Paul O’Connell bags another major award in a season to remember

Getting better with age.

Paul O'Connell has won the Irish Rugby Union Players Association Players' Player of the Year award for 2015. The Munster stalwart, and Ireland captain, has been rewarded for an outstanding season, for club and country, by receiving the accolade from his peers. This is the second time O'Connell has won the award, taking the honour almost a decade ago in 2006.  He joins Gordon D’Arcy and Tommy Bowe as a two-time winner. The 35-year-old received his honour at the IRUPA awards, in Dublin, last night and thanked his fellow pros.

He said, 'It is really great to win this award, it’s hard to believe it is nine years ago that I last won [this award]. It’s been a fantastic season for Ireland and winning my 100^th cap during the Six Nations [against Wales] was really special, so this tops it off nicely.'

O'Connell has played 20 times for Munster and Ireland this season. He has led Ireland to a second Six Nations trophy in successive seasons, as well as wins over Australia and South Africa. Munster have qualified for the Guinness PRO12 knock-out stages and will hope to secure a home semi-final this weekend. Supporters echoed the views of the players with O'Connell also taking home the Newstalk Supporters’ Player of the Year 2015.