The JOE.ie Men of the Year Awards 2010 are fast approaching so let’s take a look at who is nominated and why in the category of Rugby Player of the year.
Given Ireland’s dramatic Grand Slam victory and Leinster’s Heineken Cup triumph in 2009, 2010 was always going to be a hard act to follow for Irish rugby, but some of our leading lights continued to shine nevertheless.
As far as the national team is concerned, defeat to Scotland in the final game summed up a disappointing Six Nations campaign, while the less said about the results on the summer tour the better.
The November Internationals were a mixed bag, as while we failed to beat the cream of the southern hemisphere, a number of emerging players showed that they have what it takes to cut it at this level, while there were signs that Ireland are trying to play a more attacking and exciting brand of rugby that should hold us in good stead for what will be a massive year in 2011.
From a provincial perspective, both Leinster and Munster qualified for the Heineken Cup semi-finals last season and look well on course for the quarter-finals this time around. Ulster too, have a good chance of being in the last eight and have arguably never had a stronger squad, while Connacht were denied a place in the Challenge Cup final last season by a star studded Toulon side and although results haven’t gone their way so far this campaign, the performances have certainly been encouraging.
All in all then, it’s been a so-so year for Irish rugby, but there are plenty of signs that the future is bright. Here are the players who impressed us most this year and are worthy nominees for the JOE.ie Rugby Player of the Year award.
Jonathan Sexton
The Leinster out half has come on in leaps and bounds in recent seasons, to the extent that he is now firmly established as Ireland’s first choice out-half ahead of the ever excellent Ronan O’Gara. Sexton helped Leinster to the Heineken Cup semi-final last season and was one of the few players to distinguish themselves on the tour of the Southern hemisphere in the summer. Sexton has been the subject of overtures from France of late and it’s no wonder given his sparkling form for province and country.
Keith Earls
A precocious talent, who was selected on the Lions Tour in the summer of 2009 despite the fact that he hadn’t established himself as a regular for either Munster or Ireland. His versatility has hindered him at times and there is some still debate as to his best position.
Earls hasn’t let it bother him, however and was outstanding during an otherwise disappointing Six Nations campaign earlier this year, scoring a try against England and two against Wales to finish as the competition’s joint leading try-scorer. Earls has been in excellent form for Munster so far this campaign as the province top the Magners League and look set to qualify for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup.
Donncha O’Callaghan
Big Donncha is renowned as a messer off the pitch, but he doesn’t mess about on it, as he is one of the most hard working players in both the Munster and Ireland sides. A lot of the work O’Callaghan does, whether it be hitting ruck after ruck or making countless tackles, goes unnoticed, but certainly not by his teammates. O’Callaghan is one of the first names on the team sheet for both Munster and Ireland and he impressed for both sides in 2010, despite the absence of his old mucker and second row colleague Paul O’Connell for the majority of the year.
Tommy Bowe
Bowe’s quality in 2010 has been illustrated by the sheer amount of awards that have already come the way of the Monaghan man in the last 12 months or so. The Ospreys winger has already been awarded the 2010 RBS Six Nations Player of the Championship, the Irish Rugby Players Union Association (IRUPA) Player of the Year, the Welsh Rugby Players Association Player of the Year and the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year this year.
Can he add the most prestigious award of them all, the JOE.ie Rugby Player of the Year award, to that impressive haul? In 2010, Bowe was joint top try scorer in the Six Nations, won the Magners League with the Ospreys and is now regarded as one of the most dangerous wingers in the Northern hemisphere. It will take a good man to beat him to this award.
Leo Cullen
Always an inspirational force for Leinster, Cullen forced his way into the Ireland reckoning earlier this year and started the Six Nations games against Italy and France thanks to some quality displays for his province. A serious lineout operator, Cullen missed a good chunk of the start of the season because of a shoulder injury, but has recovered to steer Leinster up the Magners League table after a dire start and has also helped them to within touching distance of the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
Jamie Heaslip
A future Ireland captain in the making, Heaslip has become arguably the best number eight in the northern hemisphere. Really stood up to be counted in the recent November internationals where his ball carrying abilities and dynamism in open play came to the fore. His sending off for a vicious knee to the head of Richie McCaw during the summer tour was a blot on his copybook, but some would argue that the All Black captain was due some harsh punishment for the way he constantly gets away with an illegal approach at the breakdown!
Mick O’Driscoll
Micko has always been valued in Munster, but especially so this season as the number five was vacated by the injured Paul O’Connell. When O’Connell’s not around, it’s O’Driscoll that calls the shots at the lineout and he has done so with distinction this season. Made his mark at international level of late and is always a reliable lieutenant to call on in the second row, whether it is from the start, or as a replacement for his more high profile Munster and Ireland colleagues O’Connell and O’Callaghan.
Chris Henry
A consistent presence in the Ulster back row, Henry would have made more than one appearance for Ireland were in not for the sheer wealth of options available to Declan Kidney in that particular section of the team. The 26-year old was given his chance in the tour of the southern hemisphere during the summer, however and was definitely one of the few positives to emerge from what was an otherwise forgettable few games from an Irish point of view.
Continues to hold his own in Ulster despite the arrival of the South African contingent and will be pushing Ferris, Wallace, Heaslip and company hard for a starting berth in the Irish team next year.
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