‘Schmidt turned my career around’

Andrew Trimble’s Six Nations-winning campaign with Ireland gained further acclaim last night when he was named Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year 2014.

The Ulster wing, currently on the sidelines after suffering a toe injury last month, becomes the first serving Ulster player since David Humphreys in 1999 to win the coveted award.

The 30-year-old said: “It’s a huge honour for me to receive the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year Award. It’s always nice picking up an individual award like this, but I have to put it down to being part of such a successful Ireland team last season.