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Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Munster's Tadhg Beirne named Players' Player of the Year
Tadhg Beirne was named Men's XVs Players' Player of the Year at the Rugby Players Ireland awards at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday night. The Munster second row beat competition from provincial teammate Tom Farrell and Leinster duo Caelan Doris and Jamison Gibson-Park, who were also nominated. Berine started every game for Ireland in this Six Nations, and has featured 16 times for Munster in his first season as the province's captain. Earlier this month, his form was rewarded with a place in the Lions squad for this summer's tour of Australia, while in February he signed a new two-year extension with the IRFU and Munster. 'I'm honoured to be named as the OCC Consulting Men's Players' Player of the Year," said Beirne. "It comes as quite a surprise given that Caelan, Tom and Jamison have all had brilliant seasons. To be chosen by my fellow Rugby Players Ireland members makes this award even more meaningful, and I really appreciate their support and acknowledgement.' The women's award was claimed by Leinster centre Aoife Dalton. The 22-year-old from Offaly has become a key player for Ireland. Amee-Lee Costigan, Niamh O'Dowd and Dorothy Wall were the others nominated. 'It's a very exciting time to be involved with this group of players," said Dalton. "To be recognised by them at such a crucial time for this team is hard to put into words. When I first came into camp, I could sense that something was beginning to build and I think we have started to see the fruits of that over recent months both collectively and individually, through the performances of my fellow nominees Amee-Leigh, Niamh and Dorothy.' Erin King won the Women's Young Player of the Year award while Sam Prendergast took the men's equivalent. Ireland and Leinster out-half Prendergast was presented with the award by his older brother Cian, the Connacht captain, who was a previous winner in the category. Two scores from the Six Nations were named the tries of the year. Dan Sheehan starting and finishing off a team move against England back in February won in the men's category. Anna McGann touching down to finish what was also a team move against Italy, one which sealed her hat-trick in the game, was named Women's Try of the Year. Eimear Considine, who retired from rugby in November after 10 years at the top level of the women's game in Ireland, won the Zurich Contribution to Irish Society Award for her contributions to mental health discourse. On behalf of the Irish men's team, Caelan Doris accepted the Moment of the Year award for Ireland's Triple Crown win in the Six Nations. Rugby Players Ireland Awards winners OCC Consulting Men's XVs Players' Player of the Year: Tadhg Beirne; OCC Consulting Women's XVs Players' Player of the Year 2025: Aoife Dalton; Nevin Spence Men's XVs Young Player of the Year: Sam Prendergast; Energia Women's XVs Young Player of the Year: Erin King; MSL Mercedes-Benz Ballsbridge Men's XVs Try of the Year: Dan Sheehan (v England); AIB Corporate Banking Women's XVs Try of the Year: Anna McGann (v Italy); Tritonlake Men's 7s Player of the Year: Dylan O'Grady; Tritonlake Women's 7s Player of the Year: Lucinda Kinghan; Zurich Contribution to Irish Society Award: Eimear Considine; Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort Moment on the Year: Ireland's Triple Crown Success (accepted by Caelan Doris.)
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Gavin Henson: The kick that changed everything
Men's Six Nations: Wales v EnglandVenue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 15 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMTCoverage: Watch on BBC One, BBC Sport website and app, plus S4C via iPlayer. Text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app. Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 Live. Gavin Henson never underestimated himself. Two decades have passed since his kick to beat England paved the way to a first Welsh Grand Slam in 27 years. His first answer in a post-match TV interview surmised his role in one of the most defining moments in Welsh sporting history:"It was written for me wasn't it?"The 72,000 supporters in the stadium and the millions at home could also sense the greater significance of his match winning penalty. As the ball sailed between the posts former England prop Brian Moore on commentary remarked, "do not underestimate the enormity of that kick."With the benefit of hindsight Moore's line had dual meaning: Henson's kick would transform the Welsh sporting landscape; it would also change Gavin Henson's life forever. A mile or so away from the Principality Stadium, in a local pub, another Welsh icon Charlotte Church, was glued to the TV. She decided to hunt down the man in the silver boots."I was in here watching the game, and I didn't know Gav before that. And then I was like, I'm gonna go out and find him in town."Church was speaking on her podcast Kicking Back with the Cardiffians where she also described the pressures of life in the spotlight. This was the life Henson stepped into when they eventually met, forging Wales' version of Posh and Becks. Henson went from a well-known rugby player to a front-page UK mid-noughties was the era of reality TV, where the tabloids and glossy magazines like Heat and Hello were King and Queen makers. Henson would go on to star in a variety of shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and The was, arguably, the most famous man in Wales. Henson remains as enigmatic as ever, making him the perfect subject for a series to coincide with the 20-year anniversary of that kick, and so Golden Boy: Finding Gavin Henson was purpose of the podcast was to track him down and speak to him. The finding part was the easy bit. He owns a pub in the Vale of Glamorgan, where he lives a quiet life pulling pints and washing pans. Convincing Henson to revisit his own story was the colleagues had attempted and failed to get his involvement in a documentary series. He would often agree tentatively to the initial idea before eventually pulling out, or in some