Spence wins top Irish award
Powerhouse Irish forward Sophie Spence picked up the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Women's Player of the Year award last night.
Published by Alison Donnelly, August 12th, 2015
2 minute read
Spence was hugely influential this year in the second row for her country, with the Old Belvedere and Leinster player playing an integral role in Ireland winning the 6 Nations title last season.Spence said: "It's something you can only dream of. I didn't think I had my best performances this year, but I really enjoyed it and it's come as a big surprise when I see the other players who have won it like Claire Molloy, Lynne Cantwell and Niamh Briggs, so it's fantastic."It's nice to see our forwards getting the recognition too! Our pack has had a lot of continuity in the past season which helped us deliver real consistency so this award is as much about the forwards as anything else."
Originally from South Shields in England, Spence is a former netball player was also part of the side that claimed a historic victory over New Zealand in the 2014 Women's World Cup and she also holds a second 6 Nations winners' medal from 2013.
She has been a key figure since she broke onto the Irish team with her powerful ball carrying and excellent lineout abilities.