IRELAND and Leicester back row forward Eric Miller (21) has won the Rugby Writers of Ireland Guinness sponsored Player of the Year award. Shannon, the All Ireland League champions, are Club of the Year for a third consecutive season.

The awards were presented at a banquet in Dublin last night by Jim Neilly, chairman of the RWI, and Brian Farrell, business development director of Guinness Ireland.

Miller is the youngest figure to be named player of the Year and the award "comes after a great season for the young Leicester forward. Educated at Wesley College, he was on the Ireland schools side that won the Triple Crown in 1993. Last season he was on the Ireland team that won the Under-21 Triple Crown and he also played for Ireland A last season when he joined Leicester from Old Wesley.

He was on the Leicester side that reached the final of the European Cup earlier this season and won his first senior cap against Italy. He also played against France, Wales and England but missed the match against Scotland because of an injury sustained against England. He is the youngest player to be chosen for the forthcoming Lions tour to South Africa and this afternoon plays or Leicester in the final of the Pilkington Cup. The award was accepted on his behalf last night by his father Garrett.

Bob McConkey, the Shannon chairman, received the Club of the Year award. In their three successive seasons as AIL champions, Shannon have played 33 matches, won 30 and lost just three. They were also leading scorers in the first division with 362 points.