IRUPA Award Nominees Announced
The Irish Rugby Union Players Association have announced the nominations for their 2008 IRUPA Rugby Players Awards, which will be held on Wednesday, April 23 at O’Reilly Hall in UCD.
The IRUPA awards are the only awards voted for by the players themselves and votes are cast from across all four provinces.
Several of Ireland’s leading players dominate the nominations and amongst the favourites to land the coveted IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year are Wasps and Ireland scrum half Eoin Reddan, dynamic Leinster and Ireland number 8 Jamie Heaslip and flying Ulster and Ireland winger Tommy Bowe.
Niall Woods, chief executive of IRUPA, said: “Winning an award voted for by players who you play with and compete against is the best tribute for any rugby player. The awards ceremony not only celebrates those players who perform week in, week out during the season, but will also raise much needed funds for the IRUPA Injured Players Fund.”
Among the four other awards is the IRUPA Newcomer of the Year Award, contested this year by a feast of talented players including Leinster prop Cian Healy, who faces stiff competition from talented Munster full-back Denis Hurley and up-and-coming Ulster out-half Niall O’Connor.
The winners’ names will be announced at the Awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 23 at O’Reilly Hall in UCD.
For more information on the Irish Rugby Union Players Association, please click here.
IRUPA PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2008:
Tommy Bowe (Ulster)
Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)
Eoin Reddan (London Wasps)
IRUPA UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR 2008:
Rory Best (Ulster)
Andy Dunne (Connacht)
Niall Ronan (Munster)
IRUPA NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2008:
Cian Healy (Leinster)
Denis Hurley (Munster)
Niall O’Connor (Ulster)
IRUPA TRY OF YEAR 2008:
Tommy Bowe (Ireland v Scotland)
Rob Kearney (Ireland v Scotland)
Andrew Trimble (Ulster v Gloucester)
IRUPA HALL OF FAME 2008:
Nomination issued on Tuesday, April 15