Ulster and Ireland winger Jacob Stockdale scooped a prestigious double of the Malcolm Brodie Player of the Year and the George Best Breakthrough prizes at last night's Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards.
The awards are just another high point in what has been a rollercoaster year for the 21-year-old, during which time he has become a regular in the Ulster team, made a try-scoring international debut for Ireland last summer, then retained his place in the national squad for the Autumn internationals and Six Nations Championship.
After beginning his rugby journey at Ballynahinch RFC minis, Stockdale first stood out as a precociously talented teen at Wallace High School, winning the Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Player of the Year in 2014 before a starring role for the Irish Under-20s.
With preparations for Ireland's opening Six Nations game with France in Paris on Saturday, ramping up this week, Stockdale was unable to be at the Waterfront Hall in person last night, but after humbly apologising for his absence said he hoped to make the next 12 months just as noteworthy as the last.
"To be nominated was an incredible honour and to find out I've won them now is something pretty special as well," he said.
"I suppose it's a combination of things that went my way, and a lot of hard work as well. It has all culminated in a pretty incredible year for me. It's been a whirlwind but it's been really good fun.
"I was doing my best to make sure I could be there, but hopefully if you're going to miss it for any reason then preparing for the Six Nations is a valid one.
"The big thing coming up is the Six Nations and that's a massive target for me. To say that I've played in the Six Nations, or to even take that further and say that I've a Six Nations medal a few months from now, is something that would be pretty amazing, especially at the age I am."
The awards are just another high point in what has been a rollercoaster year for the 21-year-old, during which time he has become a regular in the Ulster team, made a try-scoring international debut for Ireland last summer, then retained his place in the national squad for the Autumn internationals and Six Nations Championship.
After beginning his rugby journey at Ballynahinch RFC minis, Stockdale first stood out as a precociously talented teen at Wallace High School, winning the Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Player of the Year in 2014 before a starring role for the Irish Under-20s.
With preparations for Ireland's opening Six Nations game with France in Paris on Saturday, ramping up this week, Stockdale was unable to be at the Waterfront Hall in person last night, but after humbly apologising for his absence said he hoped to make the next 12 months just as noteworthy as the last.
"To be nominated was an incredible honour and to find out I've won them now is something pretty special as well," he said.
"I suppose it's a combination of things that went my way, and a lot of hard work as well. It has all culminated in a pretty incredible year for me. It's been a whirlwind but it's been really good fun.
"I was doing my best to make sure I could be there, but hopefully if you're going to miss it for any reason then preparing for the Six Nations is a valid one.
"The big thing coming up is the Six Nations and that's a massive target for me. To say that I've played in the Six Nations, or to even take that further and say that I've a Six Nations medal a few months from now, is something that would be pretty amazing, especially at the age I am."