Many of the greatest names in rugby's professional era have been included among the ERC European Award Winners as part of the celebrations of the landmark 15th season of European club rugby.
Many of the greatest names in rugby's professional era have been included among the ERC European Award Winners as part of the celebrations of the landmark 15th season of European club rugby.
This year ERC will confer the following European Awards:
ERC15 - European Club Rugby Award Categories
• ERC European Player Award
• ERC European Coaching Award
• ERC European Fair Play Award
• ERC European Dream Team - (Best XV of European club competitions over the past 15 years)
Players from five nations and six different clubs have been selected by a nine-man ERC panel of former players, coaches and members of the media to form an ERC European 'Dream Team'.
The Cardiff Blues flanker Martyn Williams, who made his European debut for Pontypridd in 1996, is the winner of the ERC European Fair Play Award. The panel voted for him as it was widely felt that he is the embodiment of the player who upholds the values of the game of rugby in these European club competitions and in so doing is an inspirational role model as to how the game should be played.
ERC EUROPEAN FAIR PLAY AWARD
- For the Fairest and Most Sportsmanlike Player in Europe over the past 15 years
MARTYN WILLIAMS
Club: Cardiff Blues
Other club: Pontypridd
ERC debut: Pontypridd v Benetton Treviso - Heineken Cup - 12.10.96
Heineken Cup matches: 75
Heineken Cup points: 35 (7T)
Amlin Challenge Cup matches: 2
Amlin Challenge Cup points: 5 (1T)
ERC honours: Elite 50 Caps
Munster outside half O'Gara, who has scored a tournament record 1,138 points in 91 appearances at an average of 12.5 points per game, is the only "double" winner, becoming the inaugural recipient of the ERC European Player Award in addition to his ERC European Dream Team selection.
ERC EUROPEAN PLAYER AWARD
- For the Best Player in Europe over the past 15 years
RONAN O'GARA
Club: Munster
ERC debut: Munster v NEC Harlequins - Heineken Cup - 07.09.97
Heineken Cup matches: 91
Heineken Cup points: 1,138 (8T, 156C, 248PG, 14DG)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2006 and 2008; Elite 50 Caps and Elite 1,000 Points
There was a unanimous decision from the panel when it came to selecting the best ERC European Coach Award. Guy Noves has been with Toulouse, and the Heineken Cup, from their first game on 31 October, 1995 right through to the 2010 Heineken Cup final next weekend. In that time he has masterminded 77 victories and four draws in 109 European outings, led his team to six finals and won three of the five to date.
ERC EUROPEAN COACH AWARD
- For the Best Coach in Europe over the past 15 years
GUY NOVES
Club: Toulouse
ERC debut: Farul Constanta v Toulouse - Heineken Cup - 31.10.95
Heineken Cup matches: 109
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winning coach 1996, 2003, 2005; Heineken Cup finalist coach 2004, 2008, 2010
ERC EUROPEAN DREAM TEAM
15 Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers)
14 Josh Lewsey (London Wasps)
13 Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster)
12 Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse)
11 Vincent Clerc (Toulouse)
10 Ronan O'Gara (Munster)
9 Rob Howley (London Wasps)
1 Christian Califano (Toulouse)
2 William Servat (Toulouse)
3 Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Français Paris)
4 Martin Johnson (Leicester Tigers)
5 Fabien Pelous (Toulouse)
6 Rocky Elsom (Leinster)
7 David Wallace (Munster)
8 Anthony Foley (Munster)
15 GEORDAN MURPHY
Club: Leicester Tigers
ERC debut: Leicester Tigers v Leinster - Heineken Cup - 19.11.99
Heineken Cup matches: 63
Heineken Cup points: 142 (22T, 10C, 4PG)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2001 and 2002; Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: Ireland 66 caps / B&I Lions 2
14 JOSH LEWSEY
Club: London Wasps
Other club: Bristol Shoguns
ERC debut: Bristol Shoguns v La Rochelle - Amlin Challenge Cup - 07.09.97
Heineken Cup matches: 49
Heineken Cup points: 80 (16T)
Amlin Challenge Cup matches: 9
