Wasps star named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month - Ruck
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Wasps star named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month

7 March 2018
Steven
WASPS flanker Jack Willis has today been named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month for February 2018.

Willis burst onto the Aviva Premiership Rugby scene in February as Wasps were the only side to go unbeaten in the League, scoring 44 points away to Harlequins at the start of the month.
And Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood said: “The Wasps back row as a collective has been epic – but the headline act is the kid Jack Willis at six.

“Jack had perhaps the finest individual performance of the season in the league away at Harlequins. He helped himself to Harlequins ball all afternoon no matter what juggernauts were looking to excavate him from the ruck. Tall man gets low and doesn’t move.

“Dai Young knows he has found an absolute gem. It has been the February of the Breakdown Battler at club and international level and Jack Willis will be back for more.”

Willis was judged by a panel of experts as the player who made the biggest impact in the League over the month. He was involved in a four-way battle for the latest title, eventually beating Leicester Tigers’ outside-half Matt Toomua, his Wasps’ team-mate Thomas Young and Worcester Warrior Ryan Mills to the title.

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Adams was voted for by a panel of media professionals based on his performances in November – Nick Mullins (BT Sport), Alastair Eykyn (BT Sport), Mick Cleary (The Daily Telegraph), Sarah Mockford (Rugby World), Jonny Fordham (The Sun), Jill Douglas (ITV Sport), Chris Jones (BBC 5 Live), David Rogers (Getty Images) and Tom Hamilton (ESPN). The panel was chaired by Paul Morgan, Premiership Rugby’s Communications Director.
Willis wins a trophy and a £250 donation to the charity of his choice.

Winners in the 2017-18 season
February – Jack Willis (Wasps)
December – Josh Adams (Worcester Warriors)
November – Ruan Ackermann (Gloucester Rugby)
October – Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
September – Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)

Winners in the 2016-17 season
April – Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby)
March – Christian Wade (Wasps)
February – James Short (Exeter Chiefs)
December – Tom Varndell (Bristol Rugby)
November – Freddie Burns (Leicester Tigers)
October – Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
September – Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps)

Winners in the 2015-16 season
October – Nick Evans (Harlequins)
November – Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
December – Maro Itoje (Saracens)
January – Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs)
February – George Smith (Wasps)
March – Francois Hougaard (Worcester Warriors)
April – Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints)

Winners in the 2014-15 season
September – Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
October – Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
November – Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs)
December – Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints)
January – Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
February – Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
March – Elliot Daly (Wasps)
April – Joe Simpson (Wasps)

Winners in the 2013-14 season
September – Jacques Burger (Saracens)
October – Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints)
November – George Ford (Bath Rugby)
December – Nick Easter (Harlequins)
January – Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
February – Vereniki Goneva (Leicester Tigers)
March – Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
April – Chris Ashton (Saracens)