The All Blacks have finally earned an accolade in 2019 after handing over their Rugby Championship and World Cup silverware to the Springboks.
It's been a lean year for the Kiwis on the field after losing their grip on the World Cup following their 19-7 defeat to Eddie Jones' England team in the semi-finals.
But off it World Rugby's player of the decade competition was dominated by New Zealanders.
It eventually got down to a two-horse race between a brace of New Zealand's finest thoroughbreds in Dan Carter and Richie McCaw.
And Carter eclipsed his former captain to win the vote from fans around the globe.
World Rugby last week launched a poll to be voted by the fans to help name the best player of the last 10 years.
In all 16 players were nominated, including Wales' double Lions captain Sam Warburton and current leader of the 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam winners Alun Wyn Jones.
Talismanic lock Jones lost out in the opening round of voting to Wallabies back-rower David Pocock while Warburton, the newly-appointed Welsh technical advisor for the defence/breakdown, lost out to All Blacks skipper Kieran Read.
Read, who announced his Test retirement after the Rugby World Cup in Japan, then beat Pocock in the quarter-finals while McCaw toppled Italy's Sergio Parisse.
The former New Zealand No.7 beat the ex-No.8 to reach the forward's section of the final while Carter got through his opening round of votes against half-back partner Aaron Smith.
He beat Owen Farrell in the quarter-finals after the England skipper won the vote over Ireland No.10 rival Johnny Sexton before beating current All Blacks superstar Beauden Barrett in the semi-finals.
It was the final many fans and pundits expected with Carter's 1,598 points from 112 Tests beating the world record 148 international appearances from McCaw.
