 Tommy Bowe will be playing for the Ospreys next season |
Ireland wing Tommy Bowe is the only Ulster player to make this year's Magners League Dream Team. Rugby fans and the press across the three Celtic nations were asked to vote for their favourite players in each position for the 2007/08 season. Leinster ended up with seven stars in the team with Cardiff Blues, Edinburgh and Ospreys providing two players each. Ben Blair, Felipe Contepomi, Jamie Heaslip and Shane Williams all made the team for the second year running. It was no surprise that league champions Leinster led the way in terms of representation after their team won 13 of their 18 games, scoring 61 points in the process - five clear of the second-placed Blues. Outside-half Contepomi said appearing in the team alongside so many of his team-mates rounded off a fantastic season for the region. "Winning the Magners League title was a great achievement for us and it is a huge challenge to perform as well next year," he added. Ireland, Scotland and Wales all had representatives in the team with the remainder made up of players from Argentina, the Cook Islands, New Zealand, South Africa and Tonga.  | 606: DEBATE |
The Ireland-based players included Leinster's Contepomi and Heaslip alongside Ollie Le Roux, Bernard Jackman, Stan Wright, Malcolm O'Kelly, Leo Cullen, Munster centre Lifeimi Mafi and winger Bowe from Ulster. The Wales-based contingent was led by Ospreys' winger Williams and his club and national captain Ryan Jones with Blues stars Martyn Williams and Ben Blair joining them in the line-up. And from north of the border Scotland internationals and Edinburgh backs Nick de Luca and Mike Blair were also voted into the team. Reflecting on his inclusion in the team Ospreys flanker Jones said: "It's an honour to see my name alongside such quality players. "The level of competition in the Magners League is increasing every year and I'm looking forward to the chance to regain our title from Leinster next year." Scotland full-back Blair added: "It's great for both Nick and I to have made the dream team and illustrates just how competitive the Scottish teams have become. "We are looking forward to building and challenging for further honours in both the Magners League and Europe next year."
Magners Dream Team 2007/08: Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues); Tommy Bowe (Ulster), Lifeimi Mafi (Munster), Nick de Luca (Edinburgh), Shane Williams (Ospreys); Felipe Contepomi (Leinster), Mike Blair (Edinburgh); Ollie Le Roux (Leinster), Bernard Jackman (Leinster), Stan Wright (Leinster), Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster), Leo Cullen (Leinster), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).
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