Nacewa is first overseas player for top honour

IRUPA AWARDS:ISA NACEWA joined a select group of just seven players to win the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Rugby Union Players Association (Irupa) Players' Player of the Year last night, and in the process became the first overseas player to be chosen by his fellow players at the ninth Irupa Rugby Awards dinner in the Burlington Hotel.

The 29-year-old Auckland-born fullback has played in all bar one of Leinster’s 28 matches this season, playing the full 80 minutes in 23 of them, and has not alone been a model of consistency but also an inspiring counter-attacking fullback and leader figure as well as a darling of the Leinster fans.

In being chosen ahead of team-mate Seán O’Brien and Munster’s Keith Earls, Nacewa emulates Malcolm O’Kelly, Johnny O’Connor, Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll and the two-time winners, Tommy Bowe and Gordon D’Arcy.

“I’m just overwhelmed,” said the modest Kiwi in describing it as the biggest individual honour he’s ever won. “It’s such an honour.

“I think it’s one of the top awards you can get as a player, and something that is voted on a lot over the years. So, very over-whelming to get it, considering it (the list of previous winners) is a who’s who of Irish rugby.”

Nacewa was chosen as the NPC player of the year in his last year (2007) before joining Leinster while he notes the New Zealand players’ player of the year was Dan Carter. When one considers Felipe Contepomi, Rocky Elsom, Trevor Halstead, Rua Tipoki and a host of others never won the award, to be the first overseas player to be chosen by the 150-plus members of Irupa with full voting rights is also quite an achievement.

All that could top it would be a Heineken Cup/Magners League double, and with Glasgow at the RDS tomorrow, there isn’t much time to pause and reflect, let alone celebrate. “It’s a quick turnaround, and it’s huge couple of weeks for us, but a really exciting couple of weeks. Northampton are unbeaten in the competition so far and favouritism goes out the window when you’re playing in a final; there’s no second chances.”

Nacewa stands by his assessment that the Leicester quarter-final was the physically toughest game of his career, but that last Saturday’s semi-final was the most exhausting. “The Toulouse match was the most running I’ve ever done in a rugby game in my life. It was the fastest game of rugby I’ve played in my life . . . I don’t think we’ve ever covered so much ground as a back three in a match before.”

At last night’s dinner, Irupa confirmed Malcolm O’Kelly’s legendary status by inducting him into the Irupa Hall of Fame, while Richardt Strauss won the Unsung Hero Award. Ulster centre Nevin Spence fended off the challenges of Rhys Ruddock and Conor Murray to be voted the young player of the year.

Connacht’s Leinster-bound Fionn Carr was awarded the Volkswagen Try of the Year for his 70-yard effort away to the Scarlets. The O2 Rugby Moment of the Year went to O’Driscoll for his record-breaking try against England to break the Six Nations Championship try scoring record which stood for 78 years.

O’Driscoll has also become the new chairman of the Irupa Board, which also contains Paul O’Connell, Rory Best, Gavin Duffy and Shane Jennings, while Omar Hassanein has taken over from Niall Woods as CEO.

IRUPA AWARDS

Players’ Player of the Year: Isa Nacewa (Leinster). Young Player of the Year: Nevin Spence (Ulster). Unsung Hero Award: Richardt Strauss (Leinster). Hall of Fame: Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster). Try of the Year: Fionn Carr (Connacht, away to the Scarlets). Supporters’ Player of the Year: Seán O’Brien (Leinster).