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Munster coach Rob Penney is preparing his side for the Pro12 semi-finals. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
leaving present

Munster's Rob Penney wins RaboDirect Pro12 Coach of the Year

Dan Biggar was voted Players’ Player of the Year, edging out Ulster scrum-half [and exceptional out-half] Ruan Pienaar.

MUNSTER’s ROB PENNEY has won the RaboDirect Pro12 Coach of the Year at the league’s annual awards bash.

The New Zealander, who has guided Munster to third place and an away semi-final against Glasgow Warriors, was presented with the award at this evening’s ceremony in Edinburgh. Penney is departing the province this summer after two seasons at the helm.

Dan Biggar is the surprise winner of the Pro12 Players’ Player of the Year. The Ospreys out-half is the league’s top points scorer with 219. He is part of an Ospreys side that scored 571 points in the league yet, due to a porous defence and a damaging defeat to Zebre last month, finished fifth.

Biggar was voted best player by the league’s captains and player ambassadors. He edged out Ulster’s Ruan Pienaar and Warriors. Nico Matawalu. Johnny Gray won Pro12 Young Player of the Year, pipping Leinster centre Noel Reid to the prize.

JJ Hanrahan misses a last minute penalty JJ Hanrahan missed a last-minute penalty in Munster's league defeat to Ulster on Saturday. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

Munster out-half JJ Hanrahan won the league’s Golden Boot award. The accolade is given to the goal-kicker with the best conversion rate over the regular season. Hanrahan slotted over 55 kicks from 63 visits to the kicking tee for a success rate of 87.30%. Cardiff’s Gareth Davies was 40 from 46 [86%] while Biggar was 72 from 85 [84%].

Leinster legends Leo Cullen and Brian O’Driscoll both received (in absentia) the Chairman’s Award in recognition of their outstanding service to their province, their country, the tournament as a whole and the game of rugby union.

Connacht and Ulster, who had Tom Court sent off in their recent home defeat to Leinster, shared a £10,000 cheque and the Fair play award. The Irish provinces had the fewest combined total of yellow and red cards, and citings.

The RTE panel sparked some debate on Saturday as they discussed Penney’s ‘mixed bag’ tenure as Munster boss and the ‘uninspiring signings’ made by the province.

RTÉ Sport / YouTube

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