'Dinger' Calvin Nash named Munster Men's Player of the Year
WINNERS: Clockwise, from top left: Maeve Og Leary, Calvin Nash, Brian Gleeson, Gene O'Leary Kareen and Nenagh Ormond's Alan Kennedy
Calvin Nash was hailed as a “winner” and a “dinger” by Mike Prendergast as the Ireland wing was announced as the Bank of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year at the annual Munster Rugby Awards in Adare, Co. Limerick on Tuesday night.
Nash, 27, and Bank of Ireland Women’s Player of the Year Maeve Óg O’Leary, were the headline winners at the awards presented by Virgin Media and held at the Woodlands House Hotel on a night when there were recipients in 11 categories with John Hodnett and Muirne Wall becoming inaugural winners of, respectively, the men’s and women’s Virgin Media Supporters’ Player of the Year awards.
Ireland under-20 back-row Brian Gleeson was named as Academy Player of the Year while the Breakthrough Women’s Player of the Year went to Munster hooker Beth Buttimer.
For Nash, the Player of the Year award came after 2023-24 campaign in which he scored six tries in 18 appearances for his province, highlighted by a superb solo effort in the Champions Cup pool stages at Toulon last January. It helped push the winger into Ireland’s Six Nations squad, where he started all five matches in the successful title defence, scoring tries against France in Marseille in round one and Italy in round two, his second and third Test appearances.
Nash missed the end of season URC play-offs through injury but kept his place in the Ireland squad for the summer tour to South Africa and started both Tests against the Springboks as Andy Farrell’s team tied the series with the world champions.
Munster attack coach Prendergast described Nash as a worthy winner of his Player of the Year award.
“He’s a winger playing with one of the top teams in the world, a player starting for potentially the best team in the world and especially where he’s come from over the last two seasons or so, just a brilliant player,” Prendergast said.
“He has a great feel for the game, always wanting to get better. That’s the beauty of Calvin. He’s powerful, brilliant in the air, some huge moments last year, he can just create things when maybe there isn’t a huge amount on. He’s got that bit of X-factor about him as well and that comes with pace and his power.
“He’s had a huge two seasons, capped with Ireland and not just capped but I thought at international level, you hear about people saying he didn’t look out of depth, for me he looked a bit more than that. He looked very comfortable at international level playing against the best teams in the world.”
Nash had previously cited the impact of Graham Rowntree’s elevation as head coach and the arrival of Prendergast from Racing 92 as Munster’s backs coach in the summer of 2022 for sparking his upturn in form.
“From a defence and attack point of view, it’s the way we play,” Prendergast added.
“Certain profiles suit it and he’s just got that good profile in terms of our framework and what he brings to it. And then there’s other aspects of his game. He’s so good in the air, which is something that’s maybe not spoken about. I remember down in Toulon last season, catching a couple of balls and scoring off one of them, you know, big moments in games, he always comes up with one.
“He talks about us, that’s all well and good but it’s his ability, his want to always get better. He’s one of the guys that every day he comes in, he’s looked at the day’s training the night before, like they all do, but he’ll analyse it to see how he can get better tomorrow. You can feel that often in the morning, you just know. He’s constantly asking questions, he’s brilliant around the place and brilliant to deal with. Just the ultimate pro and we’re privileged to have him here, a worthy winner. Calvin’s a dinger.”
Back-rower O’Leary’s Women’s Player of the Year comes after a season in which the 24-year-old started all four matches for Munster in the recent 2023-24 Women’s Interprovincial Championship, scoring two tries, and played in the province’s historic clash against the Barbarians at Thomond Park last September 30, before representing Ireland in the successful WXV3 competition in Dubai last October.
Other winners at the awards dinner included Referee of the Year Andrew Brace, Senior Club of the Year Nenagh Ormond RFC, Junior Club of the Year Clonakilty RFC and School of the Year PBC Cork.
Bank of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year: Calvin Nash Bank of Ireland
Women’s Player of the Year: Maeve Óg O’Leary
Virgin Media Supporters’ Player of the Year: John Hodnett and Muirne Wall
Academy Player of the Year: Brian Gleeson
Breakthrough Women’s Player of the Year: Beth Buttimer
Referee of the Year: Andrew Brace
Bank of Ireland Senior Club of the Year: Nenagh Ormond RFC
Bank of Ireland Junior Club of the Year: Clonakilty RFC
School of the Year: Presentation Brothers College
Club Age-Grade Section of the Year: Bruff RFC
Club Mini Section of the Year: Dungarvan RFC
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