O’Brien named ERC Player of the Year

THE trophies kept coming Leinster’s way last night as back row star Sean O’Brien was named as the ERC European Player of the Year for 2011.

O’Brien played an instrumental role in Leinster’s heroic fightback from a 22-6 deficit to win the Heineken Cup final over Northampton Saints at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday night as the province won the title for the second time in three seasons.

The award, though, reflects the 24-year-old’s contribution to the Leinster cause in all nine games that took them to Heineken Cup victory at the weekend, earning man of the match awards in three of them. He received his specially struck gold medal from ERC chief executive Derek McGrath yesterday at a ceremony at the RDS as Leinster prepared for this weekend’s Magners League grand final.