Ireland and Ospreys winger Tommy Bowe was voted as the Magners Players’ Player of the year at a ceremony at the Millennium Stadium on Monday night.
The award is the third individual honour that Bowe has collected after he was named as the outstanding player of the year in both Ireland and Wales already this year.
“This is a great honour, especially as the votes have come from the other players in the Magners League,†said Bowe on receiving the award.
“It was a great season for the Ospreys, culminating in us winning the Grand Final against Leinster in Dublin, and this award rounds off the season very nicely indeed.
“But this has to close the door on the 2009 / 2010 season because the aim now is to go on and successfully defend our title. We know that is going to be a very hard thing to do – and that no team has been able to do that in the past.
“There is a ridiculous amount of young talent at the Ospreys and my first task is to try to break into the team before I can think about anything else.
“As well as Shane Williams and Nikki Walker, we’ve got Tom Prydie, Kristian Phillips, Eli Walker and Richard Fussell all challenging for the wing spots.â€
Bowe fought off opposition from Xavier Rush, Ceri Sweeney, Tim Visser and Aled Brew to claim the award. Visser was voted as young player of the year, while Paul Turner of the Newport Gwent Dragons was voted the coach of the year.
Bowe’s fellow Irish internationals Brian O’Driscoll, Tomas O’Leary, Leo Cullen and Jamie Heaslip were voted alongside the winger in the Magners League dream team.
Magners League dream team: Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster), James Hook (Ospreys), Tim Visser (Edinburgh); Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors), Tomas O’Leary (Munster); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys); Leo Cullen (Leinster), Ali Kellock (Glasgow Warriors, captain); Jerry Collins (Ospreys), John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).
