Best Bags Top Ulster Award

Ulster and Ireland hooker Rory Best was crowned the Guinness Personality of the Year at Thursday night’s Guinness Ulster Rugby Awards Ceremony at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast.

Best, who was ever present during this year’s Six Nations championship, was a very deserving winner after his best season yet in an Ulster and Ireland shirt.

Almost 500 guests attending the awards ceremony which celebrated another encouraging year for rugby in the province.

The awards recognise the roles played at schools, youth, club and professional levels in developing the game in Ulster.

Amongst players honoured at the awards were Ulster and Ireland back rower Roger Wilson, David Pollock, who captained the Ireland Under-20s to a Six Nations and Grand Slam double this season and recently signed a full contract with Ulster, and Ulster Youths skipper David McGregor, who played for Ireland at the FIRA-AER Under-18 European Championship last month.

The full list of award winners is as follows:

GUINNESS ULSTER RUGBY PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – Rory Best

Circumstances gave Rory the opportunity to wear the Irish jersey at the start of this season. Many sections of the media thought he was only keeping it warm for Jerry Flannery but the boy from Poyntzpass had different ideas.

His set piece play and his robust style around the park left Eddie OSullivan with no choice but to keep picking him. Still a youngster at 24, he has fast become the cornerstone of a young Ulster pack.

BANK OF IRELAND ULSTER PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Roger Wilson

Roger has played in every one of Ulster’s matches this season and has had more minutes on the pitch than any other player. His performances have been remarkably consistent. Roger was unlucky to have missed out on a trip to Argentina, but he will hope to make an impression at the forthcoming Churchill Cup which begins this weekend.

VODAFONE YOUNG ULSTER PLAYER OF THE YEAR- David Pollock

David was captain of the Grand Slam-winning Ireland Under-20s this year and played a pivotal role in this remarkable achievement. David has the respect not only of his peer group but also those much older who have been impressed with his dedication, his single-mindedness, his leadership and of course his ability.

FIRST TRUST BANK CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Paul Magee (Dungannon)

Respected by his players, Paul has a natural ability to lead and this season the former Cambridge Blue captained Dungannon to reasonable AIB League success and a First Trust Ulster Senior Cup final victory over Belfast Harlequins.

Strong in attack, he often puts his body on the line when it comes to defensive patterns and made the initial panel for the AIB Club International side, although surprisingly he was not included in the final squad.

KEN GOODALL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PLAYER AT THE SPORTS INSTITUTE – Thomas Anderson

Thomas has established himself as a force to be reckoned with within Dungannon RFC and Ulster Rugby Academy circles, and is quickly following in the footsteps of his father Willie. A lineout specialist with a fantastic work-rate, he was ever present in the Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam-winning team this season, starting every game. His impact this season has been such that Mark McCall has invited Thomas to join the Ulster team this summer for pre-season training.

CALOR GAS YOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR – David McGregor (Monaghan)

David has been involved with the Ulster Youth team over the past two years. He has played in all of the Interprovincial games and last season, even though he was a year too young, he was selected in the Irish Youth team for the FIRA-AER tournament in Italy.

He played in all three games at wing forward. This season he captained the Ulster Youth side and proved an inspirational leader. He was again selected in the Irish Youth XV to play in the FIRA-AER tournament in France.

NORTHERN BANK LTD SCHOOLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – James Sandford (Royal School Armagh)

James has played for his school’s first team for the past three seasons. He played for Ulster Schools U-18 side for the past two seasons and has just finished his second season as an Ireland Schools international.

His positive attitude on and off the pitch as well as his technical ability and leadership qualities have enabled him to not only captain his school team, but also the Ulster Schools and Irish Schools teams during the past season.

He is an outstanding prospect and if his progress continues, we should all be hearing much more of James in the seasons ahead.

KUKRI CLUB OF THE YEAR – Dungannon

With leagues having been won by the 2nd XV, 3rd XV and 4th XV sides, a very good year was kept up with cup victories in the First Trust Senior Cup, Crawford Cup and the Harden Cup. Surprisingly for this successful and established club, it was the first time in Dungannon’s history that they have won the Crawford and Harden Cups.

PERENNIALS DORRINGTON B. FAULKNER “UNSUNG HERO” AWARD – Walter Lindsay (Civil Service)

Walter has given a lifetime of service to Civil Service RFC since joining as a player in 1950. He captained the 1st XV and on finishing his playing career, Walter helped to pioneer coaching at club level at a time when Civil Service was in the Ulster Senior League.

Walter has made an outstanding contribution to the administrative side of the club, twice serving as club President and he has retained a keen interest and enthusiasm for all aspects of the game. He is an insightful thinker who has applied his vast knowledge for the benefit of the club and is a constant source of encouragement to players, tirelessly promoting the involvement of younger people in the club.

As a past President, he attends management committee and weekly selection meetings and this season he was engaged in helping the captain of the 2nd XV to organise the side. Overall, Walter has provided more than 50 years of unstinting service at every level of the club.

BELFAST TELEGRAPH MERIT AWARD – Simon McDowell

What a year it has been for Simon, starting off as the man in the middle at the Women’s World Cup final in Canada, a World Cup Qualifier in Africa, Touch Judge and TMO in the Six Nations, Heineken Cup and Magners League action and now the appointment to the Touch Judge panel for the World Cup later this year – undoubtedly he is Ulster’s top official of the professional era.