Bowe, who was also named Irish and Welsh players' player and Magners League Rugby Writers' Player of the year at the end of last season, collected the award at a function at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin last night (Monday).

The 26-year-old has been in terrific form for his region and on the International stage and was highly praised by the organising committee.

"Tommy Bowe had an exceptional year winning nearly every award available to him both at home and abroad", said a committee spokesperson.

"A former Monaghan minor Gaelic footballer, Bowe became the first man from the Farney county to play for Ireland in 80 years when he lined out against the USA in November 2004.

"Since then Bowe has established himself as one of Ireland's most consistent performers and was duly rewarded with a call-up to the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa in the summer of 2009. He has scored five tries in his last six Tests for Ireland.

Bowe has scored an impressive 18 tries in just 38 European appearances and it is this strike ratio that has earned him the accolade as one of rugby's most lethal wingers.

He became the first Irish international try scorer at the Aviva Stadium when he touched down against South Africa on Saturday and follows in the footstep of Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara and Felipe Contepomi in winning the award.

via ospreysrugby.com

The Irish flyer has racked up 49 caps since his debut against Connacht in September 2008 following his move from Ulster that summer, and his 50^th will come against Toulon on Saturday afternoon.

In that short period he has already scored 26 tries, putting him fourth in the region's all time try scoring list behind Shane Williams, Nikki Walker and Lee Byrne, and after initially joining on a two year contract, he agreed to extend his stay in Ospreylia last season, signing a new contract that runs until summer 2013.

Speaking about reaching the 50-cap mark in such a short period of time, Bowe said:

"I'm only at the start of my third season as an Osprey so it's great to have notched up so many caps already, especially with the 50^th coming in such a big game for the team. It's always great to reach any landmark, and it'll make Saturday all the more memorable for me personally.

"I've managed to stay relatively trouble free and away from any serious injury since I came here, and hopefully that will keep going so that I can continue clocking up the games. It's great that the Ospreys look at these milestones and make sure that they get flagged up as its important to team spirit that achievements like this get recognised. So many players in the squad can sometimes get overlooked, doing this makes sure that everyone gets due recognition for their service.

"I came here in 2008 to improve myself as a player, and to be part of an ambitious organisation that wants to compete at the highest level and I couldn't be happier to be honest. I signed a new deal last season as I believe that we are definitely heading in the right direction, and hopefully we can continue that progress this season."

Ospreys Head Coach, Sean Holley, said that Bowe has quickly established himself within the Ospreys family:

"His 50 has come around really quickly, which just goes to show the huge impact he's made here in a very short period of time since joining us. He's played a lot of games and has become an integral member of our squad.

"He's settled very quickly into our environment, feels very comfortable here as part of what we are trying to build, and we've been able to help him improve his all-round game since he's been here.

"Not only has he become a true Osprey on the field, but he is also showing those values off the field as well and having recently extended his contract to ensure he stays here until 2013, I look forward to marking his 100^th cap in the not too distant future."

With Toulon providing the opposition for his 50^th cap, Bowe says that he is expecting not only the French side, but also the other sides in Pool Three, to provide a stern test of the Ospreys' European credentials:

"Toulon away is going to be very difficult" he insisted.

"They've got a first rate squad with some very senior players at 8,9,10, some world class players. It's on their patch and they are a very proud French team that won't want to give anything away at home, but we are very ambitious and believe in our own ability, so we will go over there looking to bring something back with us.

"It's a very, very difficult group we find ourselves in. As well as Toulon who have spent huge amounts of money to build a squad that will be the envy of any club in Europe, we've got Munster who've not failed to make the quarter finals in something like 10 years I think and London Irish who have started the season well and are top of the Premiership. We want to qualify for a fourth consecutive quarter-final but we are well aware of the size of the challenge ahead of us."

LIONS captain Paul O’Connell believes Tommy Bowe’s move to Welsh rugby was the catalyst that re-ignited his career.