cases fail to reply to any further idea of this superstar hiding in plain sight fascinated us, so we decided to document the process of reaching out to him whilst also telling the remarkable story of his life on and off the field. Henson would eventually retire in 2019. The final decade of his career would see him bounce along from club to club, embroiled in numerous controversies. It was often easy at that time to forget the huge impact he had as a player in the mid to late was instrumental in the Grand Slam successes of 2005 and 2008. His partnership with Tom Shanklin was the cornerstone of the team's attacking and defensive system."I would just be in awe of what he could do, whether it be upending someone in a tackle, whether it be smashing a conversion or a penalty, whether it be his vision, putting someone into a hole," said Shanklin."When he was on form and he wanted to play there was no one better."Six months after his heroics against England, at 23 years of age, Henson decided to publish an autobiography which would tear the national team apart. In the book he openly criticised several of his team-mates and the saga would eventually lead to the resignation of head coach Mike Ruddock.A couple of years later the Welsh Rugby Union decided to use his image in a 100 ft poster promoting their new kit. There was only one issue: Henson was on a self-imposed hiatus from the game. Henson was an outlier, a man who split the opinions of team-mates, coaches and supporters. He was his own man who would strike his own brings us back to the kick. There is less than five minutes left on the clock when a penalty is awarded to Wales. Stephen Jones had taken the previous kicks that day, but he stepped away."When you have someone with an amazing talent who can kick a ball a long, long way, and you have a secret weapon and someone who has the ability to smash a ball 50m, you think, well, we've got to use this guy," said understood that a kick of around 50m at an angle was beyond his and most people's range."There's not many people now in world rugby who can take on kicks of that distance comfortably," he said. Wales fly-half Rhys Patchell is a self-confessed kicking nerd. Even he concedes that he very rarely practiced from that position on the pitch."It is almost Hollywoodesque in terms of the script is written and you just step up and you do it. I think it's the sort of effortlessness," Patchell told the is an appropriate term to describe Henson's playing career. He seemed blessed with abilities that others simply did not possess. He could do what others could not and he did it with is this unique sporting ability that was the ultimate driver in my effort to speak to him. It is fair to say that the journey has been challenging. Henson remains as unpredictable as ever, occasionally resurfacing before returning to the shadows. It is that elusiveness that fascinates me and so many Boy: Finding Gavin Henson is available now on BBC Sounds
Times of Oman
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
"I was not well...": Champions Trophy 2017 final centurion Fakhar Zaman recalls almost missing title clash
Islamabad: Ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman, who smashed a swashbuckling match-winning century in the 2017 final against India revealed how he almost missed out on the summit clash and recalled the moment when he realised it could be "his day". During the Champions Trophy final at Lord's back in June 2017, Fakhar had smashed 114 in 106 balls, with 12 fours and three sixes, guiding Pakistan to a massive 338/4, which India could not chase down and lost by 180 runs. On the eve of the Final, Fakhar confided to the then-Pakistan Men's head coach Mickey Arthur that he was not feeling a hundred per cent ahead of the big day. "I was not well the day before the game," Fakhar shared as quoted by ICC. "I even talked to Mickey and said I would not be able to play the game," he added. However, Arthur eventually had his way and convinced the swashbuckling opener to play the final, even if it meant that he got out on the first ball. "He said you go out there and get a duck first ball, it does not matter, you have to play that game." "I managed to play but I remember that I did not sleep well that night and he forced me to play. I am pleased he did," he added. The move bore fruits, as Fakhar played an inspiring knock for Pakistan. However, it was not all smooth sailing for Fakhar. The batter was, in fact, on his way back to the hut at the score of three when he was given a game-changing reprieve. Having been caught off Jasprit Bumrah's bowling early in the game, Fakhar was deemed not out after a front-foot no-ball check. The 34-year-old recalled the miraculous lifeline and the emotions he underwent during the call. "I had been talking to Shadab (Khan) and somebody got out on a no-ball when we were watching a game," recalled Fakhar. "I said 'I would love to get out to a no-ball'. I just said it randomly because whenever you get out, I always look to the umpire hoping they will say 'wait while we check the no-ball' and nothing happens and I end up back in the dressing room." "The same thing happened in that game, I got out to a no-ball. Kumar Dharmasena was the third umpire and I was going out." "From the boundary, he said 'wait there'. I was halfway back and when I saw that, I was 100 per cent sure it was a no-ball. After that, I thought maybe it is my day," he concluded his point. Following his match-winning ton at The Oval, Fakhar was deemed the Player of the Match. It was a knock that elevated his status back home, and sparked celebrations he had not experienced before. "It was special back in Pakistan. I did not expect anything like that and I have never seen anything like that in my whole life," said Fakhar. "For many weeks, people from 500km or more away would come to take a picture. It was unbelievable and it was something special. The way we made people at that time, I wish I could do more things like that," he concluded. Fakhar is a part of the Pakistan setup for the 2025 Champions Trophy and will hope to help his side to glory once again. His side will play the tournament opener against New Zealand at Karachi on February 19.
