And the award winners are...

It turned out to be a momentous campaign for Irish rugby, delivering both Magners League and Heineken Cup victories and a huge morale-boosting win for Ireland over England.

Simon Lewis hands out a few more gongs for the 2010-11 season.

Coach of the season: To think Joe Schmidt was fearing for his job just a month into the campaign having taken over the Leinster reins from Michael Cheika. A slow start to the Magners League, including a defeat to Treviso, put the former Clermont backs coach under pressure in his first weeks as a head coach but those trying times were quickly eclipsed by some wonderfully expansive team rugby for the rest of the season. It’s an extension of the Cheika brand but Schmidt has added a collected sense of purpose to his backs, his hiring of fellow Kiwi Greg Feek has improved the scrum considerably and to a man, Leinster players are always there for their team-mates.

Frustrated coach of the season: Connacht’s Eric Elwood wins this one hands down. The province’s elevation to the Heineken Cup for next season following Leinster’s final success will be tempered considerably by the loss of an impressive quartet of rising stars. Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan and Fionn Carr will join Leinster this summer while fly-half Ian Keatley is going to Munster.

Comeback player: Having overcome two serious injuries in his first two seasons at Munster, Leinster outcast Felix Jones is making the most of his first extended run at full-back. Strong in defence and lightning fast with ball in hand make him a contender for a place in the World Cup squad.

Big leap forward: After skirting around the fringes for so long, tighthead prop Mike Ross cemented his place in both the Leinster and Ireland front rows this season, making a considerable contribution to both causes at scrum-time and around the field.

Try of the season: Brian O’Driscoll’s one-handed pick up and carry over the line against the All Blacks during the autumn internationals was superb, particularly given the battering he had taken during November. (Recovered from a hamstring strain, played through a shoulder injury and also suffering a jaw injury.)

The one that got away: The dying moments of the Ireland v France game in Dublin in February, with the French leading 25-22 — Keith Earls breaks down the left, kicks on and cuts in off his line, pressuring Maxime Medard into coughing the ball back. There are men over, an Irish victory beckons with the French defence at sixes and sevens and the ball goes inside, to substitute hooker Sean Cronin, who knocks on with the try line begging. Excruciating.

Shame: The swathes of empty green seats at the Aviva Stadium throughout November exposed the IRFU’s ticketing policy as archaic and inefficient, leaving a lot of bad blood in the clubs. CEO Philip Browne recognised that, issued a mea culpa and has overseen an overhaul.

Thanks for coming award: Shared jointly by Munster and Connacht for their defeat of touring sides Australia and Samoa respectively last November, both very impressive.

Yawn of the season: Scrum resets, cadences, referees taking too high a profile. Crouch...touch...pause...disengage.

Game of season: There was drama, of course, in Cardiff for the way Leinster came back from the dead in their Heineken Cup final after trailing 22-6 to Northampton at half time but their Magners League final seven days later against Munster had more than just a pair of one-sided halves. It was a titanic clash of provincial rivals contested with ferocity, intensity and more than a little flair from both sides – real blood and thunder and a fitting way to end the season as Munster turned the tables on the European champions.

Team of the season: Leinster may have finished the campaign with a defeat but they take this honour by a country mile thanks to their excellent journey to Heineken Cup final success. Thrilling to watch and playing to a consistently high standard, they set the benchmark for the continent by emerging from a heavyweight group containing Clermont Auvergne, Racing Metro and Saracens before knocking out Leicester and defending champions Toulouse en route to their showdown success over Northampton. Outstanding.

About time too award: After a disappointing autumn series and a frustrating first four Six Nations matches, it all finally came together for Ireland in their championship finale against Grand Slam-seeking England. Playing with verve and passion from 1 to 15, Declan Kidney’s team at last fulfilled the promise that had been seen only in glimpses in the previous 10 Tests for a rousing 24-8 victory.

Player of the season: There is a huge shout here for Leinster and Ireland back rower Sean O’Brien, but we’re guessing he’ll be satisfied with his European (ERC) player of the season nod. Instead, fly-half Jonathan Sexton gets the vote, not just for the way he guided Leinster to their European success but also for the manner in which he proved the doubters wrong after some less than spectacular Ireland performances. He followed up his man-of-the match display against England, with similar turns against Toulouse and Northampton, and throwing in the half-time team-talk of the year in Cardiff for good measure was a mighty effort from the No.10.