The following is a press release from Premiership Rugby.
Nathan Hughes Named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month
WASPS’ No 8 Nathan Hughes was today acclaimed as a “sensational athlete” as he was named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month for November.
Hughes was in stunning form through the month as his club won both their matches in Aviva Premiership Rugby and beat former winners Leinster and Toulon in the European Rugby Champions Cup.
BT Sport analyst Austin Healey, the former England scrum-half believes that Hughes could also be just the boost English rugby needs as it emerges from the Rugby World Cup.
“English rugby is holding on for a new hero and when he qualifies next year Nathan Hughes could well be that star,” said Healey.
“He is central to everything that Wasps do and his statistics speak for themselves. By the end of November he had carried the ball more than any other player in Aviva Premiership Rugby with 72 and his clean breaks, metres, offloads and turnover numbers read like an NFL running back.
“He really is a sensational athlete and deserved winner of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month. As a proud Englishman I can’t wait to see him singing God Save The Queen in a white shirt.”
Hughes, who was one of the two runners-up in October, beat an impressive shortlist of Owen Farrell (Saracens), Charles Piutau (Wasps) and Maro Itoje (Saracens) to win the second monthly award of the season.
Rugby fans also had their say on who deserved to win the coveted Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month Award, as they became the 10th Judge. Joining the panel of nine judges, fans voted for the player that had impressed them the most during the month of November.
Each month, one lucky fan who votes as a 10th Judge will be selected at random to win four tickets to an Aviva Premiership Rugby game of their choice!
As well as securing a sizeable fans’ vote, Hughes was voted for by a panel of media professionals – Nick Mullins (BT Sport), Alastair Eykyn (BT Sport), Mick Cleary (The Daily Telegraph), Steve James (The Sunday Telegraph), Sarah Mockford (Rugby World), Jill Douglas (ITV Sport), Chris Jones (BBC 5 Live), David Rogers (Getty Images) and Ben Coles (Planet Rugby). The panel was chaired by Paul Morgan, Premiership Rugby’s Communications Director.
Hughes wins a trophy and £250 to donate to a charity of his choice.
Winners in the 2015-16 season
October – Nick Evans (Harlequins)
November – Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
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)
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