ALL BLACK CHARLES Piutau has been voted the Guinness Pro12 Players’ Player of the Year at this evening’s end of season awards in Dublin.
The 25-year-old made 23 appearances in his debut campaign for Ulster, scoring nine tries (six of which came in the Pro12). Though neither he or his team dominated the season, he did show intermittent flashes of brilliance with his ability to side-step tackles or at times even bulldoze through them.
Leinster’s Joey Carbery, who was not among those voted onto the Pro12 Dream Team, was named Young Player of the Year after impressing both at out-half and fullback for the second-seeded team going into the play-offs.
Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus was named coach of the Dream Team having overseen the southern province’s rise from sixth to the number one seed with just three defeats to their name this time around.
Ruan Pienaar’s finish to a terrific Ulster team try against Glasgow Warriors was named the Try of the Season.
Third-place Scarlets had individual awards for Ken Owens (Dream Team captain) and Steff Evans (top try-scorer) while fourth-place Ospreys were given the Golden Boot for Sam Davies, who slotted 44 of his 50 kicks at goal.
Last year’s champions Connacht were awards the Fair Play Award, which comes with a €10,000 prize to be invested in their youth development programme.
Full list of award winners at the Guinness Storehouse
Specsavers Fair Play Award – Connacht Rugby
Top Try-Scorer – Steff Evans (Scarlets)
Rhino Golden Boot – Sam Davies (Ospreys Rugby)
Young Player of the Season – Joey Carbery (Leinster Rugby)
Independent.ie Try of the Season – Ruan Pienaar (Ulster Rugby)
Dream Team Captain – Ken Owens (Scarlets)
Guinness PRO12 Coach of the Season – Rassie Erasmus (Munster Rugby)
Guinness PRO12 Players’ Player of the Season – Charles Piutau (Ulster Rugby)
Guinness PRO12 Chairman’s Award – Nigel Owens MBE
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