...A delighted Declan Kidney poses with his 2006 Philips Sports Manager of the Year award...

Munster coach Declan Kidney has had a personal boost in the run-up to his side's Heineken Cup clash with Cardiff, with the announcement that he is the Philips Sports Manager of the Year for 2006.

Kidney was the easy choice after he guided Munster to their first Heineken Cup title on an emotional day in the Millennium Stadium last May. The Corkman had already picked up the monthly awards for both April and May for Munster's exciting progression through the tournament.

He is following in the footsteps of his former Ireland management colleague Eddie O'Sullivan, who picked up the Philips-sponsored prize for Manager of the Year in 2004.

...John O'Donoghue T.D., the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, and Cel O'Reilly, the Managing Director of Philips Ireland, present Declan Kidney with his award...

Accepting his award, Kidney said: "I feel like a fraud really. I would like to accept this on behalf of the players and the people I work with. Brian O'Brien, the former Irish manager, once said you are only as successful as the people around you want you to be. So the players deserve the credit for this."

Thursday's awards ceremony in Dublin's Berkley Court Hotel marked the 25th anniversary of the Philips awards, with many of the former winners in attendance.