Amlin Challenge Cup points: 17 (3T, 1C)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2004 and 2007; Amlin Challenge Cup winner 2003
Test Record: England 55 caps / B&I Lions 3
13 BRIAN O'DRISCOLL
Club: Leinster
ERC debut: Leinster v Leicester Tigers - Heineken Cup - 19.11.99
Heineken Cup matches: 68
Heineken Cup points: 143 (28T, 1DG)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2009; Elite 50 Caps and Elite 25 Tries
Test Record: Ireland 101 caps / B&I Lions 6
12 YANNICK JAUZION
Club: Toulouse
Other club: Colomiers
ERC debut: Colomiers v Rugby Roma - Heineken Cup - 07.10.00
Heineken Cup matches: 62
Heineken Cup points: 72 (14T, 1C)
Amlin Challenge Cup matches: 4
Amlin Challenge Cup points: 10 (2T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2003, 2005; Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: France 68 caps
11 VINCENT CLERC
Club: Toulouse
ERC debut: Toulouse v London Irish - Heineken Cup - 12.10.02
Heineken Cup matches: 53
Heineken Cup points: 150 (30T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2003, 2005; Elite 50 Caps and Elite 25 Tries
Test Record: France 41 caps
10 RONAN O'GARA
Club: Munster
ERC debut: Munster v NEC Harlequins - Heineken Cup - 07.09.97
Heineken Cup matches: 91
Heineken Cup points: 1,138 (8T, 156C, 248PG, 14DG)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2006 and 2008; Elite 50 Caps and Elite 1,000 Points
Test Record: Ireland 98 caps / B&I Lions 2
9 ROB HOWLEY
Club: London Wasps
Other club: Cardiff Blues
ERC debut: Cardiff Blues v London Wasps - Heineken Cup - 13.10.96
Heineken Cup matches: 38
Heineken Cup points: 60 (12T)
Amlin Challenge Cup matches: 6
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2004; Amlin Challenge Cup winner 2003
Test Record: Wales 59 caps / B&I Lions 2
1 CHRISTIAN CALIFANO
Club: Toulouse
Previous clubs: Saracens, Agen, Gloucester Rugby
ERC debut: Toulouse v Farul Constanta - Heineken Cup - 31.10.95
Heineken Cup matches: 43
Heineken Cup points: 35 (7T)
Amlin Challenge Cup matches: 15
Amlin Challenge Cup points: 30 (6T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 1996
Test Record: France 71 caps
2 WILLIAM SERVAT
Club: Toulouse
ERC debut: Toulouse v Ulster Rugby - Heineken Cup - 16.10.98
Heineken Cup matches: 59
Heineken Cup points: 10 (2T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2003 and 2005; Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: France 30 caps
3 SYLVAIN MARCONNET
Club: Stade Français Paris
ERC debut: Stade Français Paris v London Irish - Amlin Challenge Cup - 07.09.97
Heineken Cup matches: 64
Heineken Cup points: 50 (10T)
Amlin Challenge Cup matches: 9
Amlin Challenge Cup points: 5 (1T)
ERC honours: Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: France 80 caps
4 MARTIN JOHNSON
Club: Leicester Tigers
ERC debut: Leicester Tigers v Leinster - Heineken Cup - 16.10.96
Heineken Cup matches: 51
Heineken Cup points: 10 (2T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2001 and 2002; Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: England 84 caps / B&I Lions 8
5 FABIEN PELOUS
Club: Toulouse
Other club: Dax
ERC debut: Dax v Benetton Treviso - Heineken Cup - 16.10.96
Heineken Cup matches: 81
Heineken Cup points: 35 (7T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2003 and 2005; Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: France 118 caps
6 ROCKY ELSOM
Club: Leinster
ERC debut: Leinster v Edinburgh - Heineken Cup - 11.10.08
Heineken Cup matches: 9
Heineken Cup points: 10 (2T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2009
Test Record: Australia 49 caps
7 DAVID WALLACE
Club: Munster
ERC debut: Munster v Petrarca Rugby - Heineken Cup - 19.09.98
Heineken Cup matches: 79
Heineken Cup points: 70 (14T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2006 and 2008; Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: Ireland 62 caps / B&I Lions 3
8 ANTHONY FOLEY
Club: Munster
ERC debut: Munster v Swansea - Heineken Cup - 01.11.95
Heineken Cup matches: 86
Heineken Cup points: 115 (23T)
ERC honours: Heineken Cup winner 2006; Elite 50 Caps
Test Record: Ireland 62 caps