Patience pays as Tyler Bleyendaal named Munster Player of the Year

Tyler Bleyendaal’s patience and trust that he would make a meaningful contribution to his Irish province after almost two seasons on the sidelines won its rewards yesterday when the New Zealander was named 2017 Munster Player of the Year.

The former New Zealand U20 captain and fly-half, signed from Canterbury in 2014 but did not arrive in Ireland until January 2015 following a serious neck injury and had to wait until the following September to make his Munster debut. A thigh injury then intervened and restricted Bleyendaal to just five appearances last season but after finally finding full fitness, the out-half has been an influential playmaker for the Reds this season.

Nominated by his fellow players alongside hooker Niall Scannell and tighthead prop John Ryan, Bleyendaal got the nod after the votes of supporters were taken into consideration and yesterday at the Maryborough House hotel in Cork the 26-year-old spoke of his belief that all would be well in the end.