Kia Ora and welcome from New Zealand, home of the world famous All Blacks, the country's national rugby team and current world cup champions. World cup champions - now that has a mighty fine ring to it! And far too long a wait for we All Blacks fanatics. So it comes as no surprise that our beloved All Blacks have been nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award 2011.

The first time I came across the Laureus awards was just after another amazing New Zealander Sir Peter Blake was tragically killed. I remember watching his family, wife Pippa and kids Sarah and James, standing on the stage with Sir Peters smiling face pictured in the background. It was an understandably emotional scene, with barely a dry eye in the stadium, and super stars like Serena Williams joining the crowd in a standing ovation, both in honour of Sir Peter and also I think as a show of support to the family still grieving.

Now years later this group of amazing young men will be on the world stage again, only this time up against a different but just as formidable opposition. "And the nominees are...." - (clears throat and quick pause for effect):

• The Dallas Mavericks basketball team who won the NBA for the first time ever in 2011. In so doing they beat favourites the Miami Heat which included superstars Lebron James and Dwayne Wade.
• The Japan Womens Football Team who won their nations first ever World Cup as well as becoming the first Asian team to win the World Cup.
• FC Barcelona, the Spanish football team who took out the Champions League and Spanish League in 2010/2011. They were nominees in this category in 2006 and 2010 and winners in the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award in 2007.
• The England Cricket Team did what their rugby counterparts couldn't do and actually won their tournament, white washing powerhouse India 4-0 in the summer series and finishing the year ranked No.1 in the world. Not only that, 8 of their players were nominated for the annual international cricket awards with at least two winners.
• Tbe Red Bull motor racing team from Austria. Also nominated in this category last year, the team won the Formula One World Constructors Championship for the second year running. Their driver the legendary Sebastian Vettel also won the drivers title.

And then there's the All Blacks, the only team to win all their games on their way to rugby world cup glory, International Rugby Boards Team and Coach of the Year, ranked number one all year and far too many other accolades to mention. Nominated in 2006, 2007 and 2011, the All Blacks have a great show of winning this time round and would be deserved winners with their 75% winning ratio in test matches. Time will tell. Good luck to the All Blacks, the winners will be announced in London on February 6th next year.