Caelan Doris and Aoife Wafer have been confirmed as the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland players of the year for 2023/24.
Ireland captain Doris claimed the men’s senior award just over a day after he was named on the shortlist for World Rugby Men’s XV player of the year, where he will go up against South African trio Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe and Eben Etzebeth.
Doris had been nominated for the RWI prize alongside his Leinster team-mates Jamison Gibson-Park and Joe McCarthy, along with Munster’s Jack Crowley and Connacht’s Bundee Aki, who won the prize in 2022/23.
Wafer continued her incredible season by collecting the women’s XV award, in addition to the players’ player of the year and young player of the year prizes she won at the Rugby Players Ireland awards last summer.
The 21-year-old was hugely influential in Ireland’s third-place finish in the Six Nations, and continued that form into the WXV, although that tournament fell outside of the timeline for the 2023/24 RWI awards.
The Ireland men’s team was named the Dave Guiney Team of the Year in recognition of their victory in the 2024 Six Nations Championship, a second consecutive championship won for Andy Farrell’s side.
For the third time in her career, Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe (below) has been named the RWI women’s sevens player of the year, while Zac Ward has been awarded the men’s sevens player of the year. In addition to his sevens success, Ward has transitioned to the 15s format, joining Ulster on a trial basis and starting for Emerging Ireland during their South African tour.
Also honoured on the night was former Connacht Rugby CEO, Gerry Kelly, who was awarded the Tom Rooney Award for his contribution to Irish rugby. Kelly, who became Connacht’s first CEO in 1999, ushered in the professional era for the province and oversaw significant growth, including an increase in clubs from 16 to 28 and the development of rugby in non-traditional schools.
Ballyclare RFC has been voted the club of the year on the back of their promotion to the All-Ireland League for the first time in their 75-year history. After edging Ennis𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁en to the Ulster Championship Division title – the first time they have topped the junior ranks in the province – they beat Monkstown 33-28 thanks to a late try from captain Joel McBride, which secured promotion for the country Antrim club.
Finally, recognised prior to the event and honoured at the awards were hall of fame inductees Joy Neville and Keith Wood, while media legends Edmund Van Esbeck and Len Dinneen were also honoured on the night with the Fred Cogley award for the significant stamp they have left on Irish sports media.
