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Highlights: May 2024

Rugby Players Ireland Awards 2024

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Our congratulations to all our winners on what was another memorable night for the players’ association. With up to 700 guests in attendance, former players Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble led proceedings with their customary charm and wit. In addition to the award winners, former Rugby Players Ireland Chairperson Johnny Sexton‘s career was celebrated with a dedicated segment to the recently retired former Irish Rugby captain. He was presented with a Shane Monahan commissioned piece by current Chair, Peter O’Mahony. 

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

BDO IRELAND MEN’S 15s PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Bundee Aki; Nominated: Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Sheehan

STRATA FINANCIAL WOMEN’S 15s PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Aoife Wafer; Nominated: Brittany Hogan, Aoibheann Reilly

NEVIN SPENCE MEN’S 15s YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Joe McCarthy; Nominated: Tom Ahern, Jack Crowley

ENERGIA WOMEN’s 15s YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Aoife Wafer; Nominated: Katie Corrigan, Dannah O’Brien

MSL MERCEDES-BENZ BALLSBRIDGE MEN’S 15s TRY OF THE YEAR

Winner: Craig Casey (v Leinster); Nominated: James Lowe (v Scotland), Calvin Nash (v France)

AIB CORPORATE BANKING WOMEN’S 15s TRY OF THE YEAR

Winner: Katie Corrigan (v Italy); Nominated: Katie Corrigan (v Wales), Aoife Wafer (v Wales)

TRITONLAKE MEN’S SEVENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Zac Ward; Nominated: Terry Kennedy, Harry McNulty

TRITONLAKE WOMEN’S SEVENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Megan Burns; Nominated: Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Béibhinn Parsons

ZURICH CONTRIBUTION TO IRISH SOCIETY AWARD

Keith Earls

DRUIDS GLEN HOTEL & GOLF RESORT MOMENT ON THE YEAR

Ireland Men’s 2024 Six Nations campaign

Global Rugby Players Foundation

Several of the games legendary figures have come together to form the Global Rugby Players Foundation which aims to empower retired rugby players to lead healthy and fulfilling lives after they leave the game. It seeks to reframe the concept of retirement by looking at it as a positive challenge and an opportunity for people to forge new careers, build new connections and expand their identity.

Gratefully, Rugby Players Ireland has been chosen as one of the first to lead out the new charity’s programme which will provide a range of holistic supports using local solutions. 

Player Development

Rugby Players Ireland HQ played host to the Professional Players Federation and a meeting of its Education & Training Committee. A huge range of topics were covered with the opportunity for cross sport learning and collaboration explored between representatives from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 

Retirements

As ever, the final weeks of the season brings with it news of impending retirements. In recent weeks, Conor Kenny, Leah Lyons, Kevin O’Byrne, Tiernan O’Halloran, Rory O’Loughlin, Ciaran Parker, Ruen Pienaar, Rhys Ruddock and Simon Zebo have all announced their intention to retire from the game this summer. 

Currently based in Sale, Leah Lyons has struggled with injury for some time and has occupied management roles with Sale Sharks Women this season. Aged 29, Lyons became a much respected figure in the Irish game not only for almost 30 Irish caps but also for the way she spoke out about the need for inclusion and body positivity in sport. In 2019, she was part of World Rugby’s ‘Try and Stop Us’ campaign, revealing how rugby had helped her overcome bullying and become a role model for young rugby players. 

Based in Ealing since him move from Munster Rugby in 2022, former PRO14 Dream Team member Kevin O’Byrne has also hung up his boots. Further down the road, Rory O’Loughlin has been forced into retirement because of injury. Capped once by Ireland, O’Loughlin left Leinster Rugby in 2022 for Exeter Chiefs where he made 24 appearances before suffering a serious shoulder injury at the start of the current campaign. 

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

After 15 years, 236 appearances and 48 tries, Tiernan O’Halloran brings the curtain down on his Connacht Rugby career. Having played a significant role in Connacht’s famous PRO12 success of 2016, the Galwayman went on to answer his country’s call, earning six caps. His former teammate Conor Kenny has also announced his retirement following a series of neck surgeries. His last appearance for Newcastle Falcons came last season. 

