Munster Ace Crowley Crowned URC Next-Gen Player Of The Season
Jack Crowley has scored two tries and kicked 100 points during Munster's impressive run to reach the semi-final stage of this season's BKT United Rugby Championship
Munster and Ireland out-half Jack Crowley has been announced as the Next-Gen Player of the Season in the BKT United Rugby Championship, ahead of Saturday’s semi-final at home to Glasgow Warriors. Tickets are available here.
Crowley was voted as the winner by members of the media across all five nations. The award is to recognise young up-and-coming talent, nad has also been won by Leinster duo Caelan Doris (2019/20) and Scott Penny (2020/21), and Ulster hooker Tom Stewart (2022/23), in recent years.
The category is open to players who were aged 23 and under at the start of the season, and had earned no more than five international caps at the end of the 2022/23 season. They must also have played at least nine games during the current BKT URC campaign.
This is Munster’s second URC award of the week after utility back Shane Daly was confirmed as the Ironman award winner yesterday.
Munster and Ireland scrum half Craig Casey was beaten to the Try of the Season honour by Hollywoodbets Sharks’ Aphelele Fassi. Connacht’s Diarmuid Kilgallen, who is joining Graham Rowntree’s side shortly, also had one of his tries nominated.
Meanwhile, Crowley has been a key player for defending URC champions Munster this season, helping them to finish top of the table with 97 points, including two tries in 12 games at half-back for the Reds.
In voting for the recent Six Nations Championship winner, members of the media have dubbed him as ‘central’ to Munster’s incredible run of form in 2024 which has seen them win 10 URC games in a row for the first time since the 2010/11 season.
One member of the voting media panel wrote: “Having nailed down the Munster number 10 jersey at the end of last season, Crowley’s all-round game and leadership has rapidly matured in the role in 2023/24. Not only an excellent game manager but with the ability and vision to be a game-changer.”
The Cork youngster, now 24, was their URC player-of-the-match when kicking 13 points, and steering the ship impressively from out-half, during last Friday’s 23-7 quarter-final win over the Ospreys at Thomond Park.
Speaking after the Ospreys game, he said: “Delighted that we could get our first play-off for this group in front of a home stadium, a win, and the important thing is we are through to next week.
“There are a few areas we’ll look at improving, in our attack and a small bit in our discipline, but delighted we could get the win here and move onto the next stage. We’ll enjoy this but we know we need to be better.”
Crowley played three times during his first Rugby World Cup tournament last autumn, firing over the final penalty during the 13-8 pool victory over South Africa in Paris.
Stepping up following Jonathan Sexton’s retirement, he was ever-present in the number 10 jersey – playing every minute of the Championship – as Ireland retained the Six Nations title earlier this year. He scored his first international try against Italy in the second round.
Be sure to follow all the URC Awards announcements using the hashtag #URCAwards.
2023/24 URC AWARDS – LIST OF WINNERS SO FAR:
Tackle Machine: Alessandro Izekor (Benetton)
Turnover King: Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh)
Gilbert Golden Boot: Chris Smith (Vodacom Bulls)
OFX Top Try Scorer: Johnny Matthews (Glasgow Warriors)
Next-Gen Player of the Season: Jack Crowley (Munster)
Try of the Season (powered by URC.tv): Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)