Latest news with #TomFarrell
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Stormers bruiser locks in URC award
Ruben van Heerden has been crowned the Vodacom United Rugby Championship's (URC) Tackle Machine for 2024-25, highlighting his superb defensive impact for the Stormers this season. The award celebrates the best defender among players who made at least 150 tackles this season, marking Van Heerden as one of South Africa's top performers heading into the URC semi-finals. The towering lock topped the charts with 171 tackles at a staggering 98% success rate, edging out Glasgow's Rory Darge (160 tackles, 97%) and Sharks loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi (157 tackles, 96.8%). Stormers fans have more to cheer about, with winger Leolin Zas sharing the Top Try Scorer title (nine tries) alongside Cardiff's Harri Millard and Munster's Tom Farrell, though Millard ultimately claimed the prize by scoring his nine tries in the fewest minutes played. MORE: Four Boks in race for URC's young gun award Fullback Warrick Gelant also featured strongly, finishing second in the Playmaker Award standings. Gelant's creativity and offloads helped him push Munster's Tom Farrell, who took top honours thanks to his combined tally of try assists (5), offloads (41) and defenders beaten (61). The Sharks were represented on the leaderboard through flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse, who finished second in the Golden Boot category with 108 points, while Lions fullback Quan Horn claimed third in the Playmaker Award race. These awards come as the URC celebrates its standout players before naming the prestigious Elite XV, Next-Gen Player of the Season, Coach of the Season and Players' Player of the Season later this week. URC 2025-25 awards winners Golden Boot: Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets) Top Try Scorer: Harri Millard (Cardiff) Tackle Machine: Ruben van Heerden (Stormers) Ironman: Cam Winnett (Cardiff) Playmaker: Tom Farrell (Munster) The post Stormers bruiser locks in URC award appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Munster star ‘surprised' to overcome Leinster rivals to be named Irish rugby men's player's player of the year
TADHG Beirne was recognised by his fellow players as the OCC Consulting Men's XVs Players' Player of the Year 2025. He was up against clubmate Tom Farrell as well as provincial rivals Jamison Gibson-Park and Caelan Doris to win the award. 2 There were plenty of options for the award from the triple crown winning team 2 Tadhg Beirne was deservedly voted the winner The Munster second-row commented '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.' Beirne was a stalwart in the Irish team and a crucial part to the Read more on Rugby The lock played all but 10 minutes of the campaign scoring a crucial try against Tom Farrell was an unexpected addition to the nominations list, having not been selected for Simon Easterby's side this season. The centre had an impressive debut season with Munster, starting in all their Champions Cup and URC games and scoring 10 tries, including a hat-trick It came as no surprise that Ireland out-half Sam Prendergast was named as the Nevin Spence Men's XVs Young Player of the Year. Most read in Rugby Union The 2022 winner of the award and also brother of Sam, Cian Prendergast presented the award to his younger brother. Dan Sheehan came away with the MSL Mercedes-Benz Ballsbridge Men's XVs Try of the Year for his unbelievable effort off the bench against England. 'Jack Crowley he's coming for you' jokes Peter O'Mahony's wife Jess as son practices his rugby skills The try which saw Sheehan start, continue and finish the move started with a line break pass to Jack Conan which then led to Sheehan again picking out James Lowe with a long pass before receiving the ball back off Lowe, fighting off two players and getting to the line. There was more good news for Leinster as Aoife Dalton won OCC Consulting Women's XVs Players' Player of the Year, Erin King was named Energia Women's XVs Young Player of the Yearand Anna McGann was the winner of the AIB Corporate Banking Women's XVs Try of the Year Upon collecting the award Aoife 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.' Dylan O'Grady who was named as the possibly last ever TritonLake Men's 7s Players' Player of the Year and Lucinda Kinghan was named the TritonLake Women's 7s Players' Player of the Year. Rugby Players Ireland Executive Board Member and Ulster lock 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.'
Irish Examiner
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Munster's Tom Farrell nominated for Men's Players' Player of the Year
Munster's Tom Farrell has been named as one of the nominees for the OCC Consulting Men's Players' Player of the Year. Farrell joins Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, and his provincial teammate Tadhg Beirne on the prestigious shortlist for the award often regarded as the highest individual honour in Irish men's rugby. The winner will be the player that has received the most votes from their fellow players in recognition of their peers' efforts and excellence throughout the season. Last year's winner was Bundee Aki. Read More Sciath na Scol: St Patrick's Girls National School just too strong for Togher In the women's category, Dorothy Wall has received a timely morale boost following news of a long-term injury setback, with her teammates nominating her for the OCC Consulting Women's Players' Player of the Year. Wall is shortlisted alongside Amee-Leigh Costigan, Aoife Dalton, and Niamh O'Dowd, each of whom played pivotal roles in a season of continued progress for the Irish women's side. Returning to host the awards evening at the Aviva Stadium on May 28th are former players Andrew Trimble and Barry Murphy. In addition to celebrating on-field excellence, the night will honour off-field achievements, including a special tribute to the Tackle Your Feelings campaign - an initiative backed by hundreds of Rugby Players Ireland's members - ahead of its 10th anniversary later this year.
