7th December 2009 09:44AM

Chiefs coach Ian Foster is nominated in the New Zealand Coach of the Year category at the Steinlager Awards in Auckland this month.

Following the recent announcement of nominees for the Steinlager Rugby Awards, nominees for the NZRU Women's Player of the Year and the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year have been released today. The NZRU Women's Player of the Year nominees are Kelly Brazier and Carla Hohepa, both of Otago, and Auckland's Victoria Heighway.

The nominees for the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year are All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, his Canterbury teammate Dan Carter, and Taranaki's Andrew Hore.

The judges for the 2009 Steinlager Rugby Awards are former All Blacks captain and former NZRU President Andy Leslie, NZRU Board member and former All Blacks captain Graham Mourie, SKY Sport rugby commentator Grant Nisbett and former All Black and current NZRU General Manager Community and Provincial Union Rugby Brent Anderson.

The Steinlager Awards are being held this year on 17 December 2009, at the Sky City Convention Centre, Auckland.