John Westerby is the Guinness-London Irish Rugby Union Journalist of the Season 2017

John Westerby, sports writer of The Times, was named as “Guinness-London Irish Rugby Union Journalist of the Season” at a ceremony in Diageo headquarters in London yesterday evening (22^nd May).

Westerby came top in a nomination and adjudication process that involved the 12 clubs in the Aviva Premiership, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union.

The award citation praised Westerby for his expertise as an all-round sports journalist who covers rugby with knowledge and enthusiasm and how he has always written about players and coaches responsibly and with empathy.

The award, which has been presented annually for the past 14 years, recognises the contribution of rugby union broadcasters and journalists to the development of the game in this country.

Phil Edwards, the former rugby correspondent of Sky Sports News, received a special award for outstanding service to rugby union in a media context for his professionalism in a demanding media environment in bringing news about the game from all over the rugby playing world to television audiences in this country and Europe.