The Irish utility back was last week named the Magners League player of the season for last term after playing a starring role in the Ospreys’ title win.

That followed on from Bowe winning the same accolade as part of the dethroned Irish Grand Slam team in the 2010 Six Nations, all after he had been one of the successes of Ian McGeechan’s Lions squad in South Africa.

And Munsterman O’Connell stressed just how important a player Bowe has become.

“Tommy had a great season for the Ospreys and Ireland,” said O’Connell.

“The thing is that he is now a bit of a leader in both teams, I know in Ireland he is a go-to player for us now.

“He has a good head on him, is very relaxed and has a good attitude to the game and to problems on the field.

“The next step is to really become the leadership character that he can become. He has been brilliant for both teams, scoring tries and that is what you want from a wing.

“His strike-rate is great and he is winning every award going.”

That, of course, means Bowe will be viewed as a very real threat by opponents, and a player who has to be stopped.

O’Connell believes Bowe will handle his new status and even goes as far to compare his influence on any team to Ireland and Lions legend, Brian O’Driscoll.

“I think Tommy has been a marked man for quite a while now,” said O’Connell.

“He is still doing OK. He is that good a player that he is just going to keep getting better and better.

“The more experience he gets, the better he will get. He is like Brian O’Driscoll, he is a great player but seems to be becoming even cleverer on the pitch now.”

Bowe was part of an Ospreys side which finally earned the respect they have craved across the Irish Sea last season.

It saw the Ospreys become the most successful side in the Magners League’s short history by winning a third title last season.

The Ospreys 17-12 victory in the inaugural grand final over Leinster in Dublin certainly changed perceptions of them in Ireland.

O’Connell, the Munster captain, who saw his side lose the title last season, certainly saw a noticeable difference in the Ospreys.

He watched the Ospreys take fortress Thomond Park, a venue where Munster had delivered a humiliating defeat in a Heineken Cup quarter-final.

“From two years ago when we played them to last season, they were a different side,” said O’Connell.

“They were a lot stronger mentally and physically.

“They always had the talent and the players but they seemed a lot stronger mentally.

“Scott Johnson, their coach, has clearly played a big role in that and apparently he is very good at managing players.

“They have always been a very talented side but they have added the mental strength you need to that.”

But are the Ospreys ready to emulate the likes of Munster and Leinster in going all the way in Europe this season?

Are they ready to become the genuine superpower of Magners League rugby this season, taking Munster’s status away from them?

Skipper O’Connell readily admits he is aware that his side are being written off as being a too old and a side on the wane this season.

“A lot of the senior players are aging, so it’s going to be written that way,” said O’Connell.

“We are getting older but there are a plenty of good years left in a few of us yet.

“Probably our form and the way we played in fits and starts last season reflects what people are saying, so I can understand why people think were are too old or whatever.

“Most of the senior guys know we failed to produce last year and we are all eager to get started.”

Four tries, three in the second half, saved some face for a gallant Ireland side on what was a day to forget for Declan Kidney's men, particularly number 8 Jamie Heaslip who was dismissed in the 16th minute.

Amid a ferocious battle for possession near New Zealand's try-line, Wayne Barnes spotted Heaslip twice aiming a knee at the head of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and the English official was left with little option but to brandish a red card.

Heaslip has been cited for striking and will appear before a disciplinary panel in New Plymouth on Sunday afternoon.

The incident left Ireland in serious trouble and a yellow card for out-half Ronan O'Gara, some nine minutes later, added to the tourists' woes.

Speaking afterwards, Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll said: "It certainly didn't help matters. It's difficult playing against the All Blacks with 15 players but when we lost Jamie and then Rog to the yellow, we were chasing shadows a bit. It was a tough period.

"I don't want to get into the fairness of them (the decisions). You've got to deal with these things and sometimes they're the cards you're dealt. You've got to suck it up.

"It was a bad defeat. But I'm ever positive and you've got to take the good things that you can out of every game. There were certainly some of those in the second half.

