THE ERC PANEL of experts have bowed to the inevitable and named Jonny Wilkinson as European [ERC] Player of the Year 2013.
The Englishman, who captained Toulon to a Heineken Cup Final win at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, received the accolade in Dublin today. Wilkinson kicked three penalties and a conversion in his team’s 16-15 comeback win over Clermont Auvergne.
The outhalf accrued 108 points in the elite European competition this season, with 56 coming in the knockout stages.
The 33-year-old was presented with his gold medal award by ERC chief executive, Derek McGrath this afternoon. He follows in the footsteps of Leinster pair Sean O’Brien and Rob Kearney, who captured the top prize in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Wilkinson said:
To receive an award of this importance towards the end of my career is really special. I feel privileged to have been nominated.”
The other four nominees were Leinster’s Jamie Heaslip and the Clermont trio of Julien Bonnaire, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Wesley Fofana
The expert panel was made up of Stuart Barnes, Will Greenwood, Stephen Jones, Jacques Verdier and Gerry Thornley.
Jonny Wilkinson named European Player of the Year
THE ERC PANEL of experts have bowed to the inevitable and named Jonny Wilkinson as European [ERC] Player of the Year 2013.
The Englishman, who captained Toulon to a Heineken Cup Final win at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, received the accolade in Dublin today. Wilkinson kicked three penalties and a conversion in his team’s 16-15 comeback win over Clermont Auvergne.
The outhalf accrued 108 points in the elite European competition this season, with 56 coming in the knockout stages.
The 33-year-old was presented with his gold medal award by ERC chief executive, Derek McGrath this afternoon. He follows in the footsteps of Leinster pair Sean O’Brien and Rob Kearney, who captured the top prize in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Wilkinson said:
The other four nominees were Leinster’s Jamie Heaslip and the Clermont trio of Julien Bonnaire, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Wesley Fofana
The expert panel was made up of Stuart Barnes, Will Greenwood, Stephen Jones, Jacques Verdier and Gerry Thornley.
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Awards Season ERC go jonny go jonny be good Jonny Wilkinson Leinster Player of the Year Rugby Clermont Toulon