scoring a try, assisted by Weber, was special and he touched on two former All Blacks who provided try-scoring inspiration. 

"What I liked about it is that we had three 'nines' playing that game," explained Perenara.

"To be able to do that with 'Webby', who is a good friend of mine, and for him to come up with a big play and I helped make a play was special."

The All Blacks went into the Namibia game without a specialist first-five - Weber came off the bench to replace Aaron Smith at halfback, while Perenara subbed on at first-five.  

"Everyone in rugby circles would know Jonah [Lomu]," said Perenara. "He did stuff in this game that people have struggled to recreate.

"One of my best mates, Julian Savea, one of the best scorers of all time… he inspires me by the stuff he can and still does on the field." 

Perenara is the fourth New Zealander to win, since the category was first awarded in 2006 - Beauden Barrett in 2014, Julian Savea in 2015 and Brodie Retallick last year. 

Meanwhile, Tui claimed her first Women's Sevens Player of the Year award, which was previously won by Kiwis Kayla McAllister (2013, 14), Portia Woodman (2015) and Michaela Blyde (2017, 18).

"Sevens is an amazing part of the game," she said. "It is one of the fastest-growing parts of footy. 

"Individual awards are weird for me, because we know rugby is a team sport." 

The New Zealand women finished third in the opening sevens tournament of the season at Glendale, USA, with the next event scheduled for early next month in Dubai. 

Newshub.