Lions duo Russell & Williams among player of year nominees
British and Irish Lions squad members Finn Russell and Tomos Williams are among five nominations for this season's Premiership Rugby player of the season award.The Bath and Scotland fly-half and Gloucester and Wales scrum-half are joined on the shortlist by Sale and England playmaker George Ford, Bath prop Thomas du Toit and Saracens back-rower Tom Willis.Four of the the league's top five teams are represented in the director of rugby of the season category, with Johann van Graan (Bath), Michael Cheika (Leicester), Alex Sanderson (Sale) and George Skivington (Gloucester) nominated.Northampton flanker Henry Pollock, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise this season to earn his first England cap and be included in the Lions squad for the summer tour of Australia, is among the nominees for the breakthrough player of the season.He is joined by Gloucester prop Afolabi Fasogbon, Sale prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Leicester centre Joseph Woodward.The winners will be announced at the Rugby Awards in London on Tuesday 3 June.For the first time, awards for Premiership Rugby, Premiership Women's Rugby, the Rugby Players' Association and Rugby Football Union will be presented at the same event.
England and Tigers' Jones on two shortlists
England and Leicester Tigers back Meg Jones finds herself on two shortlists at the awards.The 28-year-old is nominated for both the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) and England women's player of the season.She is joined on the national team shortlist by Red Roses captain Zoe Aldcroft, winger Abby Dow and prop Maud Muir.The other nominees for the PWR prize are England team-mates Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins), Emma Sing (Gloucester Hartpury) and Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears) plus Exeter Chiefs' United States international Hope Rogers. Lions captain Maro Itoje, winger Tommy Freeman, back-rower Tom Curry and prop Will Stuart are up for the England men's team player of the season.Wales women's coach Sean Lynn is nominated for the PWR director of rugby of the season award after leading Gloucester Hartpury to a third-straight title.He is up against Dave Ward (Bristol Bears), Ross Chisholm (Harlequins) and Nathan Smith (Loughborough Lightning).
Full Rugby Awards shortlist
Premiership player of the seasonThomas du Toit (Bath)George Ford (Sale Sharks)Finn Russell (Bath)Tomos Williams (Gloucester)Tom Willis (Saracens)Breakthrough player of the seasonAfolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester)Asher Opoku-Fourjour (Sale Sharks)Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)Joseph Woodward (Leicester Tigers)Director of rugby of the seasonMichael Cheika (Leicester Tigers)Alex Sanderson (Sale Sharks)George Skivington (Gloucester)Johann van Graan (Bath)Community player of the seasonEllis Genge (Bristol Bears)Olly Hartley (Saracens)Lewis Ludlow (Gloucester)Will Muir (Bath)England men's player of the seasonTom Curry (Sale Sharks)Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)Maro Itoje (Saracens)Will Stuart (Bath)England women's player of the seasonZoe Aldcroft (Gloucester Hartpury)Abby Dow (Trailfinders)Meg Jones (Leicester TigersMaud Muir (Gloucester Hartpury)Premiership Women's Rugby player of the seasonSarah Bern (Bristol Bears)Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins)Meg Jones (Leicester Tigers)Hope Rogers (Exeter Chiefs)Emma Sing (Gloucester Hartpury)Premiership Women's Rugby breakthrough player of the seasonLilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning)Millie David (Bristol Bears)Claudia Pena (Harlequins)Niamh Swailes (Sale Sharks)Premiership Women's Rugby director of rugby of the seasonRoss Chisholm (Harlequins)Sean Lynn (Gloucester Hartpury)Nathan Smith (Loughborough Lightning)Dave Ward (Bristol Bears)Premiership Women's Rugby top try scorerMay Campbell (Saracens) - 16Millie David (Bristol Bears) - 16
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