Aviva Premiership - Quins trio on awards shortlist
England captain Chris Robshaw and his Harlequins team-mate Mike Brown have both been nominated for the Aviva Premiership player of the season award.
And with Harlequins sitting top of the table heading into the final round of regular-season matches, Conor O'Shea has been shortlisted in the QBE director of rugby category.
Robshaw and Brown are joined on the player of the year shortlist by Exeter flanker James Scaysbrook, Leicester flanker Julian Salvi, Saracens centre Brad Barritt and Gloucester prop Nick Wood.
"The panel has come up with an incredibly impressive shortlist, which reflects the strength of Aviva Premiership Rugby," said Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty. "It's great to see players who have emerged from our academies in what is undoubtedly a world-class list of players.
"It will be a tough job picking the winner as clearly all six would be a worthy Aviva Premiership Rugby player of the season."
Harlequins have been the Premiership pacesetters for most of the season, playing an exciting brand of rugby with a squad boasting the largest English representation of any in the league.
O'Shea is up against Leicester boss Richard Cockerill and Exeter's Rob Baxter, who has guided the Chiefs into the Heineken Cup in only their second season in the Premiership.
Things could get better still for Exeter, who are still in the hunt for the last semi-final place going into the final round of matches.
Leicester were hit hard by World Cup absentees but they have recovered from a slow start to the season to close to within a point of Harlequins following Saturday's thrilling 43-33 victory at The Stoop.
Quins and Leicester are in pole position for home semi-finals with defending champions Saracens third and Northampton, led by last year's award winner Jim Mallinder, now in fourth following their win against Exeter at the weekend.
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How many non English clubs are in the ENGLISH prem for the awards? answers on a postcard..... With The frogs paying more the drain of the English/Scot and Taffies will go on. With the only 2 teams in the prem that showed profit last year things will not get any better. Wasps and Sarries are in deep pooh and basically need a miracle to survive. When talking about top head coaches there was no mention of Cockrell, after Leicesters record sixth bonus win and steam roller ride up the table (including a bonus point win at the stoop) it comes as a surprise. Mind you the focus is often blurred outside of the London area.
I don't think anyone is talking 'nationalistic' stuff there CJ. But it does seem to me that England gets way too much space on here considering how poor their league is.
While I agree that English sides are not as good as they believe they are if you look at Heineken cup ,if awards need to be given what's the problem about having English rugby awards in the headline today.Lets talk rugby not nationalistic bitterness.Oh and by the way I think Rob Baxter is the man and I'm not an Exeter supporter.He's done a great job!!
yep claireco and we are only on Wednesday and I believe the lead stories yesterday were Ulster and Edinburgh. So wind ya neck in. I am sure they will appease your 'chip' tomorrow.
Interesting to see that the Yahoo headlines - the two lead ones - are about English Premiership sides. Surely Heineken Cup is where it's at this weekend?
It is NOT tennis and there is no Federer or Nadal ! Rugby is a team sport ! Such rewards are demoralising to the rest of the team !
As rugby is a team sport then only a team should be nominated and NOT individuals. The individual can do NOTHING without a team around him/she !
Well, Premiership isn't that strong - where are they in Europe, then?
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