FORMER IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Mark McCall has been named as the Aviva Premiership’s Director of Rugby of the Season.
The 46-year-old guided Saracens to the top of the regular season table in the English top flight league, as well as overseeing the club’s progress into the final of the Heineken Cup.
McCall’s side face Harlequins at home ground Allianz Park in the Premiership semi-finals tomorrow, while Toulon await in the European final in Cardiff on the 24th of May.
The 13-times capped ex-centre coached Ireland at U21 and ‘A’ levels after his retirement from playing, before securing the head coaching job at Ulster in 2004. A Celtic League trophy followed in 2006, but McCall resigned in 2007 following a poor run of form for the province.
Later that year, the Ulster native linked up with French side Castres as backs coach.
He originally joined Saracens as a first team coach in 2009, before being appointed as Director of Rugby in January of 2011, when Brendan Venter vacated the position. McCall led Sarries to the Premiership title later the same season, their first ever league title.
The current campaign has seen McCall encourage his side to play with a slightly more expansive game plan, although their defensive system, kicking game and set-piece expertise remain priorities.
Meanwhile, Harlequins fullback Mike Brown has won the Premiership Player of the Season award after a stunning year. The London club’s Director of Rugby, Irishman Conor O’Shea, called the England international ”a model of consistency, and also a match winner.”
Saracens’ No. 8 Billy Vunipola was selected as the Discovery of the Season, while the wonderfully creative George Ford of Bath picked up the Golden Boot.
Premiership Team of the Season: Mike Brown (Harlequins); Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Vereniki Goneva (Leicester Tigers); Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Danny Care (Harlequins); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dave Ward (Harlequins), Logovi’i Mulipola (Leicester Tigers); Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints), Michael Paterson (Sale Sharks); Dan Braid (Sale Sharks), Jacques Burger (Saracens), and Billy Vunipola (Saracens).
Full list of award winners for the 2013/14 season:
- Player of the Season: Mike Brown (Harlequins)
- Discovery of the Season: Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
- Director of Rugby of the Season: Mark McCall (Saracens)
- Try of the Season: Jamie Elliot (Northampton v Gloucester)
- Game Changer of the Season: Nick Easter (Harlequins)
- Community Player of the Season: Dean Schofield (Worcester Warriors)
- Top Try Scorer of the Season: Vereniki Goneva (Leicester Tigers) – 12 tries
- Golden Boot: George Ford (Bath Rugby) – 235 points
- Forward of the Year: Nick Easter (Harlequins)
