|
SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY REPORTS
And the winner is... our man's unofficial Maggies
IAIN MORRISON
Published Date: 08 May 2011
The official Magners League awards will be dished out this evening in what is described as a "glittering ceremony" in Kildare, near Dublin, which tells you where the majority of the winners will be from.
Tim Visser and Duncan Weir are both up for the Try of the Season Award, although the Ospreys' effort finished off by Ashley Beck, which went the length of the pitch, should win by the same margin enjoyed by Alex Salmond at the polls. At the end of the regular season, what better time to cast a jaundiced eye over the campaign and hand out some "Maggies" of our own.
SURPRISE PACKAGE
A tie between two clubs, for very different reasons. After making the play-offs last year Glasgow ended up in the basement after a cruel run of injuries. On the flip side Treviso finished adjacent to Glasgow but will feel pretty pleased with their Magners' debut.
MUST DO BETTER
Before this weekend the well-paid players of Ospreylia had won just 11 matches, one more than the Dragons and the same number as the Scarlets. The biggest spenders in Welsh rugby are also the biggest underachievers. When you get to the Heineken Cup final you can afford to be sniffy about the Magners League: Until then buck up and make a flipping effort.
BEST YOUNG PROSPECT
Scotland's very own Mark Bennett enjoyed a run-out for Glasgow but just the once. Instead we'll go with the Magners judges, who have to choose between Dragons No.8 Toby Faletau, expected to make his Welsh debut against the Barbarians, and Ulster's young centre Nevin Spence, seen by some as Ireland's long-term replacement for Brian O'Driscoll.
THE PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AWARD FOR OVERSEAS AID
The Italian teams have a smattering of foreigners and the "Flying Dutchman" put in another good shift for Edinburgh but this award is won hands down by Ulster who have been revitalised by five South Africans, four of whom are full Springboks. BJ Botha (who is off to Munster next season), Pedrie Wannenburg, Johann Muller and, of course, their match winning scrum-half Ruan Pienaar.
TEAM OF THE SEASON
They may have slipped up in Europe but Munster have been awesome in the league, losing just three matches ahead of this weekend's action and finishing top of the regular-season table with something to spare.
REAL MADRID AWARD FOR IDIOCY IN FRONT OF A REF
After being sidelined for over a year with injury, Aironi's Fabio Staibano returned to action against the Dragons in October only to be shown a yellow card. After ten minutes "cooling off", he returned to the action only to see red. After 12 months out Staibano had played just 15 minutes of his comeback and the prop was then banned for three weeks.
PEDIGREE CHUMLESS AWARD FOR A MISERABLE TURNOUT
When Connacht beat Aironi in March just 1,015 souls watched the game and, even then, they had to count the beer and burger sellers to make it into four figures.
And the winner is... our man's unofficial Maggies
IAIN MORRISON
Published Date: 08 May 2011
The official Magners League awards will be dished out this evening in what is described as a "glittering ceremony" in Kildare, near Dublin, which tells you where the majority of the winners will be from.
Tim Visser and Duncan Weir are both up for the Try of the Season Award, although the Ospreys' effort finished off by Ashley Beck, which went the length of the pitch, should win by the same margin enjoyed by Alex Salmond at the polls. At the end of thADVERTISEMENT
e regular season, what better time to cast a jaundiced eye over the campaign and hand out some "Maggies" of our own.
SURPRISE PACKAGE
A tie between two clubs, for very different reasons. After making the play-offs last year Glasgow ended up in the basement after a cruel run of injuries. On the flip side Treviso finished adjacent to Glasgow but will feel pretty pleased with their Magners' debut.
MUST DO BETTER
Before this weekend the well-paid players of Ospreylia had won just 11 matches, one more than the Dragons and the same number as the Scarlets. The biggest spenders in Welsh rugby are also the biggest underachievers. When you get to the Heineken Cup final you can afford to be sniffy about the Magners League: Until then buck up and make a flipping effort.
BEST YOUNG PROSPECT
Scotland's very own Mark Bennett enjoyed a run-out for Glasgow but just the once. Instead we'll go with the Magners judges, who have to choose between Dragons No.8 Toby Faletau, expected to make his Welsh debut against the Barbarians, and Ulster's young centre Nevin Spence, seen by some as Ireland's long-term replacement for Brian O'Driscoll.
THE PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AWARD FOR OVERSEAS AID
The Italian teams have a smattering of foreigners and the "Flying Dutchman" put in another good shift for Edinburgh but this award is won hands down by Ulster who have been revitalised by five South Africans, four of whom are full Springboks. BJ Botha (who is off to Munster next season), Pedrie Wannenburg, Johann Muller and, of course, their match winning scrum-half Ruan Pienaar.
TEAM OF THE SEASON
They may have slipped up in Europe but Munster have been awesome in the league, losing just three matches ahead of this weekend's action and finishing top of the regular-season table with something to spare.
REAL MADRID AWARD FOR IDIOCY IN FRONT OF A REF
After being sidelined for over a year with injury, Aironi's Fabio Staibano returned to action against the Dragons in October only to be shown a yellow card. After ten minutes "cooling off", he returned to the action only to see red. After 12 months out Staibano had played just 15 minutes of his comeback and the prop was then banned for three weeks.
PEDIGREE CHUMLESS AWARD FOR A MISERABLE TURNOUT
When Connacht beat Aironi in March just 1,015 souls watched the game and, even then, they had to count the beer and burger sellers to make it into four figures.
This article was posted on 8-May-2011, 06:49 by Hugh Barrow.
|
