Connacht Rugby celebrates its annual awards on Saturday evening with nominees ranging from underage to professional level in both male and female categories.
And there are no surprises that Connacht's most exciting back of the season and new Ireland player Mack Hansen is on the list for the Men's Player of the Year, competing against two forwards, Conor Oliver and Cian Prendergast, who have made their presence felt this season.
Oliver, the Dublin-born former Munster man, has made himself at home in the Connacht pack, gaining a reputation as a key carrier into battle and revelling in Connacht's more expansive game, while also not neglecting his defensive duties. Connacht's leading successful carrier, and currently 10th in the URC with 62, Oliver is also second only to Mack Hansen (and only by one ) for carries with 121, while he is also Friend's most influential forward at beating the defence. Also the turnover king - fourth best in the URC - Oliver and Jarrad Butler, are fifth for their 162 tackles made - just ahead of fellow nominee Cian Prendergast with 156- ensuring that as a unit, Connacht's backrow is the most efficient defensively.
At just 22, Prendergast has blossomed since being invited to join the Connacht Academy in 2020 by Eric Elwood - having missed out in Leinster - and has already established himself as a player with immense credentials. He also features in the top 50 for successful carries, while becoming a real menace at the breakdown. Fast becoming a favourite with the fans, Prendergast is also nominated for the Fans’ Player of the Year award, in addition to Oliver and Mack Hansen, who is not only becoming a crowd pleaser at the Sportsground, but also at the Aviva.
Hansen is the story of this season - the unknown fair dinkum Aussie who can light up the fans with his pace, flair, and what falsely appears to be a devil-may-care attitude. That he has been able to play without burden or expectation has been refreshing, and it is no surprise, like Prendergast, that he is nominated twice.
Connacht's top scorer in the URC this season with six tries ensures he is 13th in the leader's scoreboard - South Africans Leon Zas (Stormers ) and Marcell Coetzee (Bulls ). That both scored nine tries and both are forwards, demonstrates the strength of the new URC franchises, with Coetze, the former Ulster player, also topping the offload numbers, while third for carries.
Hansen is also among the top 10 for clean breaks (12 ), but he rockets up the leaderboard into second place for the number of defenders he has beaten - some 45 in all, two behind Evan Roos, the Stormers' No 8 - while also fourth for metres gained (708 ). Once again the South Africans take pole position with the Stormers fullback Kurt-Lee Arendse having made 991 metres, followed by Bulls' winger Madosh Tambwe (905 ) and Ulster's Mike Lowry (750 ). Both Hansen, along with Tom Farrell were 16th for offloads, while the Connacht fullback was in the top 15 for carrying.
Also making the top in URC stats are Jack Carty, who with Stormers' Manie Libbok, have scored the most penalties (23 ), is Niall Murray with seven line-out steals. Only Glasgow's Richie Gray (12 ) and the Bulls' Ruam Nortje (9 ) have more, while Oisin Dowling with seven, and Prendergast with four are seventh and 15 respectively. Hooker Dave Heffernan is among the top ten, taking sixth place for his line-out success.
U18 Men’s Player of the Year, sponsored by Sound To Light
Max Flynn, Corinthians RFC/CC Roscrea; Hugh Gavin,– Galwegians RFC/The Jes; Ryan Roche, Galwegians RFC/St.Paul’s Oughterard
U18 Women’s Player of the Year, sponsored by RDJ
Molly Boote, Connemara RFC; Éabha; Nic Dhonnacha, Corinthians RFC; Karly Tierney, Tuam/Oughterard RFC
U19 Men’s Player of the Year, sponsored by Benchmark Recruitment
John Devine, Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College; Adam Hunter, Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar; Harry West, Ballina RFC/Kings Hospital
Academy Player of the Year, sponsored by Total Health
Cathal Forde, Matthew Devine, Diarmuid Kilgallen
Referee of the Year, sponsored by LK Shields
Siobhán Daly, Andrew Fogarty, Gerry Geraghty
Coach of the Year, sponsored by Deloitte
Charlie Couper, Buccaneers RFC; Martin Cummins, Dunmore RFC; Henry O’Toole, Connemara RFC
Women’s Club Player of the Year, sponsored by Citylink
Noreen Coyne, Westport RFC; Hazel Kilduff, Buccaneers RFC; Aoife Williams, Galwegians RFC
Men’s Junior Club Player of the Year, sponsored by Laya Healthcare
Steven Conroy, Ballinrobe RFC; Brian Diffley, Creggs RF; Cian Staunton, Connemara RFC
Men’s Senior Club Player of the Year, sponsored by Aerogen
Shane Layden, Buccaneers RFC; Mark McDermott, Corinthians RFC; Calum Quinn, Ballina RFC
Club of the Year, sponsored by Bank Of Ireland
Buccaneers RFC, Creggs RFC, Sligo RFC
Fans’ Player of the Year, sponsored by Intersport Elverys
Jack Carty, Shane Delahunt, Mack Hansen, Conor Oliver, Cian Prendergast
Lifetime Achievement to Connacht Rugby, sponsored by Heineken
To be announced on the night
Women’s Player of the Year, sponsored by Genesys
Orla Dixon, Catherine Martin, Fiona Scally
Men’s Player of the Year, sponsored by Genesys
Mack Hansen, Conor Oliver, Cian Prendergast
