O’Driscoll tops with his peers

LEINSTER and Ireland centre Brian O’Driscoll, was last night voted the Bord Gáis Energy IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year by his fellow players at the 7th annual Bord Gáis Energy IRUPA Rugby Awards.

O’Driscoll beat off competition from Tommy Bowe and Stephen Ferris of Ulster to win the coveted honour.

Munster’s Keith Earls was also among those honoured when he was awarded the IRUPA Nature Valley Young Player of the Year.

Accepting the prize, O’Driscoll said: “This award has capped a fantastic season for me so far and also for Irish rugby. This trophy has escaped me for seven years so it’s great to finally get up on stage to collect it as it is the ultimate award in Irish rugby. I take great pleasure in winning it as it comes from the people who I respect most, my fellow players.”

Jamie Heaslip picked up the IRUPA Tyrone Crystal Try of the Year for his try against France in the Six Nations Championship and Leinster’s Stan Wright collected the IRUPA Energise Sport Unsung Hero Award.

Joining Ireland’s heroes in the Bord Gáis Energy IRUPA Hall of Fame was Munster legend, Anthony Foley.

O’Driscoll was also awarded the Bord Gais IRUPA Rugby Supporters Player of the Year as voted by listeners of Newstalk.

Niall Woods, chief executive of the IRUPA said: “Winning one of these awards is the recognition that players want. The winners can take great pride in knowing that they have the total respect of those who they play with and against.”

The awards were handed out in the presence of some of the game’s most well-known names including former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio; Rocky Elsom; Lions captain Paul O’Connell; and former Ireland legends Keith Wood and David Humphreys.