Calvin Nash named Munster Men's Player of the Year

Calvin Nash was hailed as a “winner” by Mike Prendergast as the Ireland wing was announced as the Bank of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year at the annual Munster Rugby Awards in Adare, Co. Limerick on Tuesday night.

Nash, 27, and Bank of Ireland Women’s Player of the Year Maeve Óg O’Leary, were the headline winners at the awards presented by Virgin Media and held at the Woodlands House Hotel on a night when there were recipients in 11 categories with John Hodnett and Muirne Wall becoming inaugural winners of, respectively, the men’s and women’s Virgin Media Supporters’ Player of the Year awards.

Ireland under-20 back-row Brian Gleeson was named as Academy Player of the Year while the Breakthrough Women’s Player of the Year went to Munster hooker Beth Buttimer.

For Nash, the Player of the Year award came after 2023-24 campaign in which he scored six tries in 18 appearances for his province, highlighted by a superb solo effort in the Champions Cup pool stages at Toulon last January. 

It helped push the winger into Ireland’s Six Nations squad, where he started all five matches in the successful title defence, scoring tries against France in Marseille in round one and Italy in round two, his second and third Test appearances.

Nash missed the end of season URC play-offs through injury but kept his place in the Ireland squad for the summer tour to South Africa and started both Tests against the Springboks as Andy Farrell’s team tied the series with the world champions.

Munster attack coach Prendergast described Nash as a worthy winner of his Player of the Year award.

“He’s a winger playing with one of the top teams in the world, a player starting for potentially the best team in the world and especially where he’s come from over the last two seasons or so, just a brilliant player,” Prendergast said.

“He has a great feel for the game, always wanting to get better. That’s the beauty of Calvin. He’s powerful, brilliant in the air, some huge moments last year, he can just create things when maybe there isn’t a huge amount on. He’s got that bit of X-factor about him as well and that comes with pace and his power.

“He’s had a huge two seasons, capped with Ireland and not just capped but I thought at international level, you hear about people saying he didn’t look out of depth, for me he looked a bit more than that. He looked very comfortable at international level playing against the best teams in the world.” 

Back-rower O’Leary’s Women’s Player of the Year comes after a season in which the 24-year-old started all four matches for Munster in the recent 2023-24 Women’s Interprovincial Championship, scoring two tries, and played in the province’s historic clash against the Barbarians at Thomond Park last September 30, before representing Ireland in the successful WXV3 competition in Dubai last October.

Other winners at the awards dinner included Referee of the Year Andrew Brace, Senior Club of the Year Nenagh Ormond RFC, Junior Club of the Year Clonakilty RFC and School of the Year PBC Cork.

2024 MUNSTER RUGBY AWARDS WINNERS:

Bank of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year: Calvin Nash 

Bank of Ireland Women’s Player of the Year: Maeve Óg O’Leary 

Virgin Media Supporters’ Player of the Year: John Hodnett and Muirne Wall 

Academy Player of the Year: Brian Gleeson 

Breakthrough Women’s Player of the Year: Beth Buttimer 

Referee of the Year: Andrew Brace 

Bank of Ireland Senior Club of the Year: Nenagh Ormond RFC 

Bank of Ireland Junior Club of the Year: Clonakilty RFC  

School of the Year: Presentation Brothers College   

Club Age-Grade Section of the Year: Bruff RFC  

Club Mini Section of the Year: Dungarvan RFC .