Leinster Rugby stalwart Rhys Ruddock also bids adieu. Capped 27 times for Ireland, Ruddock always seemed like the old reliable even at a comparatively young age often tasked with leadership duties for both club and country. Still just 33, Ruddock has been almost an ever-present for Leinster since 2009 and will hope to add to his 228 Leinster Rugby appearances as they go in search of the URC title. 

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan

Finally, Simon Zebo becomes the latest Munster Rugby legend to move on. One of the best players ever to grace Thomond Park, Munster Rugby’s record try-scorer famously departed his home province to enjoy a try-scoring stint in Paris with Racing 92 before returning home in 2021. While the last of his 35 Irish caps came in 2017, Zebo will always be remembered fondly by the Irish Rugby faithful for the exuberance and energy he brought to the field. 

Achievements

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/James Crombie

Plenty of on and off field achievement in May, which started off with Cian Healy becoming the most capped player in the history of the Champions Cup. The Dubliner made it 111 as he came off the bench in Leinster’s semi-final victory over Northampton Saints. He went on to appear in his eighth final in the competition. 

Joe McCarthy won the highly coveted Sports Person of the Year Award at Trinity College. 

Jack O’Donoghue won his 200th Munster Rugby cap, the youngest-ever player to reach the landmark. 

Shamus Hurley-Langton and Nicole Fowley were the big winners at the Connacht Rugby Awards scooping respective Player of the Year acknowledgements with Cathal Forde named as the Fans’ Player of the Year. Fowley also recently celebrated her marriage to her long-time partner and teammate, Mary Healy. After sustaining an injury in his second session with the club, Santiago Cordero made his much anticipated debut in an 18 minute cameo against the Stormers. Meanwhile Diarmuid Kilgallen is up for an award of a different kind following the NUIG student’s nomination for Law Student of the Year. 

Anna McGann returned from over a year out through injury to take her place in the Irish Women’s Sevens squad for the SVNS Series Finale in Madrid. It follows the inspirational return of Ashleigh Orchard (née Baxter) who had transitioned into coaching following a cruel run of injuries. Then, having given birth to her daughter Arabella last August, the 32-year-old showed immense determination to get back on the pitch only months later, lighting a fire that has led her back to the green jersey she first wore in 2012.

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Joe Hamby

Movement

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Will Addison has bid farewell to Ulster Rugby and will return to Sale Sharks where he began his career. Between 2008 and 2024 Addison represented Ireland on five occasions but given the injuries which plagued his time in Belfast, he was arguably deprived of many more. In addition to Addison, Munster bound Billy Burns and the retiring Angus Curtis and Luke Marshall, Ulster have confirmed that Dave Ewers, Shea O’Brien, James French, Steven Kitshoff and Greg Jones are leaving the club.

South African winger Thaakir Abrahams will link up with Munster Rugby on a two-year deal this summer. A former Junior Springbok, he joins from Lyon. Daniel Okeke leaves the club to join Coventry Rugby, while following weeks of speculation Antoine Frisch confirmed that he is departing for Toulon.

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Amongst those departing Connacht Rugby is Tom Farrell who replaces Frisch in Limerick, where he will link up once again with Diarmuid Kilgallen whose move was announced lat month. Also moving on from Galway are Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Tom Daly, Jarrad Butler, Gavin Thornbury, Matthew Burke, Oran McNulty, and Tadgh McElroy, while Michael McDonald will return to Ulster after completing his season-long loan. Former Irish underage internationals Adam McBurney and David O’Connor join from Edinburgh Rugby and Ealing, with Ben Murphy and Temi Lasisi arriving from Leinster Rugby. 

Leinster announced a number of contract updates including Max Deegan, Ryan Baird, Will Connors, Paddy McCarthy, Brian Deeny, centurion Ed Byrne is bound for Cardiff Blues. 

Clubhouse

James Downey is part of the Louth GAA set-up which saw the county take on Dublin in the recent Leinster Football Final at Croke Park. 

Lindsay Peat continues to defy her age. The former Irish international prompted calls for her return to the international set-up when she was named as the Energia Women’s AIL Player of the Year for her performances with Railway Union. 

Mike McCarthy explored the experience of his retirement and how he has managed to somewhat replicate the match day buzz. Read his interview here.

Finally, Paul Marshall facilitated a meeting of Ulster Rugby past players at Dan Tuohy‘s new café, Izzy’s. A few even braved an early morning watt bike session.