IRUPA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year

The IRUPA (Irish Rugby Union Players Association) has announced it's nominees for Players Player of the Year and Young Player of The Year. These awards are voted for by the professional players in the four Irish provinces.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2012/0419/317799-ferris-kearney-ogara-up-for-players-award/

The three nominees for Players Player of the Year are Rob Kearney, Stephen Ferris and Ronan O'Gara. The nominees for the Young Player of the Year are Craig Gilroy, Peter O'Mahony and Ian Madigan. Ronan Loughney, Mick O'Driscoll and Shane Jennings have each been nominated by their fellow pros across the four provinces for the inaugural Medal for Excellence, a new award for exceptional commitment to the game on and off the field. The try of the year is between Craig Gilroy and Brian O'Driscolls efforts in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and Niall Ronans effort against Scarlets in the group stages.

PLAYERS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Stephen Ferris (Ulster)
Rob Kearney (Leinster)
Ronan O'Gara (Munster)

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Craig Gilroy (Ulster)
Ian Madigan (Leinster)
Peter O'Mahony (Munster)

TRY OF YEAR:

Craig Gilroy - Munster v Ulster, Heineken Cup
Brian O'Driscoll - Leinster v Cardiff Blues, Heineken Cup
Niall Ronan - Scarlets v Munster, Heineken Cup

MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE:

Shane Jennings (Leinster)
Ronan Loughney (Connacht)
Mick O'Driscoll (Munster)

Here are the nominated tries; judge for yourself. A good selection; one is a beautifully worked and perfectly timed first phase move, one is a great team counterattack and one is a graceful individual run which flummoxed several defenders.

Leinster execute a beautiful first phase move to send in Brian O'Driscoll against Cardiff Blues

Ulsters Craig Gilroy picks up the ball on halfway and beats three Munster defenders.

Niall Ronan finishes off a wonderful counter-attacking move for Munster versus the Scarlets

This year the fans get a chance to vote for the 'Unsung Hero' award; the three nominees are Ulster backrow Chris Henry, Kevin McLaughlin of Leinster and Ronan Loughney of Connacht.

Player of Year- Ferris
Young Player of Year - O'Mahoney (just ahead of Madigan)

Try of Year - BOD - v - Cardiff in HC QF

brennomac wrote:Player of Year- Ferris
Young Player of Year - O'Mahoney (just ahead of Madigan)

Try of Year - BOD - v - Cardiff in HC QF

+ 1

Yeah, that. I agree with you lads although Rob Kearney runs Ferris very close.

The only try I know that has been nominated is Gilroys versus Munster.

True Notch, I wouldn't argue with Kearney at all.

Gilroys try was a good one but there was some poor defending in there. That one BOD scored was a pure magic.

Right I'm off to Ravers! SUFTUM!

I'm sure O'Driscolls try will win the award. It was pure poetry in motion.

Gilroys was a good try and deserves a mention, but a beautiful constructed strike move like that is wonderful stuff.

IRUPA Players Player of the Year: Ferris
IRUPA Nature Valley Young Player of the Year: Madigan
IRUPA Volkswagen Try of the Year: O'Driscoll vs Cardiff HC QF
IRUPA Hibernia College Medal for Excellence: M O'Driscoll

Madigan has been brilliant in the PRO12. O'Mahoney might deserve it more because he was excellent in the HC, which is a higher level. But I went for Madigan because I'm a one eyed Leinsterman and can't stand culshies.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Madigan has been brilliant in the PRO12. O'Mahoney might deserve it more because he was excellent in the HC, which is a higher level. But I went for Madigan because I'm a one eyed Leinsterman and can't stand culshies.

Honestly is the best policy. Will update the OP with the full list of awards now

I'd say Ferris gets it but Kearney has had a great season too.

I'd go for POM break into international game etc but Madigan is serious stuff.

BOD try all the way.

I guess MOD will get since he is retiring

Is it typical that the players are drawn from three different provinces for these awards?

I must try to check out the BOD try. Sounds great.

Ferris, madigan and Gilroy for the try IMO

Here are the nominated tries;

Leinster execute a beautiful first phase move to send in Brian O'Driscoll against Cardiff Blues

Ulsters Craig Gilroy picks up the ball on halfway and beats three Munster defenders.

Niall Ronan finishes off a wonderful counter-attacking move for Munster versus the Scarlets

Notch, put those links in the OP, lest they get lost.

Good idea.

Surprise surprise 1 try for each province. The elephant is back in the room man .

1 player from each province for each award apart from the Medal of Excellence. I'm pretty sure it's done on that basis though- you can't vote for players from your own province.

You can vote for the paradoxical Unsung Hero award on the O2 website;

http://www.o2online.ie/o2/rugby/unsung-heros/

It's between Chris Henry, Ronan Loughney and Kevin McLaughlin.

For unsung hero I'd go for Kevin McLaughlin.

Chris Henry has been fantastic for Ulster but I'm not sure how unsung he is. He's nudged himself back into Ireland contention and has had quite a few plaudits.

By contrast McLaughlin has been starting away for Leinster, playing big games and going about his business in the shadow of his more high profile Leinster colleagues. It wasn't so long ago that he was deemed surplus by many for Leinster.

Its a tight one but I'd go for McLaughlin.

Obviously I'm going to vote for Henry though.....

I voted for Henry because the man is the ultimate team player. He's played every backrow position and is entirely unselfishly willing to adapt his game to whatever role he needs to play. I think that deserves a lot of credit. A lot of natural 8s wouldn't be happy about being shunted into the less familiar openside role; Henry has not only embraced it, but excelled at it.

Whiff of Cordite on the awards;

http://whiffofcordite.com/2012/04/23/johne-murphy-zhonnee-moorfee-nul-points/

So, the results are in;

Rob Kearney wins Players Player of the Year

Craig Gilroy wins try of the year, for his score against Munster in the Heineken Cup.

Kevin McLaughlin wins the 'Unsung Hero' award, therefore instantly ceasing to be an Unsung Hero.

Mick O'Driscoll wins the 'Medal of Excellence' for services to the game on and off the pitch.

And finally John Hayes was inducted into the 'IRUPA Hall of Fame'

Read a quote from Rob this morning, something to the effect of “it’s an honour to win this award over Stephen Ferris who has been on fire, and on only 1 leg, imagine how good he’d be with 2!”

Mind games.
Advantage Leinster.

Also, Peter O'Mahony won Young Player of the Year.

All well deserved.

Disappointed for Ferris but I think Kearney just deserves it. He been awesome every time I've seen him play.

Likewise Chris Henry, McLaughlin is a fair shout, hes really gone under the radar this year but is having a great season.