"I'm delighted that we were able to show a bit of bottle in the second half and play some good stuff."

New Zealand used their numerical advantage to build a 38-0 lead, with Conrad Smith, Kieran Read, debutant prop Ben Franks and Jimmy Cowan (2) helping themselves to tries, each converted by the in-form Dan Carter.

Ireland managed to hit back just before the break courtesy of a converted try from spritely replacement Tuohy, who came on for hamstring injury victim Mick O'Driscoll.

Tries from Brian O'Driscoll, Tommy Bowe and Gordon D'Arcy restored some pride for Ireland in the second period, although the All Blacks mercilessly took their own try tally to nine - Smith, Sam Whitelock (2) and Neemia Tialata finished off the rout.

Ireland's bad run of luck with injuries has clearly followed them Down Under, with the news that John Muldoon broke his right arm in the opening half.

Muldoon was brought to a local hospital with a suspected displaced fracture in his arm, and O'Driscoll's first cap since June 2009 was prematurely ended by back spasms which affected him down his hamstring.

Commenting on the Connacht captain's injury, Kidney said: "Our doctor has just gone to the hospital now to see what the best (course of action is), whether they should operate on it straight away or just buy 24 hours and see what to do.

"Micko's in a bit of discomfort at the moment. He's just quite sore. He was good going into (the match). Sometimes these things have a way of sorting themselves out again. The next 24 hours will tell that.

"We'll take a look at that (bringing a back row replacement in) because we just have the six back rows with us and we have a game (against the New Zealand Maori) in six days' time."

This will be a video nasty when the Irish camp reviews the match tape in the coming days, and Ireland's loss of discipline and shape was particularly frustrating for Kidney to watch.

"We had to work our way through it (the sending-off) the best we could, but I think we lost discipline in what we wanted to try to do when we were down a man. Our discipline in our defensive shape wasn't good," he said.

"We let ourselves down and we will have to take a good look at that.

"We were in a fairly dark place (after the first half). So, yes, I was pleased with the second half but I wouldn't be running away from the damage we did to ourselves in the first half."

23 meetings, 22 defeats and a draw. The All Blacks' visit to the Aviva Stadium in November cannot come quick enough.

via magnersleague.com

The 26-year-old Irishman touched down for the game's first try in Dublin, confirming his position as the Magners League's leading try scorer not only for the 2009/10 season but also throughout the history of the competition.

That personal triumph and the Ospreys' collective success was a fitting end to a thrilling campaign which had seen Bowe show great loyalty to the region that had offered him a fresh challenge two summers ago.

Bowe moved to Wales from his native Ulster in July 2008 and, while his star had certainly begun its significant rise to the top during his time at Ravenhill, it is his progress at the Ospreys that has really seen him become one of the world's leading wingers.

No surprise then that there was plenty of interest in his services earlier this year, with French, English and Irish clubs keen to get their hands on the Ospreys flyer when his contract came ran its course at the end of this season.

But Bowe quashed any talk of a Liberty Stadium exit by signing an extension to his current deal to remain in South Wales, much to the delight of Holley and co.

"His season's been average - there's a bit more in him I think!" joked Holley, after Bowe added the Magners League crown to both the Irish and Welsh Professional Players' Association Player of the Year and the Player of the Six Nations titles he won earlier in the season.

"I'm not embarrassed to say how much we think about Tommy. The only thing he can win now is X-Factor!

"He's been a huge acquisition for us, not just on the field but off the field. He's a great character, he drives standards, he's not afraid to challenge things or come up with ideas - he's fantastic at that.

"He's versatile for us, although he perhaps hasn't played in his secondary position of centre in the second half of the season as much as we would have both liked but that's because of the form of some of the other players.

"It's a big measure for us that he's decided to stay. It galvanises us a little bit more and it shows that he's got a lot of confidence in what we're doing.

"He's been fabulous - what he's going to do next year to emulate this season, I really don't know."