Jack Crowley, Caelan Doris, Joe McCarthy, Bundee Aki, and Jamison Gibson-Park make up the five-man shortlist for the 2024 Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Men’s XV Player of the Year Award.
Brittany Hogan, Aoife Wafer, Aoife Dalton, Edel McMahon, and Linda Djougang have been shortlisted for the Women’s XV Player of the Year award with the winners to be honoured on November 19th.
Crowley assumed the Ireland number 10 jersey following the retirement of Johnny Sexton, seamlessly inheriting the jersey when steering Ireland to their opening Six Nations win over France in Marseille and the 24-year-old went on to score 52 points, including his first Test try against Italy, as he played every minute of the team’s second successive title.
Doris has been a stand-out performer for Leinster and Ireland this year and, even more remarkably for a backrower, also played every minute of the Six Nations’ title defence, captaining the side to the win over Italy. The 25-year-old from Lacken in Mayo brought his performances up to another level in South Africa, when he also captained the side to the dramatic second Test win in Durban.
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McCarthy established himself as one of Ireland’s frontline players with his excellent display in Marseille and was another ever-present in both the Six Nations and South African series, where he revelled in the physical exchanges with the Springboks.
Aki carried his exceptional World Cup form into the Six Nations, when playing all bar the round two win over Italy, and the first Test in South Africa while Gibson-Park, who was the heartbeat of both Leinster and Ireland throughout the year before being ruled out of the South African tour, completes a strong shortlist.
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The equally competitive shortlist for the women’s award reflects a year which witnessed a remarkable upturn in fortunes for the Irish team. After finishing third in the Six Nations, so securing both World Cup qualification and promotion to WXV1, they backed up a stunning win over Australia in Belfast with wins in the latter competition over both New Zealand and the USA.
Both the men’s and women’s teams competed at the Paris Olympics, with the women’s squad also winning a first World Series Gold Medal last season while the men’s side finished second in the world and achieved a sixth-place finish at the Paris Olympics, including a memorable win over South Africa.
This year’s nominees for Ireland Men’s Sevens Player of the Year are Zac Ward, Terry Kennedy, and Harry McNulty. Vying for the Women’s Sevens Player of the Year title are Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, making a return to the shortlist, alongside teammates Eve Higgins and Erin King.
The Ireland senior women’s team, Ireland senior men’s team and Ireland men’s Sevens team are all nominated for the prestigious Dave Guiney Team of the Year accolade.
RWI 2024 AWARDS – NOMINATIONS
Women’s XV Player of the Year:
- Aoife Wafer
- Brittany Hogan
- Edel McMahon
- Linda Djougang
- Aoife Dalton
Men’s XV Player of the Year:
- Caelan Doris
- Jack Crowley
- Joe McCarthy
- Bundee Aki
- Jamison Gibson-Park
Men’s Sevens Player of the Year:
- Zac Ward
- Terry Kennedy
- Harry McNulty
Women’s 7s Player of the Year:
- Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe
- Eve Higgins
- Erin King
Dave Guiney Team of the Year:
- Ireland senior men’s team
- Ireland senior women’s team
- Ireland men’s Sevens team
