Rugby News: Leinster and Ireland centre Gordon D'Arcy has been voted the O2 IRUPA Players' Player of the Year. His fellow professionals at the second annual IRUPA Rugby Players' Awards at the Burlington Hotel doled out the accolade.
It proved a memorable night for the young Wexford man when he collected a second award, voted for by the public, which singled him out as Ireland's outstanding player. He enjoyed a marvellous Six Nations Championship in what would have been the unfamiliar position of outside centre.
D'Arcy was one of the few players to acquit themselves well in the opening match of the tournament when Ireland lost to France at the Stade de France and thereafter formed a prodigious midfield partnership with a fit again Brian O'Driscoll for the remainder of the championship.
D'Arcy was widely acknowledged as the outstanding player in the entire Six Nations Championship.
He admitted: "To be voted the best player for 2004 by the players around the country when there are so many talented players is a great honour.
"This is the ultimate rugby award and something I will treasure for the rest of my career."
Keith Wood and Paddy Johns were also honoured, inducted into the IRUPA Barker Insurance Hall of Fame.
The awards celebrate another successful season in Irish rugby. The 2003/2004 season saw Ireland claim the Triple Crown for the first time in 19 years, Ulster secure the inaugural Celtic Cup, and Munster and Connacht reach the semi-finals of their respective European Competitions.
Niall Woods, chief executive of IRUPA, enthused: "What makes these awards so special is that they are voted for by the players from the four provinces.
"Congratulations to Gordon D'Arcy, Mike Mullins, Keith Wood and Paddy Johns, Girvan Dempsey and Tommy Bowe in winning what is becoming the most coveted and prestigious awards in Irish rugby."
Mullins was singled out in the unsung-hero category, Dempsey won the try of the season while Bowe was honoured in the best young player category.
IRUPA AWARDS - Players' Player of the Year: Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster); Nominated: G D'Arcy (Leinster), Paul O'Connell (Munster), S Easterby (Llanelli).
Unsung Hero: Mike Mullins (Munster); Nominated: S Easterby (Llanelli), M McHugh (Connacht), M Mullins (Munster).
Hall of Fame Inducted: Paddy Johns (Ulster) & Keith Wood (Munster).
Try of the Year: Girvan Dempsey (Ireland v England, Twickenham); Nominated: G Dempsey, M Horan, S Young.
Young Player of the Year: Tommy Bowe (Ulster) Nominated: T Bowe (Ulster), B Burke (Leinster), C McPhillips (Connacht)
People's Player of the Year: Gordon D'Arcy. Nominated: P O'Connell (Munster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster).
