MARK Bennett has been named Edinburgh’s player of the season after a campaign which saw the Scotland centre return to his incisive best.
Now 29, Bennett has had more than his fair share of injuries to contend with since moving from Glasgow to the capital club five years ago, but he has shrugged off such worries this season to produce some inspiring performances.
Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair said: “We’re absolutely delighted to see Mark named Scottish Building Society Player of the Season after a brilliant year in which he was one of our most consistent and impressive performers.
“Mark was pretty candid in the fact Edinburgh fans hadn’t seen the best of him in the last few years due to injury, but he was absolutely back to his best this season and I think that was evident in the way he provided a constant attacking spark with his line-breaking and carrying skills.
“Looking back at the season, there were so many games where Mark’s contributions made the difference. January’s home win against Cardiff was a match in which he cut them apart with nearly every run, while you only had to look at his try against Ulster last month which got us right back into the contest.
“Mark deserves all the plaudits he gets this year. He’s really stepped up to become an influential leader in this squad.”
Six of Bennett's team-mates have also been honoured for their contributions at an awards dinner in Edinburgh. Argentine international full-back-cum-winger Emiliano Boffelli has been recognised by his peers for an excellent debut campaign with the team by being voted Glen Moray Players’ Player of the Season. Twenty-year-old No 8 Ben Muncaster was named Breadalbane Finance Young Player of the Season following a successful breakout campaign in the capital back-row.
The Equity Gap Most Improved Player award went to openside flanker Connor Boyle, Marshall Sykes was named Breadalbane Finance Man of Steel as the club’s best defender, and scrum-half Henry Pyrgos received the CBS Consulting Leadership Award.
The Caullie Lug award - so called because the actual prize is modelled on former player Allan Jacobsen’s cauliflower ear - went to loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman. The Caullie Lug is the only award to be voted on by Edinburgh’s supporters and goes to the player deemed to have shown the most commitment to the jersey over the course of the season.
