Enlarge imageBy Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) - Ireland's Grand Slam-winning captain Brian O'Driscoll was named the Player of the Six Nations championship Friday, the third time he has won the award.
The centre, who also took the honours in 2006 and 2007, led his country to their first clean sweep for 61 years and his four tries made him joint-top scorer with England's Riki Flutey.
Ireland's Paul O'Connell and Jamie Heaslip, fullbacks Lee Byrne of Wales and Delon Armitage of England, and Italy loose forward Sergio Parisse completed the shortlist.
More than 24,000 fans took part in an online poll and O'Driscoll garnered nearly 30 percent of votes.
Parisse, runner-up to Wales winger Shane Williams last year, was a close second again with 27.9 percent, an impressive achievement after a campaign where Italy lost every game. O'Connell finished third. "It has been such an immense week already and to be named the player of the championship is a fantastic end to what has been a phenomenal championship," O'Driscoll said in a statement.
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"This year's Six Nations has been a special tournament for me and the team for lots of reasons -- it's been fantastic for Irish rugby and for the whole country."
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
