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Guinness Premiership
Robshaw and Turner-Hall scoop awards
Scrum.com
May 5, 2009
Harlequins' Chris Robshaw collected the Guinness Premiership Player of the Year award in London on Tuesday evening
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Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw has been named the Guinness Premiership Player of the Year at the end of season awards in London. And in a notable double for the club, centre Jordan Turner-Hall scooped the Young Player of the Year honour. Richard Cockerill took the Director of Rugby prize after guiding Leicester to the Heineken Cup final and Premiership play-offs. The 22-year-old Robshaw, who was nominated for the young player award last season, has been an ever-present in the league this season, helping to steer Quins to a home semi-final in the Premiership play-offs. The awards panel also praised Robshaw's contribution in Europe, as Harlequins reached the Heineken Cup quarter-final after memorable victories home and away against Stade Français in the pool stages. Robshaw edged out London Irish fullback Delon Armitage, England's player of the Six Nations, and Bath's New Zealand-born wing Joe Maddock, who topped the try-scoring charts in the regular season with 11 touchdowns in 18 appearances. Also nominated for top award were London Irish centre Seilala Mapasua and Leicester Tigers' England forward Tom Croft. Turner-Hall, 21, was the unanimous choice of the panel having caught the eye with a series of outstanding performances and edged out Newcastle scrum-half Micky Young, Saracens winger Noah Cato, Leicester No.9 Ben Youngs and London Irish winger Adam Thompstone for the award. Cockerill faced stiff competition from Harlequins' Dean Richards and London Irish's Toby Booth for the Director of Rugby award but the panel felt he changed the way Leicester Tigers approached the game almost as soon as he took the reins in November, following Heyneke Meyer's premature compassionate return to South Africa. That change of approach and the stability the former player brought to the club saw them finish five points clear at the top of the table and reach the Heineken Cup Final in nail-biting fashion. Both of these achievements ultimately persuaded the Tigers management to give Cockerill the job on a permanent basis. Elsewhere, Bristol's David Lemi took the Try of the Season award for his opening round effort against Bath Rugby at the Memorial Ground. Fielding a kick in his own 22, the Samoan beat the first man before using his pace to dart up the left wing. A hitch-kick bought him the space he needed to chip over the covering defence and a deft piece of control with his right boot allowed him to collect the ball before Bath's Justin Harrison and touch down for the try. Saracens' Glen Jackson collected the Golden Boot for the second time in three seasons while Bath's Danny Grewcock won the Community Player of the Season award for his willingness and enthusiasm to involve himself in community work. Sale Sharks' Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe capped the evening by claiming the Performance of the Season Award and being named captain of the Dream Team.
Guinness Premiership Player of the Season:
Also nominated:
Land Rover Discovery of the Season:
Also nominated
Hilton Director of Rugby:
Bank of America Try of the Season:
The Times Top Try scorer:
Gilbert Golden Boot:
EDF Energy community Player of the Season:
Also nominated
Gatorade Performance of the Season:
Sky Sports Dream Team:
(Sky Sports Dream Team as selected by Stuart Barnes, Will Greenwood and Dewi Morris) © Scrum.com
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