Stockdale wins BBC NI SPOTY Award

Ulster and Ireland wing Jacob Stockdale has been named 2018 BBC Sport Northern Ireland Personality of Year. Stockdale won the Six Nations Player of the Year award after his record seven tries helped Ireland clinch the Grand Slam in March. After playing in Ireland's summer series win in Australia, Stockdale then notched the only try in Ireland's first ever home win over New Zealand. "It's massive honour and unexpected," said Stockdale of his BBC NI award. In another tremendous year for Northern Ireland sport, Stockdale faced tough competition for the BBC Sport NI award as he edged out four-time World Superbike champion and 2017 winner Jonathan Rea and Ireland women's hockey hero Ayeisha McFerran. "I'm incredibly thankful for getting picked. It's been a very fast moving year from start to finish but it's been really, really enjoyable," added Stockdale, 22. "There have been a lot of big games in there that I feel really lucky to have been a part of." BBC Northern Ireland head of sport Jane Tohill said the "historic nature of Jacob's remarkable exploits in 2018 set him apart."