Test rugby's most capped player earned 50 votes from his fellow players, easily beating Waratahs hooker Adam Freier (40 votes), as well as Reds flank David Croft and Wallaby centre Stirling Mortlock (both 30 votes) for the award, recognising both on- and off- field excellence.

All 132 members of the Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) from the Brumbies, Western Force, Waratahs and Reds were eligible to vote on a 3-2-1 basis for the award prior the recent Wallaby tour to Europe.

Gregan, who missed the Wallabies' year-end tour to "rest" ahead of next year's World Cup in France, won the inaugural award in 2001 and was successful again in 2004.

The awards were announced at the annual Rugby Players Christmas Fundraising luncheon in Sydney on Friday.

Players were asked to vote for a fellow player who they believed excelled on and off the field in 2006 in areas of performance, leadership, consistency and discipline plus their contribution to charitable work, vocational skills and their commitment to the development of the game.

In 2006, Gregan became the world's most capped rugby union player and surpassed John Eales with for the most number of Tests as captain for Australia.

He has now played 127 Test caps, 58 as captain, since making his debut against Italy in 1994.

* Meanwhile Reds fly-half Berrick Barnes was named winner of the inaugural RUPA Best Newcomer Of The Year Award.

Open to all first year contracted players, Barnes was judged the winner by the RUPA Executive Committee ahead of Brumbies twin brothers Anthony and Saia Faingaa. Barnes made his Super 14 debut in the Reds' opening match against the Waratahs and played 11 games before being sidelined following a shoulder operation.

Monies raised from the 2006 Rugby Players Christmas Luncheon will go to the Ian Tucker Foundation. Ian Tucker was a former Northern Suburbs (Sydney), Oxford University and Australian Under-19 and Under-21 player whose life was cut short when he made a tackle that resulted in an injury to his brain from which he did not recover.

The mission of the Foundation is to celebrate Tucker's life by raising awareness of sports-related brain injuries and supporting institutions that work to prevent and understand the effects of such injuries.

The Rugby Medal For Excellence Honour Roll:
2001 - George Gregan
2002 - Nathan Sharpe
2003 - Brendan Cannon
2004 - George Gregan
2005 - Nathan Sharpe
2006 - George Gregan