Irish Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Impressive Munster signing among nominees for RPI Player of the Year award
Munster's Tom Farrell has been rewarded for a superb debut season for the province by receiving a nomination by his peers for the OCC Consulting Men's XVs Players' Player of the Year as hosted by Rugby Players Ireland. Farrell has been an ever-present for the Reds since joining from Connacht in the summer, with Munster making a late move for him last year as a replacement for Antoine Frisch. The 31-year-old, who is hoping to be capped for the first time in Ireland's summer tour of Georgia and Portugal, is joined on the shortlist by Ireland and Lions duo Jamison Gibson-Park and Tadhg Beirne, along with the unfortunate Leinster and Ireland skipper Caelan Doris - who misses out on the province's ends of season fixtures and the Lions tour after shoulder surgery. If Farrell wins the award he will succeed his former Connacht centre partner Bundee Aki. In the women's category, Amee-Leigh Costigan, Aoife Dalton, Niamh O'Dowd and Dorothy Wall are shortlisted after a big year for the Ireland XVs side in terms of finishing second in the World XV series and qualifying for the World Cup. The news will come as a boost to Wall in particular after the Munster and Ireland flanker was ruled out of the upcoming finals in England through injury.
Irish Examiner
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Tom Farrell: 'At Connacht, on the outside looking in at Munster, I was a bit envious of the big days'
Tom Farrell is hoping Friday will be on the big nights he believes brings out the best in Munster as the province bids to secure its place in the URC play-offs and qualify for next season's Champions Cup. Top-eight rivals Benetton are set to visit a sold-out Virgin Media Park in Cork for the final game of the regular season with both sides needing a victory to be sure of extending their season into the knockout rounds beginning at the end of this month. Munster kept those hopes alive at Thomond Park last Friday when they landed a 38-20 bonus-point victory over derby rivals Ulster, thus ending the northerners' play-off ambitions but the message from inside the Reds' camp since the final whistle in Limerick has been that the job is only half done. That fits right in with what defence coach Denis Leamy said about the organisation on Tuesday, that it is built on knockout rugby and rising to the occasion when it mattered most. As a player in his first season at Munster since a summer move from Connacht, outside centre Farrell admitted those big-game expectations had always attracted him to the southern province. He has more than played his part in delivering big moments in a standout season in which he has started every game in both the URC and Champions Cup, a contribution that sees the 31-year-old lead the league with nine tries scored, 40 offloads, 223 carries and 217 post-contact metres. Farrell is also second in the URC for defenders beaten, 58, and minutes played, 1293. That will count for nothing if Munster fail to get the job done in Cork on Friday but Farrell believes the high stakes will bring out the best in his team, something he also relishes. 'I noticed it in some of the bigger games, just that level of expectation from the outside, from supporters and others, but also it carries in here and you do realise the magnitude of it and please God now we'll live up to it," Farrell said. "I enjoy it, yeah. When I was at Connacht, on the outside looking in at Munster, I was probably a bit envious of it, the big days. I've had some big days here already, like La Rochelle, Croke Park, the All Blacks, they were cool days that I look back on. "I do enjoy it. That bit of pressure I think brings the best out of players and I'd like to think it brings the best out of us as a team." Munster are certainly getting the best out of Farrell when it matters. His hat-trick of tries against Ulster in Belfast just before Christmas delivered a valuable away victory and he followed up in the return fixture last Friday with double at Thomond Park in a man of the match performance, adding to performances and a durability that make this such a memorable campaign from a personal point of view. 'I had a few (seasons) in my early years and later years in Connacht with the same type of injury freeness, but in terms of output or contribution this is probably my best season to date yet, touch wood. 'A lot of it is luck, genuinely. I haven't changed my routine or done anything different since I started. I've always done what I needed to do, my extras with recovery or whatever, but this year I've managed to stay injury free, go on a bit of a run because probably this year there's been injuries in the backline that have opened up a space for me when I wasn't supposed to be playing. 'Tommy, you're going again'.' And so he will once more on Friday night, completing an ever-present 18 games across the URC regular season in his 24th consecutive Munster appearance, though Farrell is not taking anything for granted in terms of performance levels as a team, despite the encouraging signs from a six-try outing last time out. 'Rugby is so up and down. Like we had a great game against Ulster but the week before that we weren't where we needed to be against Cardiff. "So I don't try to get too high or too low about things. Like after Cardiff you get disappointed but you can't let yourself dwell on it too much because you've Ulster coming up, and you can't rest on your laurels after Ulster, so I just try to stay as level as I can." It is a wise policy with Benetton arriving in Cork having defeated defending champions Glasgow 33-7 last Saturday with a performance Farrell said would not allow Munster to cast an eye beyond Friday night. 'We haven't even talked about play-offs. We know the magnitude of this game and the level of opposition that's coming to town after they put 30 points on a fully loaded Glasgow team. So we know what's coming."
