IRUPA Players' Player of the Year

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/irupa-honours-o-mahony-trimble-and-toner-in-frame-for-hibernia-college-award-1.1770143

Nominees are Peter O'Mahony,  Devin Toner and Andrew Timble.

Agree wholeheartedly with those names - three players who have been key both for their provinces and for the national team. Delighted especially for Toner and Timble,  who performed excellently and consistently in the face of some scepticism from some quarters.

The nominees for the Nevin Spence Young Player of the Year are Robbie Henshaw (the current holder), Jack McGrath and Jordi Murphy.

Less convinced about that. I think the standout young player has been Paddy Jackson. He was superb in away HEC victories in both Montpellier and Leicester. He's pivotal for Ulster. After a stuttering international start last season, he is firmly second choice international flyhalf. I honestly have no idea why Murphy would be on that list ahead of him. Out of those three,  I'd say McGrath is most deserving.

Deserved nominees. My vote goes to Andrew Trimble. Such a good player. As for young player it has to be McGrath as the other two havent featured that much.

Id go with Trimble too.

I reckon Henshaw will win it again. The win in Toulouse tipping it in his favor.

Surprising that Jackson isn't there alright.

Surely Martin Moore should be on the yound player of the year award? He was playing for Lansdowne in the AIL this time last year.

Trimble and McGrath for me. Trimble has been excellent all season while McGrath was so good in the Autumn that people were saying the pressure would be on Healy to step up and win back his place (he did step up to be fair).

As for try of the season, it has to be Hanrahan's surely?

http://www.thescore.ie/try-of-the-year-irupa-awards-1427787-Apr2014/

Sexton's came about from good play but a butchered 2-on-1 and I don't think Kearney's shouldn't even be in the running.

Trimble definitely deserves player of the year but I hate the way they pick one player from the big three provinces.

Try of the year has to be Hanrahan from those available but imo Kearney v England and especially Best against NZ were far better than those three.

POM and Henshaw for me just ahead of Trimble and McGrath.

Agree about Moore. He is younger than McGrath and has a great season.

I actually thought Marmion should be young player of the year. Has looked tired lately but hes had a great season and played nearly every minute for Connacht.

Having said that I wouldn't pay too much attention to these type of awards. They're frequently inaccurate and political as we see with one player from each province.

I'm guessing Sexton is not eligible for this award? Fair enough if he isn't but IMO he was the key man in this year's success.
Toner and Trimble had cracking competitions but they weren't as important to the team as Sexton, Healy, or even Ross. The three nominees are more like the "most improved" players.
In the Heineken Cup I don't think any Irish players have really stood out apart from SOB prior to his injury. From the available I'd go for O'Mahony as he has put in particularly big performances for both province and country. Captaining his province and the American tour at a relatively young age deserves some credit.

Paddy Jackson has largely had an impressive season and put in particularly impressive performances against Montpellier away and Leicester at home but in Ulster's biggest matches (Tigers away and the Sarries QF) I don't think he really imposed himself. But in fairness PJ is put in a far more demanding role at his club than McGrath, Murphy and Henshaw and would have merited inclusion. There's also young guys like Henderson, JJ, Marmion and Moore who have all looked promising at various times this season.
Jordi Murphy has played pretty well for Leinster this year and I'd give the award to him but he was a bit quiet in a green shirt.

The play leading up to Best's try was tremendous but doesn't really lend itself to a short highlight reel in the way Kearney's does (which is a very straightforward try tbh). Has to be JJ's try from the available.

Gotta go with Trimble, but delighted with the three nominees. I really think those guys found another level to their games when it really mattered.

Sexton standout best Irish player this year in green. Is he not eligible?

I thought Trimble had 2 very very good matches recently, for 14 man ulster and Ireland against France. Are these performances weighted heavily or has he been consistently that good in rabo and HC this yr?

Thats pretty much been his standard week in, week out for the past year Quins.

Trimble from those mentioned. Sexton isn't really eligible as it includes provincial form so he can't really get it. In fairness I don't think he was his consistent self in the 6N but I agree he is the key cog in the team.

Mike Ross would have been another who is up there for me. You could probably include the entire front row in fairness

Cool good to know. Bit like Mike Brown then

Trimble against sarries was line a 1-man tornado. Awesome o watch.

I don't know whether Sexton is eligible or not, the IRUPA is basically the Union of professional rugby players in Ireland so now that Sexton isn't playing in Ireland he may no longer be a member.

Still gets his tax deduction so surely he's eligible? just teasing.

Thought he was awesome in the 6N though. Better than carter or cruden IMO.

Presumably IRUPA doesn't represent Sexton.

Also, Munster’s James Coughlan, Ulster’s Roger Wilson and for the third time, Michael Swift of Connacht have been shortlisted for the IRUPA O2 Unsung Hero Award. You can vote on Twitter for the winner, should you feel so inclined. Can you be noinated for an Unsung Hero award three times? Weird.

Personally, I'd have nominated Diack for Ulster. He has been a machine for us ever since McLaughlin announced his departure, and has captained successfully a few times.

Standulstermen wrote:Trimble from those mentioned. Sexton isn't really eligible as it includes provincial form so he can't really get it. In fairness I don't think he was his consistent self in the 6N but I agree he is the key cog in the team.

Mike Ross would have been another who is up there for me. You could probably include the entire front row in fairness

Didn't Tommy Bowe win it when he was with the Ospreys?

You're right, Sin. Also Johnny O'Connor won it in 2005 while playing for Wasps (according to Wiki).

Maybe Sexton's team-mates just didn't think he was as good as those three?

In fact, Bowe won twice playing at Ospreys.

Well there you go then!

Personally think it's a case of players recognising which of their fellow players have been in the best form/improved the most. I doubt many people outside of Ireland would have nominated Nick Williams last year either.

Rabo Pro12 Player of the year Nick Williams?

Thats exactly my point Don, he won the IRUPA Player of the Year award last year. Voted for by players from all four provinces. I doubt people who hadn't been following the provinces closely would have chosen him but the players all knew he was having a storming run of form.

A lot of awards go to people with big reputations and a big media profile (Brian O'Driscoll is going to be hard up paying for a new mantlepiece in his retirement) but the IRUPA award is different; it doesn't matter if you are low profile, the players know themselves who really deserves it.

Ah right - apologies. I getcha now.

I do think Williams caused havoc in the Rabo last year, and it didn't go un-noticed, was my point. (If only he were half as influential this year.)

But I think as a general point, you're right.

Don Alfonso wrote:I do think Williams caused havoc in the Rabo last year, and it didn't go un-noticed, was my point. (If only he were half as influential this year.)

Damn right! But if it was the Sky Sports Irish Player of the Year Award, Stuart Barnes and Will Greenwood would have played clips of O'Driscoll offloading the ball in slow motion (not different clips, the same offload in super slo-mo from different angles) then given it to him  

The players not what's up. I think Trimble will win this year. Partly because he's a guy who's been through all the bad times, and been out of favour and kept at it and this season he's just been dominant.