Caelan Doris and Neve Jones pick up Player of the Year awards
WINNER: Bank of Ireland Group Director Paula Murphy presents the Irish Men’s XV’s Players Player of the Year award to Caelan Doris. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Caelan Doris and Neve Jones landed the top awards from their peers at the 2023 Rugby Players Ireland Awards in Dublin on Wednesday night while Jack Crowley’s week of celebrations continued following his drop-goal heroics with Munster.
Leinster and Ireland back-rower Doris was named the Bank of Ireland’s Men’s XVs Players’ Players of the Year 2023 ahead of fellow nominees and Grand Slam-winning team-mates Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan and Dan Sheehan. The 25-year-old was ever present at No.8 in Ireland’s historic first Test series win against the All Blacks in New Zealand last summer and started all five games in Ireland’s clean sweep of this year’s Guinness Six Nations.
Receiving his award, Doris also looked forward to both this autumn’s World Cup in France and his province’s Heineken Champions Cup final against La Rochelle at Aviva Stadium this Saturday.
“I am honoured to receive this recognition from my fellow players. Across the season, we rely on each other as team-mates to be a strong support for one another, both on and off the field.
“To be acknowledged by them for any contribution I have made to their season is very special. It is fantastic to receive this award, but I want to acknowledge my team-mates and fellow nominees - what a phenomenal season it has been for Irish rugby and Leinster Rugby and I’m excited to see what we are capable of achieving together in the coming days and months.”
Ireland hooker Jones was named the Bank of Ireland’s Women’s XVs Players’ Player of the Year 2023 during the awards ceremony at Dublin’s Clayton Burlington hotel having topped the vote by members of the Ireland squad, who accepted the trophy on her behalf. Jones edged out fellow forwards Deirbhile Nic a Bháird and Ireland captain Nichola Fryday as RPI members acknowledged her defensive contributions and work rate during what she acknowledged as a difficult, winless TikTok Women’s Six Nations for Ireland.
“This has been a tough year for the team, but we have shown some great examples of our character and resilience,” Jones said. “We are an extremely close team and are proud to back each other on the good and bad days. This award could go to anyone in the green jersey this season, so it really is an honour to be recognised and to be able to represent a fantastic group of players.”
There was some compensation for Fryday, who picked up the AIB Corporate Banking Women’s XVs Try of the Year for her score against Scotland in last month’s Six Nations while their backline team-mate Aoife Dalton was voted iZest Marketing Women’s XVs Young Player of The Year.
Munster fly-half Crowley became the latest annual recipient of the Nevin Spence Men’s Young Player of the Year Award, his match-winning drop goal in last Saturday’s BKT URC semi-final win over Leinster underlining the 23-year-old’s potential for producing memorable performances in a year in which he made his Test debut to stake his claim for a place in Ireland’s World Cup squad.
A glittering season for the national men’s side was also recognised at the RPI Awards with Mack Hansen landing the MSL Mercedes-Benz Dealerships’ Men’s XVs Try of the Year prize for his finish of Ireland’s team try in the November victory over world champions South Africa.
And captain Johnny Sexton accepted the Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort Moment of the Year Award on behalf of the Ireland team for the Six Nations Grand Slam success.
Also receiving awards were Ireland 7s captain Lucy Mulhall, named the TritonLake Women’s 7s Player of the Year in the week her side qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Andrew Smith picked up the TritonLake Men’s 7s Player of the Year while Leinster’s Alex Soroka was rewarded with the Zurich Contribution to Irish Society Award following his fundraising effort for the Ukrainian National Children's Hospital.
RPI chairperson Peter O’Mahony said: “It is an honour to be here this evening and to celebrate the achievements of so many of our players who have demonstrated exceptional talent and dedication on and off the field. It is important we recognise the significant contribution of these players as we seek collectively to grow and reach new heights in Irish rugby.”
BANK OF IRELAND’S MEN’S XVs PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BANK OF IRELAND’S WOMEN’S XVs PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR
NEVIN SPENCE MEN’S XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
IZEST MARKETING WOMEN’s XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
MSL MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIPS‘ MEN’S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR
AIB CORPORATE BANKING WOMEN’S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR
TRITON LAKE MEN’S 7s PLAYER OF THE YEAR
TRITON LAKE WOMEN’S 7s PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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