Humble Heaslip hails coach Cheika
The number eight was last night named the Bank of Ireland Leinster Player of the Year following a series of barnstorming performances, notably in the Heineken Cup quarter-final win over Clermont Auvergne and the recent victory in the derby against Munster in the last four of the Magners League.
Heaslip’s award was presented in front of 350 guests at the province’s annual awards ceremony at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin last night.
The Naas native was keen to deflect the praise in the direction of Cheika, who ends a five-year tenure at the province this summer before a move to French side Stade Francais.
“I don’t think I’ve ever received an award of this stature before on an individual basis and I wouldn’t like to take too much credit because I couldn’t have achieved this without my team-mates and coaches,” said Heaslip.
“The way the squad has been managed this year has kept guys fresh for every game and that has affected me positively, touch wood. It’s also down to Cheiks’ ability to rotate the squad, the fitness
“We have a huge test coming up against the Ospreys and it will be another battle up front. They have an array of talent out wide, so we will have to up our levels again next week.
“There’s no sense of our season being complete even though we were pleased to beat Munster in the semi-final. While it’s humbling and I’m extremely grateful to receive this award, I hope that it won’t be the last one for this season.”
Shane Jennings was another in the spotlight last night, having recently passed the 100-cap milestone for his province. Leinster and Ireland great Paddy Madigan was inducted into the Guinness Hall of
Fresh from leading the Ireland U20s to Six Nations success, back-row forward Rhys Ruddock picked up the Powerade Young Player of the Year award in his first season in the Leinster Academy.
Other individual winners included Isa Nacewa (Tackle of the Year), Gordon D’Arcy (Try of the Year) and Tania Rosser (Women’s Player of the Year), while Boyne’s Bevan Duffy and Clondalkin’s Jonny Stapleton picked up the Club Player and PRO of the Year awards respectively.
Collective prizes went to St Mary’s College (Senior Club of the Year), Seapoint (Junior Club of the Year) and St Gerard’s Bray (School of the Year).
Club PRO of the Year: Jonny Stapleton (Clondalkin); Ladies Player of the Year: Tania Rosser; Junior Club of the Year: Seapoint; Tackle of Year: Isa Nacewa; Senior Club of the Year: St. Mary’s College; School of the Year: St Gerard’s School; Club Player of the Year: Bevan Duffy; Young Player of the Year: Rhys Ruddock; Try of the Year: Gordon D’Arcy (v Munster, Magners League, October 3); Hall of Fame: Paddy Madigan; Player of the Year: Jamie Heaslip.
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