Heaslip is player of the year in Leinster

NEWS ROUND-UP:LEINSTER NUMBER eight Jamie Heaslip won the Leinster Player of the Year award at the annual awards in Dublin last night. One of the outstanding players for his club and Ireland this year Heaslip follows last year's winner Rocky Elsom.

In a doffing of the cap to Heaslip’s serial man-of-the-match awards throughout the year, the Leinster players have taken to nick name him “Rocky”. Heaslip paid tribute to coach Michael Cheika’s judicious use of the squad since last September, which he says has kept him and other players fresh.

“The way Leinster has been managed this year has kept guys fresh for every game and that has affected me positively, touch wood,” said Heaslip. “It’s also down to Cheik’s ability to rotate the squad and everyone on the squad for pushing each other. We have another huge test next weekend against the Ospreys and it will be another massive battle up front.

“There is no sense of our season being complete even though we were pleased to beat Munster in the semi-finals. While it’s humbling and I’m extremely grateful to receive this award, I hope it won’t be the last one for this season.”

It appears number eights are the flavour of the month as Ulster’s Chris Henry has also topped off the end of the season in scooping three awards in Ulster. Henry won Personality of the Year as well as Rugby Writers Players of the Year and the Ulster Supporters’ Outstanding Player of the Season at a ceremony in Belfast late on Thursday night. The Ulster Player of the Year award, however, went to Andrew Trimble.

The big ball-carrying backrow Henry, who has also been selected on Declan Kidney’s 33-man Ireland squad for the summer tour New Zealand and Australia, stepped in this season as Ulster captain when regular skipper Rory Best was injured.

In both the Magners League and Heineken Cup campaigns the hard worker has shown himself to be a natural leader. Henry was also key to the Ireland A side’s success last year in the Churchill Cup. Legendary Irish outhalf Jack Kyle, one of the inspirations behind Ireland’s Grand Slam win in 1948, was also inducted into the Ulster Hall of fame as was Old Belvedere’s Paddy Madigan in Leinster.

LEINSTER ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS:Club PRO of the Year, Jonny Stapleton (Clondalkin); Woman's Player of the Year, Tania Rosser; Junior Club of the Year, Seapoint; Tackle of Year, Isa Nacewa; Senior Club of the Year, St Mary's College; School of the Year, St Gerard's School; Club Player of the Year, Bevan Duffy; Young Player of the Year, Rhys Ruddock; Try of the Year, Gordon D'Arcy (v Munster, Magners League, 3rd October); Hall of Fame, Paddy Madigan; Player of the Year, Jamie Heaslip.

ULSTER ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS:Personality of the Year, Chris Henry; Rugby Writers' Player of the Year, Chris Henry; Ulster Rugby Supporters Club Outstanding Player of the Season, Chris Henry: Ulster Youth Player of the Year, Jonathan Murphy (Banbridge RFC); Ulster Schools' Player of the Year, Charlie Simpson; Phoenix Academy Player of the Year, Nevin Spence; Club of the Year, Ballymoney RFC; Award for Services to Rugby, Hal Burnison; Club Player of the Year, Mark Robinson (QUB); IRFU Ulster Branch Hall of Fame, Dr Jack Kyle; Ulster Player of the Year, Andrew Trimble; Young Player of the Year, Jamie Smith; Special Merit Award, IRFU Ulster Branch Honorary Secretary, Joe Eagleson.