All Blacks sweep Halberg Awards

Accolades continued for the World Cup-winning All Blacks on Thursday night when they dominated New Zealand's Halberg Awards for 2011.

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The All Blacks claimed the overall award across all categories while also taking the team of the year, Richie McCaw won the Sportsman of the Year while Sir Graham Henry won the coach of the year award.

It was the first time since 2003 when the Silver Ferns won the world netball championship that a single sport had dominated the event.

It was also the first time the All Blacks had won the overall award since 1987, the occasion of the side winning the first World Cup.

And it was the fifth time rugby had been successful with the top award after: Ron Jarden (1951), Don Clarke (1959) and Wilson Whineray (1965).

World women's shotput champion Valerie Adams won the Sportswoman of the Year award.

Swimmer Sophie Pascoe won the newly introduced Disabled sportsperson of the year category.

Junior shotputter Jacko Gill won the emerging talent award.

During the evening the latest inductees to New Zealand's Sports of Hall of Fame were announced.

Former All Black John Kirwan was joined by world lightweight double sculls champions Philippa Baker and Brenda Lawson in the Hall of Fame.

The founder of the Halberg Trust which runs the awards, 1960 Olympic Games 5000m champion Sir Murray Halberg was presented with a Sport New Zealand leadership award while long-serving Olympics team selector and former weightlifting champion Bruce Cameron won a lifetime achievement award.