The Irish Times/AIB Team of the Season for 1999-2000 was feted at a dinner in Dublin last Friday night. It was the inaugural year of an awards ceremony in which the outstanding players in Division One of the AIB League were honoured.

The remit was to pick 15 players, one for every position, who had excelled throughout the club season. In order to facilitate a final selection, a team of the week was chosen and named in the Planet Rugby column and it was from this and other sources that rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley, as well as John O'Sullivan and Johnny Watterson, were able to decide upon the team of the season.

The IRFU president, Eddie Coleman, paid tribute to the support of AIB, particularly Kevin Kelly in promoting and developing Irish rugby and hoped that relationship would continue for many years to come.

The Irish team management took time out from their preparations for yesterday's Test match against South Africa and both their presence at the AIB Bank Centre and indulgence in allowing two of Ireland's 22-man squad, Shane Horgan and Malcolm O'Kelly, to attend the dinner, too, was greatly appreciated.

But Friday evening was about honouring the outstanding players in club rugby and even if it is slightly objective, it is felt that the selected team was representative of some of the outstanding performances of last season. DLSP's and Connacht's Shane Stephens was chosen at full back, although he had equal claim to be included at centre given the excellence of his play in both positions.

James Topping (Ballymena) and John McWeeney (St Mary's College) were chosen on the wings, the former coming back from injury to help his club to the semi-finals and McWeeney contributing a huge share of tries to St Mary's cause. Shane Stewart was outstanding for Ballymena and earned an Ulster contract as a result while his midfield partner Shane Horgan was equally as effective for Lansdowne as he had been with Leinster and Ireland.

Outhalf Jeremy Staunton boasted a phenomenal try scoring rate while Terenure's Derek Hegarty was a central part in his club's success. The front row included the mobile and promising Marcus Horan (Shannon), the human dynamo, Peter Smyth (St Mary's) and Buccaneers' outstanding player Martin Cahill.

No player received more nominations in the team of the weeks than Malcolm O'Kelly and the St Mary's second row was pivotal to the club's AIL Division One success. Rory Sheriff led Terenure by deed as well as word while the back row of Aidan McCullen (Lansdowne), Ross Doyle (St Mary's) and Victor Costello (St Mary's) were among the outstanding performers irrespective of position last season.