IRELAND’S MAX DEEGAN has been nominated for the 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship Player of the Tournament award.
The Lansdowne FC number eight has been outstanding in Ireland’s drive to the final of the competition, where they face hosts England on Saturday in Manchester [KO 7pm, TG4].
Deegan has been in brilliant form for Ireland. Source: Camerasport/Dave Howarth/INPHO
Deegan is the only Irish nominee for the award and is competing against Japan’s Ataata Moeakiola, England’s Harry Mallinder, Shaun Stevenson of New Zealand, and South Africa’s Curwin Bosch.
World Rugby this morning launched the public voting for the award on Facebook, with the winner to be named after the final on Saturday.
Deegan, who joins the Leinster academy this summer, has started and finished three of Ireland’s four games at the World Championship so far, while also completing 63 minutes of the clash against Georgia off the bench.
Important tries against New Zealand and Argentina – when he sprinted more than 60 metres to dot down – have been just reward for Deegan’s all-action displays at the heart of the Irish back row.
The former St. Michael’s College man will now look to help Ireland cause another shock in Saturday’s final against the English.
Current Leinster centre Garry Ringrose was nominated for the equivalent of this award in 2014, losing out to Handré Pollard, while Northampton out-half JJ Hanrahan was pipped by South Africa’s Jan Serfontein in 2012.
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