The Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association has named Wales and Ospreys centre James Hook as their Welsh player of the year.
Hook is one of three West Walians to receive an accolade from Welsh rugby’s top commentators and key opinion formers, with Scarlets hooker and recent international recruit Ken Owens named as most promising player and the title of best Principality Premiership player being awarded to Neath wing Kristian Phillips.
The award tops an impressive year for Owens, who is now understudy to British & Irish Lions hooker Matthew Rees at both Regional and international level and is sure to win his first cap in the Principality Building Society summer test against South Africa at Millennium Stadium on 5 June or on the following tour of New Zealand.
Phillips has also had international recognition this year after being included in Warren Gatland’s RBS 6 Nations 2010 squad and he is currently selected on Gatland’s standby list for this summer’s matches.
Hook will miss the summer games in order to undergo shoulder surgery – although he should be back on the international scene next November – leaving Ospreys team-mate Andrew Bishop, Blues and Lions centre Jamie Roberts and the Scarlets’ Jonathan Davies left to fight it out to form a new international midfield partnership against the Springboks and the All Blacks.
