Munster’s Rassie Erasmus has been named as the Guinness Pro12 coach of the year after guiding his side to the top of the table in his first year in charge of the province.
The former Springbok, who has committed his future to Munster after overtures from his native South Africa, has helped turn around the club’s fortunes during a season in which they also reached the last four of the Champions Cup.
Munster, comfortable winners over Connacht on the final day of the regular season, were also bulk suppliers of the Dream Team with outhalf Tyler Bleyendaal one of six players in the selection. They will now face the Ospreys at Thomond Park on Saturday, May 20th with Leinster at home to the Scarlets the previous evening.
Despite his season tailing off disappointingly, Ulster's Charles Piutau has been named the Player of the Year while Joey Carbery's meteoric rise with Leinster has seen him handed the Young Player award.
Ruan Pienaar, who signed off his seven-year stay at Ulster with an emotional win over Leinster, leaves with one final piece of silverware after his score against Glasgow was named Try of the Season.
And on a night when the Irish provinces were well rewarded, Connacht won the Fair Play Award which was accepted by captain John Muldoon, who made his 300th appearance for the province this season. Connacht will receive €11,800 to put towards their youth development programme.
AWARD WINNERS
Specsavers Fair Play Award: Connacht
Top Try-Scorer: Steff Evans (Scarlets)
Rhino Golden Boot: Sam Davies (Ospreys)
Young Player of the Season: Joey Carbery (Leinster)
Try of the Season: Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)
Dream Team Captain: Ken Owens (Scarlets)
Guinness Pro12 Coach of the Season: Rassie Erasmus (Munster)
Guinness Players' Player of the Season: Charles Piutau (Ulster)
Guinness Pro12 Chairman's Award: Nigel Owens MBE
Guinness Pro12 Dream Team 2016/17: Tiernan O'Halloran (Connacht); Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Jaco Taute (Munster), Rory Scannell (Munster), Charles Piutau (Ulster); Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster); Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Ken Owens (Scarlets, capt), John Ryan (Munster); Ben Toolis (Edinburgh), Billy Holland (Munster); Dan Leavy (Leinster), James Davies (Scarlets), Jack Conan (Leinster).
