By Ridley Hall
May 21 2002

It wasn't a surprise that we didn't win anything at the end of season awards in London last night .. because we had failed to get a single nominations. Billy Whizz was the ZP Player of the Year while the Irish management duo beat Sale's Jim Mallender to Coach of the Year. Not sure of that one.

The closest we got to an award was from Chris McLoughlin of Hartlepool who is the North Divisional Secretary. He was the Unsung Hero of the Year.

THE NOMINEES AND WINNERS

Zurich Player of the Season 2001/2002*

Winner: Jason Robinson (Sale Sharks]

Nominees: Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers) and Ryan Strudwick (London Irish)

Zurich Young Player of the Season 2001/2002*

Winner: Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers)

Nominees: Jamie Forrester (Gloucester) and Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks)

Zurich Overseas Player of the Season 2001/2002*

Winner: Brendan Venter (London Irish)

Nominees: Rod Kafer (Leicester Tigers) and Ludovic Mercier (Gloucester)

Zurich Director of Rugby of the Season 2001/2002*

Winner: Conor O'Shea and Brendan Venter (London Irish)

Nominees: Jim Mallinder (Sale Sharks) and Dean Richards (Leicester Tigers)

Zurich Premiership Try of the Season 2001/2002 in association with Sky Sports**

Winner: James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester v Bath)

Nominees: Jason Robinson (Sale Sharks v London Wasps), Jannie de Beer (Saracens v Leicester Tigers), Declan Danaher (London Irish v Northampton), Adam Eustace (Gloucester v Leeds), Justin Bishop (London Irish v London Wasps), James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester v Sale Sharks), James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester v Bath)

Zurich Unsung Hero Award 2001/2002

Winner: Chris McLoughlin,Hartlepool, RFU North Division County Secretary

Nominees: Rowley (Ro) Bates, President of the Buckinghamshire Referees Society, and Lennie Newman, Northampton Saints Team Manager