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Rugby Players Ireland Award Nominees 2024 Announced

14th May 2024

Category: Engage

Rugby Players Ireland Award Nominees 2024 Announced

Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park and Dan Sheehan have been announced as nominees for the prestigious BDO Ireland Men’s XVs Players’ Player of the Year Award for 2024. Set to be hosted by former players Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble, the Rugby Players Ireland Awards celebrates the on and off the field achievements of Rugby Players Ireland’s members and will take place on May 22^nd at The Clayton Hotel on the Burlington Road in Ballsbridge.

Nominated for the second year in succession, Sheehan once again cast his ominous presence over a Six Nations winning campaign as he finished as the Championship’s joint top try scorer with Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe. Sheehan has also been a central feature of Leinster Rugby’s season which will see them contest the Investec Champions Cup Final in London next week.

In addition to Sheehan’s contributions, Jamison Gibson-Park has taken his game to new heights this season for both club and country. In a year in which he received Irish citizenship, Gibson-Park has been central to the national cause while leading Leinster’s evolution in the post-Johnny Sexton era. Having been nominated for both Six Nations Player of the Championship and World Rugby Player of the Year, Bundee Aki has been in the form of his life and will hope to claim the award won by Calean Doris last year.

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Another nominee for Six Nations Player of the Championship this season was Aoife Wafer who led the charge for WXV1 and Rugby World Cup qualification. Having spent much of her young career on the sidelines, Wafer announced herself on the international stage with several powerful performances alongside fellow backrower Brittany Hogan who has also been nominated for the Strata Financial Women’s XVs Players’ Player of the Year. A gold medallist on the SVNS Series stage, Aoibheann Reilly carried her good form in that code into the XVs game and completes the nominee list.

Wafer is also nominated for both the Energia Women’s XVs Young Player of the Year Award and AIB Corporate Banking Wmen’s XVs Try of the Year Award, categories which also feature 18-year-old Katie Corrigan. Meanwhile, one of Tom Ahern, Joe McCarthy or last year’s winner Jack Crowley will be named as the Nevin Spence Men’s XVs Young Player of the Year.

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Travis Hayto

With Olympic qualification secured and several medals added to a growing SVNS Series haul, it has been another hugely positive year for the Irish Sevens programme. Having been part of the side that claimed gold in Perth, Megan Burns has been nominated for the TritonLake Women’s 7s Players’ Player of the Year alongside Beibhinn Parsons multiple award winner Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe. Terry Kennedy’s return to the 7s set-up sees him back in the nominees list for TritonLake Men’s 7s Player of the Year which also features Harry McNulty and Zac Ward.

With any number of season highlights standing out, the Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort Moment of the Year will be amongst the most hotly contested accolades, while the night will also see the Zurich Irish Contribution to Society Award presented to Keith Earls for his immense contribution to the community.

BDO IRELAND MEN’S XVs PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Sheehan

STRATA FINANCIALS WOMEN’S XVs PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Brittany Hogan, Aoibheann Reilly, Aoife Wafer

NEVIN SPENCE MEN’S XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Tom Ahern, Jack Crowley, Joe McCarthy

ENERGIA WOMEN’s XVs YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2024

Katie Corrigan, Dannah O’Brien, Aoife Wafer

MSL MERCEDES-BENZ BALLSBRIDGE MEN’S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR 2024

Craig Casey (v Leinster), James Lowe (v Scotland), Calvin Nash (v France)

AIB CORPORATE BANKING WOMEN’S XVs TRY OF THE YEAR 2024

Katie Corrigan (v Italy), Katie Corrigan (v Wales), Aoife Wafer (v Wales)