Bundee Aki was crowned the Players' Player of the Year and Pat Lam scooped the Coach of the Year gong as Connacht's outstanding campaign was recognised with the big honours at the Guinness Pro12 end of year awards ceremony. 

The inspirational Kiwi centre - who was also been named Connacht’s Player of the Season - has been the heart and soul of the Westerners' march into the play-off semi-finals, defining their swashbuckling defiance of the odds this year.

Lam has been the mastermind behind that journey, and they'll hope to cap a memorable season with victory over Glasgow Warriors in two weeks' time and a place in the Murrayfield final against either Leinster or Ulster. 

In another coup for the province, captain John Muldoon was presented the prestigious Chairman's Award by Welsh rugby legend and Pro12 chairman Gerald Davies.

Ospreys' 22-year-old out-half Sam Davies was voted Young Player of the Season by a selected media panel ahead of Leinster pair Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier. 

Fans voted Glasgow Warriors' Tommy Seymour the victor of 'Sky Sports Try of the Season'. The Scottish international polled 28.5% of the vote for his effort against Ulster and pipped Craig Gilroy (Ulster v Treviso) and Aki (Munster v Connacht) to the title.

Connacht dominated the team of the season selection, with seven of their players making the XV.

The focus now turns to those play-off showdowns, with Leinster and Ulster doing battle under the Friday night lights on 20 May, and Connacht facing off with Glasgow the following evening.

Guinness Pro12 Dream Team: 15: Isa Nacewa (Leinster, Capt); Matt Healy (Connacht); Bundee Aki (Connacht); Ben Te'o (Leinster); Craig Gilroy (Ulster); Sam Davies (Ospreys); Kieran Marmion (Connacht); Dennis Buckley (Connacht); Tom McCartney (Connacht); Finlay Bealham (Connacht); Leone Nakarawa (Glasgow Warriors); Ultane Dillane (Connacht), CJ Stander (Munster); Josh Van Der Flier (Leinster); Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh)

Players' Player of the Season: Bundee Aki (Connacht)

Coach of the Season: Pat Lam (Connacht)

Young Player of the Season: Sam Davies (Ospreys)

Try of the Season: Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)

Fair Play Award: Ulster

Rhino Golden Boot: Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues)

Chairman's Award: John Muldoon (Connacht)