Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Aviva Premiership awards: Mike Brown named Player of the Season as Saracens' Mike McCall picks up director of rugby award

The end-of-season awards ceremony recognise Brown for his tremendous form for Harlequins this season

Nick Purewal
Friday 16 May 2014 15:23 BST
Comments
Mike Brown poses with the 2013-14 Player of the Year award
Mike Brown poses with the 2013-14 Player of the Year award (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

England full-back Mike Brown won the Aviva Premiership player of the season award, while Saracens boss Mark McCall won the director of rugby prize.

Harlequins flyer Brown beat five contenders to claim the crown, with club boss Conor O'Shea hailing "a model of consistency, and also a match winner".

Saracens boss McCall was named Guinness Director of Rugby of the Season for the second successive year, after leading the Men in Black to a record 87 tally of points in the regular campaign.

Harlequins rugby director O'Shea said in-form England star Brown has been the season's most consistent Northern Hemisphere performer.

"It's a thoroughly deserved award," said O'Shea, ahead of Harlequins' Premiership semi-final at Saracens on Saturday.

Both for club and country this season Mike has been a model of consistency, and also a match winner.

"He's a game breaker that changes the course of a match - no-one else has done it on a consistent level in the northern hemisphere this year, but him.

"He won the RBS 6 Nations Player of the Championships, Man of the Series in the Autumn Internationals and now quite rightly the Aviva Premiership Player of the Year."

Brown saw off the challenge of five other shortlisted stars; Vereniki Goneva (Leicester Tigers), Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints), Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors), Jacques Burger (Saracens) and Dan Braid (Sale Sharks).

The 26-cap England full-back was also named in the BT Sport Dream Team, selected by BT's on-air commentary and reporting team, at the annual awards dinner held at the London Hilton, Park Lane.

McCall landed the rugby director prize by virtue of leading Saracens to their first-ever Heineken Cup final, against Toulon in Cardiff on May 24.

The former Ulster boss now also boasts the highest winning percentage in the history of the competition at 80 per cent, with just 14 defeats in 80 matches.

Wrecking-ball Saracens and England number eight Billy Vunipola won the Land Rover Discovery of the Season award, presented to the best player aged 23 or under.

Vunipola made his England debut in Argentina last summer, but is already a vital component of head coach Stuart Lancaster's plans for Rugby World Cup 2015.

Billy and brother Mako Vunipola have proved mainstays of Saracens' charge to the Heineken Cup final and Premiership play-offs.

Northampton Saints wing Jamie Elliott claimed the ITV Sport Try of the Season gong for his try against Gloucester.

Worcester's Dean Schofield claimed the Aviva Community Player of the Season award, while Bath's George Ford sealed the Gilbert Golden Boot award with 235 points from the boot, 15 more than Northampton's Stephen Myler.

Leicester wing Goneva received the Pol Roger Top Try Scorer award with 12, one ahead of Saracens' David Strettle.

Harlequins' former England number eight Nick Easter landed the Gatorade Game Changer of the Season award, and also the Green Flag Forward of the Year accolade.

The full BT Sport Dream Team is: Mike Brown (Harlequins); Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby); Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Vereniki Goneva (Leicester Tigers); Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Danny Care (Harlequins); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dave Ward (Harlequins), Logovi'i Mulipola (Leicester Tigers), Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints), Michael Paterson (Sale Sharks), Dan Braid (Sale Sharks), Jacques Burger (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens).

No player makes the team for the second successive season.

PA

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in