Nominations In For Munster Rugby Awards

The 2016 Munster Rugby Awards, in association with the Irish Independent, will take place on Friday May 13th at the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs in Cork and the nominations for Senior Player and Academy Player of the Year have now been finalised.

The Munster Rugby Senior Player of the Year nominees are Billy Holland, Greencore Academy player Rory Scannell and CJ Stander, all of whom were nominated by their fellow team-mates.

The shortlist sees Stander in line to win the award for the second successive season having become the first overseas player to receive the accolade last year.  Other previous winners include James Coughlan, John Hayes, Mick O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Donnacha Ryan, Tommy O’Donnell and Conor Murray.
 
Billy Holland is included in the Award shortlist for the second year running with Rory Scannell in contention for double honours after his nominations for both Senior and Academy Player of the Year.  Scannell is the first academy player to be nominated for Player of the Year while still in the academy programme.

Once again the overall winner will be decided by a public vote. Click here to vote via the Irish Independent website and be in with a chance to win two tickets to next month's prestigious awards ceremony.

Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players Scannell, David Johnston and Sean McCarthy have been nominated for the John McCarthy Award for Academy Player of the Year.

In total, eleven diverse categories will be honoured in celebrating the best of Domestic and Professional rugby within the province.

Player of the Year Nominees:

Billy Holland: With continued consistency in performance in what is now his ninth season with the province, it’s no coincidence that Billy is again nominated for Munster Rugby Player of the Year.  Overcoming an ankle injury at the start of the season – sustained while captaining Emerging Ireland to Tbilisi Cup success – the Corkman has gone on to make 16 appearances so far this season, starting 12 games and showcasing his versatility in alternating between the second and back row.  With 129 caps in total, Billy’s experience and natural leadership ability saw him captain Munster on seven occasions this season.

CJ Stander: Picking up from where he left off last season, the 2015 Munster Rugby Player of the Year has impressed massively in both the provincial and international jersey of late.  Starting in 17 of 19 appearances for Munster this season, CJ has led the side 15 times, scored no less than six tries and picked up three man-of-the-match awards.  Becoming eligible to play for Ireland at the end of October, the back row looked right at home on the international stage from the off – starting all five of Ireland’s 2016 Six Nations games, receiving the man-of-the-match accolade on his debut against Wales and crossing for tries against Italy and Scotland.

Rory Scannell: Still in the final year of his Greencore Munster Rugby Academy programme, the 22-year-old has impressed from start to finish this season.  Prefaced by his inclusion in the Tbilisi Cup winning Emerging Ireland squad last summer, the current season has seen Rory make 18 starts in 24 appearances and play in every Champions Cup game, doing so primarily at inside centre while also featuring at out half.  Scoring his first Munster try against Newport-Gwent Dragons in early March, just a few weeks later the Cork native secured his first man-of-the-match award when Munster recorded their biggest winning margin in league history in defeating Zebre 47-0 at Thomond Park.  Rory will graduate from the Academy into the Senior squad at the beginning of next season.

Event Package

Cost: €;65pp / €;650 per table of 10

• Pre-event drinks reception sponsored by Diageo.
• 3 Course Meal in Clayton Hotel Silver Springs.
• There will also be a raffle of Munster Rugby prizes on the day with all proceeds going to Breakthrough Cancer Research.

To book a place at this year's Munster Rugby Awards please contact Anthony Morrissey, Munster Rugby Sales Development Executive, M: 087-6202530, E: anthonymorrissey@munsterrugby.ie

Funds raised at the event will go towards Breakthrough Cancer Research. @BreakthroCancer

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