Em-farcking-barrassing!

BREAKING: BBC reports that diminutive Welsh winger Shane Williams has been named IRB Player of the Year. Absolute rubbish decision.

Williams wins top rugby accolade

Wales wing Shane Williams has been named the International Rugby Board's world player of the year at their awards ceremony in London.

The Ospreys star beat Scotland skipper Mike Blair, Wales captain Ryan Jones, All Black fly-half Dan Carter and Italy captain Sergio Parisse to the award.

The wing became the first Welshman to win the individual award.

Earlier:

Dan Carter heads the worst short-list in the history of Player of the Year awards

by Paul Ackford

If Carter doesn't become the first player to win the award for a second time, the judges want shooting.

Even if he does, they deserve a few pot shots because this is the worst short-list in the award's distinguished history. [...]

The majority of the voting panel - all distinguished internationals, by the way - live or work in Europe and have displayed appalling bias towards northern hemisphere representatives at a time when the power in the game is down south.