Victor Vito named Top 14 player of the year
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Former All Blacks loose forward Victor Vito has claimed the 2017 French Top 14 player of the year.
A vote by members of the French players' union decided the winner, with the 30-year-old Kiwi claiming the honour ahead of Clermont centre Remi Lamerat and Lyon flanker Carl Fearns.
Part of the New Zealand squad for both their 2011 and 2015 World Cup triumphs, Vito picked up the major gong at the competition's annual awards night on Monday.
Vito played 33 tests for New Zealand, eight seasons for the Hurricanes and 10 for Wellington before joining La Rochelle last year.
He played 22 games and scored four tries as the club won 17 of their 26 regular season games to finish at the top of the table, before losing 15-18 to eventual runners-up Toulon at the semifinal stage.
#NuitduRugby
— TOP 14 Rugby (@top14rugby) September 18, 2017
Le Trophée du Meilleur Joueur du #TOP14 est attribué par @antoinedecaunes à...
► @VictorVito1103 du @staderochelais ! pic.twitter.com/yozP0R3IWG
