Retiring Ulster captain Rory Best enjoyed a standing ovation after being presented with the Heineken Personality of the Year award at the annual Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony.
Best received a rapturous reception from team mates, fans and assembled guests as he was honoured at the annual gala event which was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast.
It was another emotional moment for the long serving hooker and fans favourite who was acknowledged for his contribution to Ulster Rugby, both on and off the field.
Rory Best dreaming of fairytale ending at 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan
Best, who has won 220 caps since making his debut in 2004, announced last month he would be stepping down from club duty at the end of the season,
The 36-year-old, who has also won 117 Ireland caps, will retire from all rugby after the national team’s World Cup campaign concludes in Japan in the Autumn.
While a bright spotlight shone on Best at the Crowne Plaza, centre Stuart McCloskey also took centre stage when he picked up two of the main awards of the evening.
McCloskey, who was the epitome of consistency and led from the front both in Europe and the Pro14, was named Bank of Ireland Ulster Player of the Year.
The 26-year-old, who started 24 of his 25 outings this season, also picked up the Ulster Rugby Supporters Club (URSC) Player of the Year gong.
Elsewhere, back row forward Marcell Coetzee was named Rugby Writers Player of the Year, while prop Eric O'Sullivan picked up the Young Player of the Year.
Versatile fly-half Michael Lowry, who made 16 senior appearances, was named Academy player of the year, while the Ulster A award went to Aaron Sexton.
Claire McLaughlin was awarded the Deloitte Ulster Women’s Player of the Year, while Zara Flack of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School was the first ever recipient of the Danske Bank Girls Schools’ Player of the Year award.
Five Ulster players were also presented with honours caps for reaching appearance milestones in the past 12 months; Rob Herring (150), Andrew Warwick (100), Iain Henderson (100), Stuart McCloskey (100) and Sean Reidy (100).
2019 HEINEKEN ULSTER RUGBY AWARDS
HEINEKEN ULSTER RUGBY PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Rory Best
BANK OF IRELAND PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stuart McCloskey
ULSTER RUGBY SUPPORTERS CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stuart McCloskey
RUGBY WRITERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Marcell Coetzee
BT YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Eric O'Sullivan
ABBEY INSURANCE ACADEMY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Michael Lowry
CD GROUP ULSTER A PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aaron Sexton
DELOITTE ULSTER WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere RFC)
ULSTER CARPETS YOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matthew Sands (City of Armagh RFC)
DANSKE BANK BOYS SCHOOLS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tom Stewart (Belfast Royal Academy)
DANSKE BANK GIRLS SCHOOLS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zara Flack (Enniskillen Royal Grammar School)
SONI REAL RUGBY HEROES AWARD (Adult Category)
Victor Kearney (Donegal Town RFC)
SONI REAL RUGBY HEROES AWARD (Youth Category)
Heather Thornton (Rainey Old Boys RFC)
DORRINGTON B FAULKNER AWARD
Barney McGonigle
KEN GOODALL CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ross Adair (Ballynahinch RFC)
KERR’S TYRES REFEREE OF THE YEAR
Peter Martin
KUKRI SPORTS CLUB OF THE YEAR
Queen’s University RFC
ULSTER U18 GIRLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kelly McCormill (Cooke RF)
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