Latest news with #Men'sXVsPlayers'PlayersoftheYear2025
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Tadhg Beirne voted OCC Consulting Men's XVs Players' Players of the Year
Munster captain Tadhg Beirne was voted OCC Consulting Men's XVs Players' Players of the Year 2025 at the Rugby Players Ireland Awards. But the Eadestown-born Kildare player was just one of the endless numbers of 'Leinster' players collecting/nominated for the 2024/25 season's of the other three nominees either play for or are from Leinster Caelan Doris, Tom Farrell (born Dublin) and Jamison out-half Sam Prendergast was named as the Nevin Spence Men's XVs Young Player of the Year and was presented with the award by his brother, Connacht Rugby captain Cian Prendergast, who was also born in nominees here were Gus McCarthy and Ben Murphy (born in Bray).Men's Seven Player of the Year Dylan O'Grady was a Leinster player before going into full-time Sevens from fellow Leinstr-born teammates Mark Roche and Niall Comerford. Ireland and Leinster captain Caelan Doris accepted the Druid's Glen Resort award on behalf of the team for their Six Nations Triple Crown the women's awards were unfolding Aoife Dalton won Aoife Dalton was named the OCC Consulting Women's XVs Players' Player of the Year with provincial teammate Niamh O'Dowd, Railway Union's Amee-Leigh Costigan and England-based Dorothy Wall as the nomineesLeinster's Erin King won the Women's XV Player of the Year ahead of fellow Leinster nominees Ruth Campbell and Aoife Leinster-based Dan Sheehan won the Mercedes-Benz Try of the Year for his score in an Ireland shirt against England; Railway Union's Anna McGann got the Women's XV Try of the Year award. Men's Award winner Beirne was unable to collect his award on the night but speaking from South Africa said: 'I'm honoured to be named as the OCC Consulting Men's Players' Player of the Year. 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.'Dalton was named the OCC Consulting Women's XVs Players' Player of the Year following a hugely impactful campaign in the Irish midfield across 2024/25. At just 22, Dalton has already been established as a key figure in an Irish dressing room that is set to up the ante ahead of the Rugby World Cup in England later this year. Speaking as she claimed the Players' Player award, Dalton said: 'It's a very exciting time to be involved with this group of players. 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.'There was a special presentation made to Eimear Considine who made a try-scoring return to international action following two ACL injuries and the birth of her son Caolán and who announced her retirement during the season. To mark both her Irish sporting legacy and longstanding contribution to mental wellbeing discourse in Ireland, Considine was presented with the Zurich Contribution to Irish Society Award as Tackle Your Feelings kicked off its ten-year anniversary Players Ireland Executive Board Member, Iain Henderson said: 'While this season has brought its share of challenges both on and off the field, it's also been a year marked by plenty of individual standout achievements across the game. It's important that we celebrate them and use this as an opportunity to look ahead with real optimism. There's still work to do, but through the support of Rugby Players Ireland, the steps being taken show a collective commitment to moving the game forward.' Simon Keogh, CEO of Rugby Players Ireland added: 'A Rugby Players Ireland Award represents the highest individual accolade a player can receive in our game. To be named by your peers in this way is the ultimate mark of respect. My congratulations to all of our winners tonight. At Rugby Players Ireland, we work to ensure players' voices and efforts are recognised and supported. These awards celebrate not only talent but the influence and standards set behind the scenes that help to drive our game forward.' OCC CONSULTING MEN'S XVs PLAYERS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025Tadhg BeirneNominees: Caelan Doris, Tom Farrell, Jamison Gibson-Park OCC CONSULTING WOMEN'S XVs PLAYERS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025Aoife DaltonNominees: Amee-Leigh Costigan, Niamh O'Dowd, Dorothy Wall NEVIN SPENCE MEN'S XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025Sam PrendergastNominees: Gus McCarthy, Ben Murphy ENERGIA WOMEN's XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025Erin