Ulster's Nick Williams was named PRO12 Player of the Season © Getty Images

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News: Ulster secure first place in the PRO12

PRO12 Dream Team 2012-13

• Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors); George North (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Luke Marshall (Ulster Rugby), Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby); Ian Madigan (Leinster Rugby), Niko Matawalu (Glasgow Warriors); Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Al Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Nick Williams (Ulster Rugby)

Ulster's Nick Williams has been named the RaboDirect PRO12's Players' Player of the Season capping a remarkable campaign for the No.8.

Williams has proved to be a sizeable influence at the back of Ulster's pack this term and his impressive performances were recognised at the award ceremony on Sunday evening. The No.8 beat Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric and Glasgow Warriors' Fijian scrum half Niko Matawalu to the title.

And an Ulster player also scooped the Young Player of the Year award - centre Luke Marshall. The 22-year-old made his Ireland debut during the Six Nations and has excelled for the province in both the PRO12 and the Heineken Cup. He did enough to beat Cardiff Blues' Rhys Patchell and Connacht's Robbie Henshaw to the award and follows in the footsteps of Tim Visser, Toby Faletau and Stuart Hogg in winning the silverware.

Elsewhere on the night Glasgow Warriors' Gregor Townsend won the coach of the season award - an impressive feat considering this was his first term in charge of the Scottish side - while Leinster's Ian Madigan won the golden boot.

Connacht's Michael Swift took the chairman's award while the Scarlets took the 'Collision Kings' gong for their work at the breakdown.

RaboDirect PRO12 award winners:

Players' Player of the Season - Nick Williams (Ulster Rugby)

Young Player of the Season - Luke Marshall (Ulster Rugby)

Coach of the Season - Gregor Townsend (Glasgow Warriors)

Chairman's Award - Michael Swift (Connacht Rugby)

Golden Boot - Ian Madigan (Leinster Rugby)

Collision Kings - Scarlets

Fair Play Award - Ulster Rugby

Straight Talking Award - Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys)

Try of the Season - Andrew Trimble (Ulster)