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Richie McCaw celebrates World Cup victory - Source: Reuters -
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After a top year for New Zealand rugby, both the World Cup winning All Blacks and the Crusaders, finalists in the Super Rugby competition, have been nominated for the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards.
The All Blacks have been nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award after they ended a 24 year World Cup drought in October, while the Crusaders are shortlisted for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year after reaching the Super Rugby final despite all the pain and suffering of the Christchurch Earthquake.
The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement during the calendar year 2011, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar.
The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 47 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, will be unveiled at a televised Awards Ceremony staged in London on February 6.
A glittering collection of the world's greatest sports stars and teams have been nominated for the Laureus Awards, following a ballot by the world's media, the results of which have been announced today.
The All Blacks have been favourites to win the award on many subsequent occasions, but have missed out and they will again be met with stiff competition.
Also nominated are European Champions League winners Barcelona, NBA winners Dallas Mavericks, world No 1 cricket team England, the Japan Women's Football Team and the Red Bull Formula One Team.
The Crusaders nomination comes after a season which saw them reach the Super Rugby final, despite not playing a single game at their home stadium in Christchurch.
Also nominated for the Laureus Comeback of the Year Award are Eric Abidal, who beat cancer to play in the winning Barcelona Champions League team, Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, who recovered from a slump in form after the death of his wife to win the Open Championship, Spain's Sergio Garcia, who won two European Tour golf events after three years without a victory, Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang and the Reds, who reached the Super 15 final despite having to cope with the tragic floods in their home state.
Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses said: "This has been a great year for sport and the Academy are going to find it extremely difficult to decide who to vote for as winners. We have had several massive performances in 2011 both by individuals and teams and that has been reflected in the Nominations. I congratulate all the Nominees and now we look forward to what should be a great Awards Ceremony in February in London."
