ULSTER WINGER ANDREW TRIMBLE won the IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year award at the annual rugby banquet at the Double Tree [Burlington] hotel in Dublin.
There were also awards for Robbie Henshaw [young player], Simon Best [honorary member], Rob Kearney [best try] and more. Three of the four Irish provinces face each other in RaboDirect Pro12 action this weekend and the same three, Ulster, Munster, Leinster, will be in the league’s semi-finals.
Before the Irish players, in the words of Munster lock Donncha O’Callaghan, ‘bate the heads off each other’ they caught up for a chat and laid down some psychological markers for the upcoming clashes. All very cordial.