Cipriani makes six-strong shortlist for Premiership Rugby's Player of the Season

Six world-class players are in contention to be crowned Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Season at next week’s star-studded awards ceremony.

The action has been fast and furious this season in what has been one of the most competitive and exciting Gallagher Premiership Rugby campaigns.

But with just one round of regular season action remaining six players have been shortlisted after standing out from the crowd.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, May 22, at the Premiership Rugby Awards, presented by Gallagher, and the full Gallagher Player of the Season shortlist is:

• Danny Cipriani – Gloucester Rugby
• Faf de Klerk – Sale Sharks
• Alex Goode – Saracens
• Matt Kvesic – Exeter Chiefs
• Steven Luatua – Bristol Bears
• Cobus Reinach – Northampton Saints

Both Cipriani, the RPA Players' Player of the Year, and de Klerk have continued their impressive form from last season as they appear on the shortlist for a second successive year, and they are joined this year by European Player of the Year Goode, Exeter Chief Kvesic, Bristol Bears co-captain Luatua and Reinach of Northampton Saints.

The shortlist was selected by a judging panel compiled of Nick Mullins (BT Sport), Alastair Eykyn (BT Sport), Mick Cleary (The Daily Telegraph), Sarah Mockford (Rugby World), Robert Kitson (The Guardian), Chris Jones (BBC 5 Live), Owen Slot (The Times) and Tom Hamilton (ESPN), with Premiership Rugby communications director Paul Morgan chairing the panel.

Along with the winner of the Gallagher Player of the Season, the winners of the following awards will also be announced at the 2019 Premiership Rugby Awards, presented by Gallagher:

• Ricoh Director of Rugby of the Season
• Land Rover Discovery of the Season
• BT Sport Dream Team
• Citizen Try of the Season
• Gallagher Community Player of the Season
• Premiership Rugby 7s Player of the Season
• Top Try Scorer of the Season
• Gilbert Golden Boot

The winners at the 2019 Premiership Rugby Awards, presented by Gallagher, will be announced first on Twitter via the @premrugby account. Use hashtag #PremRugbyAwards to join the conversation

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