All Blacks lock Retallick is Player of Year

(Reuters) - All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick became the first tight forward since Ireland's Keith Wood in 2001 to be named World Rugby's Player of the Year on Saturday. The 23-year-old Retallick pipped team mate Julian Savea, South African duo Willie le Roux and Duane Vermeulen and Ireland's Jonathan Sexton for the award, World Rugby said in a news release. The award was announced after the lock helped the All Blacks to a 34-16 victory over Wales in Cardiff. New Zealand have also won the Team of the Year accolade for the fifth successive year, after winning 12 of their 14 tests, while All Blacks supremo Steve Hansen won his third successive award as Coach of the Year. Since Wood won the inaugural honour in 2001, only backs or loose forwards have been named Player of the Year. All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has won it three times while flyhalf Dan Carter has won it twice. (Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington, editing by Tony Jimenez)