Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan has been named the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship Players’ Player of the Season.
The award is voted for by the league’s captains and vice captains, with the 24-year-old coming out on top in the poll.
URC Players’ Player of the Season
Sheehan scored eight tries for Leinster during the regular season, with only teammate Rob Russell (10) registering more. In total, he had nine try involvements in his nine appearances, also assisting one try.
In the URC round two clash with Benetton at the RDS Arena, the hooker scored four tries in the 42-10 victory. He became the eighth player and the first Leinster player to score four times in one game. He completed his hat trick in that game in just 28 minutes.
Sheehan also scored a brace as Leinster suffered a heartbreaking 27-26 defeat to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final in Dubin on Saturday.
It is the second award the hooker has picked up this season after pipping Ulster’s Tom Stewart to a place in the Elite XV. He was also nominated for the Men’s XVs Players’ Player of the Year and Men’s Young Player of the Year in the Rugby Players Ireland Awards.
The award caps off a stellar season for the 17 Test cap international, who also enjoyed a historic tour success against New Zealand last summer. He also scored twice during Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign.
🗣️ | 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗥𝗖
Congrats to Dan Sheehan on being named the #BKTURC Players' Player of the Season!#FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/MoB8lzD6zH
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 24, 2023
URC Awards 2022/23 Winners
OFX Top Try Scorer: Tom Stewart (Ulster)
Tackle Machine: John Hodnett (Munster)
Turnover King: Thomas Young (Cardiff Rugby)
Elite XV: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Daniel du Plessis (Stormers), Simone Gesi (Zebre Parma), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Grant Williams (Sharks), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Scott Penny (Leinster), Vaea Fifita (Scarlets), Federico Ruzza (Benetton), Niall Murray (Connacht), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers).
Next-Gen Player of the Season: Tom Stewart (Ulster)
Fans’ Player of the Season: Manie Libbok (Stormers)
Try of the season: Joaquin Riera (Benetton @ Cell C Sharks, Round 17)
Gilbert Golden Boot: Johan Goosen (Bulls)
Ironman: Quan Horn (Lions)
Coach of the Season: Franco Smith (Glasgow Warriors)
Players’ Player of the Season: Dan Sheehan (Leinster)
Click Here: AFL Football Guernsey