KingNominees: Ruth Campbell, Aoife Dalton MSL MERCEDES-BENZ BALLSBRIDGE MEN'S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR 2025Dan Sheehan (v England)Nominees: Stewart Moore (v Stormers), Dan Sheehan (v Ulster Rugby) AIB CORPORATE BANKING WOMEN'S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR 2025Anna McGann (v Italy)Nominees: Amee-Leigh Costigan (v England), Linda Djougang (v Wales) TRITONLAKE MEN'S 7s PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025Dylan O'GradyNominees: Niall Comerford, Mark Roche TRITONLAKE WOMEN'S 7s PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025Lucinda KinghanNominees: Hannah Clarke, Kate Farrell-McCabe ZURICH CONTRIBUTION TO IRISH SOCIETY AWARD 2025Eimear Considine DRUIDS GLEN HOTEL & GOLF RESORT MOMENT ON THE YEAR 2025Ireland's Triple Crown Success accepted by Caelan Doris About Rugby Players IrelandRugby Players Ireland, as the representative body for Ireland's professional rugby players, consistently strives to make Ireland the best place in the world to play rugby. Rugby Players Ireland is working towards achieving this vision by ensuring that player welfare is always prioritized and that there are fair and equitable terms and conditions for players. The association also adopts a whole of life approach to player development and ensures that the profile enjoyed by Ireland's rugby players contributes to the future development not just of Irish rugby but Irish society as a whole.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Abrahams hails 'great leader' Beirne
Thaakir Abrahams praised Tadhg Beirne's leadership as Munster celebrated their captain's recognition as Men's XVs Players' Players of the Year 2025 at the Rugby Players Ireland Awards. Beirne is set to lead Munster into their URC quarter-final against the Sharks in South Africa on Saturday and sent a video message from the team's hotel in Durban which was played at the awards ceremony at Aviva Stadium on Wednesday night. Ireland team-mate Finlay Bealham collected the award on Beirne's behalf at the event after the lock, three weeks on from his selection for a second British & Irish Lions tour, topped a vote of his peers ahead of fellow Munster player Tom Farrell, and Leinster and Ireland stars Caelan Doris and Jamison Gibson-Park. The Munster players woke up to news of Beirne's award on Thursday morning and speaking later to the Irish Examiner from Durban, Abrahams said: 'He's such a great leader. 'He always speaks up in the huddles and things like that but I think he's also a leader that leads by example, which is really good for us. He will always step up and show us the way. 'When it was mentioned this morning, everyone was surrounding him, it was good. 'We can't celebrate too hard now before the game but definitely after the game we'll have a celebration for him. We celebrate moments like that, we're a tight group.' Doris did collect an award in his capacity as Ireland captain after his side's Triple Crown success in this season's Six Nations was recognised as Moment of the Year, while one of the warmest receptions went to Men's Sevens Players' Player of the Year Dylan O'Grady, with the Irish rugby community to still coming to terms with the IRFU's decision to end the men's sevens programme. Interviewed on stage by awards co-presenters and former players Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble, O'Grady said of that decision: 'Obviously very disappointed at the news of the last few weeks but it's been a tough year for all of us. 'I couldn't be prouder of the lads. We've found ourselves in difficult positions this year but heart and fight we all showed throughout the year, we can all be really proud of. 'You look back to Cape Town, togging out with eight lads (after a virus within the squad). Anyone who's played sevens knows that playing with only one sub can be quite difficult so, yeah, couldn't be prouder of the lads and the fight we put up this whole year with our backs up against the wall.' Reflecting on his time in the Sevens programme, O'Grady said: 'It's been an unbelievable honour for me to be able to travel the world and get to represent our country on big stages and be ambassadors for rugby in areas that probably wouldn't see a whole lot of rugby, your Hong Kongs, Singapore and Vancouver. 'So to be able to do that and hopefully make the IRFU proud and everyone in Ireland proud is a huge honour for me.'
