The Irish Times/AIB Team of the season was honoured at a lunch in Dublin yesterday, the 15 outstanding players in their respective positions receiving a bronze statuette to commemorate their achievement.

The parameters in selecting the team, chosen by The Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley and John O'Sullivan, was to honour the players who excelled in each position during the AIB League Division One campaign. A weekly team was published in Planet Rugby in The Irish Times each Monday.

Sean Hogan of AIB spoke of the importance of their active participation in sponsoring the premier club rugby competition in Ireland, the excellent relationship they enjoyed with the IRFU, and their commitment to an awards scheme that honours the best club players over a season. He pointed out that it was an exciting time for Irish rugby, despite the truncated national campaign so far.

This is the second season of the awards and the feedback from the players and clubs is very positive. The incoming president of the IRFU, Roy Loughead, spoke about how far the AIB League has travelled since it was first mooted 12 years ago and the fact that he was asked to chair the committee charged with investigating the feasibility of such a structure.

He paid tribute to AIB for their role in the development of the competition and also The Irish Times for their role in helping to instigate the awards scheme. The IRFU's chief executive, Philip Browne, and honorary treasurer John Lyons were also present along with the coach to the AIB League champions Dungannon, Willie Anderson, and players, family, friends and many of the club presidents of those honoured.

Tyrone Howe's unexpected call-up for the Lions prevented him from being there but his award was accepted on his behalf by his father Tom. The two youngest members of the team, St Mary's College flanker Shane Jennings and Gavin Duffy of Galwegians w are currently in Australia with the Ireland team competing in the SANZAR Under-21 Invitational Championship.

Cork Constitution centre Conor Mahony defied a "sore head", the legacy of team-mate Jerry Murray's wedding on Thursday, for a 7.30a.m. drive from Cork to attend the function. Perhaps the ultimate barometer for the awards scheme is the players themselves and the unanimous verdict is that the bronze statuette is a coveted honour.