The shortlist has been unveiled for the Premiership Rugby Awards, as the 2023/24 season comes to a close. The awards will be presented this Wednesday May 22nd, with a Gallagher hosted ceremony taking place in London.
There is a total of seven awards of for grabs, with an assortment of fan and expert-voted categories. There will also be awards presented to the Premiership’s top try scorer and top points scorer, following the end of the regular season. Northampton Saints wing Ollie Sleightholme is leading the way with 14 tries, an impressive four ahead of Exeter’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Exeter Chiefs playmaker Henry Slade is the leading points scorer, as he ended the regular Premiership season with 152 points. Slade ended the campaign 20 points clear of Fin Smith (2nd) and 24 to the better of Bath talisman Finn Russell. All three of the sharpshooters are also in the running for Premiership Player of the Year, alongside Saints stalwart Courtney Lawes.
Here is a run down of the Premiership Rugby Awards, that will be announced on Wednesday.
Community Player of the Season, presented by Funding Circle
Mark Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)
Andy Christie (Saracens)
Tom James (Northampton Saints)
Ethan Waller (Northampton Saints)
Premiership Rugby Try of the Season
Tyrone Green (Harlequins: Round 4 vs Newcastle Falcons)
Tom James (Northampton Saints: Round 17 vs Gloucester Rugby)
Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears: Round 15 vs Newcastle Falcons)
Louis Lynagh (Harlequins: Round 17 vs Exeter Chiefs)
Breakthrough Player of the Season, presented by Defender
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons)
Director of Rugby of the Season, presented by London Pride
Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)
Johann van Graan (Bath Rugby)
Alex Sanderson (Sale Sharks)
Mark McCall (Saracens)
Gallagher Player of the Season
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Finn Russell (Bath Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
A statement from Gallagher Premiership Rugby read: “The shortlists and winners of the remaining awards were chosen by a judging panel of media professionals, with former Harlequins and England back row Jack Clifford, now of Gallagher, joining the panel for Gallagher Player of the Season.
“The Premiership Rugby Team of the Season will be announced on Thursday, May 23 on the Premiership Rugby website and on Premiership Rugby social media channels.
“The judges for the Premiership Rugby Awards 2023/24: Ali Eykyn (TNT Sports), Ugo Monye (BBC, TNT Sports), Jill Douglas (ITV, BBC), Ashleigh Wilmot (Eurosport, TNT Sports), Rugby Inside Line, Alex Lowe (The Times), Hugh Godwin (i), Nick Mullins (TNT Sports), and Chris Jones (BBC).”