Van der Flier and Jones honoured with Player of the Year awards

Ireland men's flanker and women's hooker named as winners by Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland who also honour outgoing Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson, Mick Galwey and Phillip Matthews

BEST OF THE BEST: Josh van der Flier with his Guinness Rugby Writers Award. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Josh van der Flier and Neve Jones have been named the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Men’s and Women’s Players of The Year respectively as their outstanding performances for club and country throughout the 2021-22 season were acknowledged in Dublin on Wednesday.

Sevens internationals Terry Kennedy and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, the Ireland Men’s XV team, outgoing Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson and Enniscorthy Rugby Club were amongst the other award recipients at the Guinness Storehouse while Rugby Writers Ireland also inducted Munster legend Mick Galwey and 1985 Five Nations winner Phillip Matthews into its Hall of Fame.

Leinster and Ireland flanker van der Flier was a key component of the national side’s stellar campaign under Andy Farrell which also netted the Ireland men the Dave Guiney Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Team of the Year award, which was collected by head coach Farrell and captain Johnny Sexton at the ceremony.

Accepting his award as men’s player of the year, van der Flier, 29, spoke of an incredibly special year on and off the pitch and looked forward to the coming months in the blue of Leinster and green of Ireland as he nears a return to fitness from an ankle injury. Ever-present for Ireland throughout last season at openside flanker, he was part of a team that beat New Zealand in Dublin last November, won the Six Nations Triple Crown and then completed an historic series win against the All Blacks on Kiwi soil this summer, playing at a consistently high standard throughout.

“I am very proud to have been voted the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year,” van der Flier said. “On a personal and professional level, 2022 has been incredibly special for me and it was wonderful to have our amazing supporters backing us throughout the season.

“All my team-mates at Leinster and Ireland were equally incredible last season and I definitely would not be picking up this award without their help. I hope that we can keep all improving over the next 12 months as we look ahead to an exciting year for Irish Rugby.” 

GREAT YEAR: Neve Jones with her Guinness Rugby Writers Award.

Last season was also a success for Gloucester-Hartpury and Ireland hooker Jones, who was outstanding in the 2022 TikTok Women’s Six Nations and scored a hat-trick of tries in the opening Test match of the summer tour to Japan.

Speaking of the “huge honour” of being named Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Women’s Player of the Year, Jones added: “There is no doubt that this has been the most enjoyable year of my rugby career so far and to be the recipient of this award just tops that off.

“I was also delighted to be a part of Ireland’s historic tour to Japan and I am really looking forward to the years ahead with this team.” 

 Kennedy picked up the Men’s 7s Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year, having landed the World Series Top Try Scorer title, having crossed the try line 50 times. He was also named in the World Series Dream Team before helping Ireland claim a bronze medal at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.

Murphy Crowe won the Women’s 7s Player of the Year award for the second time in her career after reaching a century of tries this season and also being named on the World Series Dream Team. She played a pivotal role in helping the Irish women’s side qualify for the Rugby World Cup Sevens and also featured for the Women’s XV side in the 2021 Autumn Internationals and the 2022 TikTok Women’s Six Nations.

Also honoured on the night was retiring Leinster Rugby CEO Dawson who was awarded the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Tom Rooney Award in recognition of his service to the sport. Dawson will step down next month having overseen a period of extraordinary success on and off the field for Leinster, his 21 years in post featuring four Champions Cup titles, one European Challenge Cup win and eight domestic league titles.

Elsewhere, Enniscorthy RFC won the vote for Club of the Year after winning Division 2B of the Energia Men's All Ireland League last season in their first season following promotion.

Finally, former British and Irish Lions, Ireland and Munster player Galwey and former Barbarian, British and Irish Lion, Ireland and Ulster player Matthews were both inducted into the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Hall of Fame.

Galwey won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal with Kerry before committing himself to rugby, where he went on to win 41 caps for Ireland and was selected for the Lions tour to New Zealand in 1993. Matthews, meanwhile, made 38 appearances for Ireland, captaining the side on 13 occasions. He was also part of the 1985 Five Nations Championship winning team and represented Ireland at two Rugby World Cups in 1987 and 1991.