Danny Cipriani named Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Season

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Danny Cipriani has been named Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Season at Premiership Rugby’s awards evening on Wednesday 22nd May.

Danny Cipriani named Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Season

The 31-year-old has been a key component of the Cherry & Whites this season as they finished third in the table, reaching the semi-finals for the first time in eight years.

Making the move from Wasps in the summer, Cipriani hasn’t been far away from various highlights reels in what has been one of the most competitive and exciting Gallagher Premiership Rugby seasons to date.

His 13 try assists and metronomic boot have kept Gloucester Rugby ticking and his head coach Johan Ackermann believes Cipriani deserves his Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Season award, making him only the second person after Wasps’ Jimmy Gopperth to win this and the RPA Player of the Year in the same campaign.

“I’m very pleased and so happy for Danny,” said Ackermann. “I’m so proud of him – it’s always a big thing when a player joins a club and there’s a bit of pressure on you to perform.

“You have to adapt to the style of the team and the coaches involved, and I can only speak highly of Danny’s commitment to the team.

“He’s set-up into the culture, he’s open – we have a good relationship where we’re open with each other and of course he’s made a serious impact on the field.

“He’s probably got the best skill I’ve seen from a fly-half from an attacking point of view, he can kick well and he’s extremely fast. He knows what he wants in attack and his distribution is top class.

“He’s made an immediate impact and the players around him got the benefit, but also Danny is the one who will always acknowledge the pack in front of him and the players around him, and how they’ve helped him and provided opportunities.”

Ricoh Director of Rugby of the Season

This title went to Saracens’ Mark McCall. His achievement of finishing second in the League, winning a third European title in three years and finishing as runners-up in the Premiership Rugby Cup seeing him pip Ackermann, Exeter Chiefs’ Rob Baxter, Chris Boyd of Northampton Saints and Bristol Bears’ Pat Lam to the prize.

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Land Rover Discovery of the Season

This award was taken home by 20-year-old Tom Curry who has become a senior leader for Sale Sharks this campaign, his work rate in defence and at the breakdown earning him several plaudits.

Curry has also shone on the international stage of late, all of which made him a worthy recipient of the award in the eyes of Land Rover ambassador David Flatman.

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“Tom Curry was picked as the winner as he has performed brilliantly for Sale Sharks repeatedly, he’s done it many times this season in a Sale team that wasn’t able to achieve dominance,” Flatman said.

“He’s played well with his team on the front foot and the back foot, plus he’s done it for England. People roll this comment out all the time, so it loses its impact, but he’s a world-class player.

BT Sport Dream Team also includes Danny Cipriani

Unsurprisingly, it is the top three teams who dominate the BT Sport Premiership Dream Team. Four Saracens, three Exeter Chiefs and four Gloucester players are joined by one player each from Bristol Bears, Northampton Saints, Harlequins and Sale Sharks. The team includes the two individual player winners above, Danny Cipriani and Tom Curry.

15. Alex Goode – Saracens
14. Santiago Cordero – Exeter Chiefs
13. Henry Slade – Exeter Chiefs
12. Mark Atkinson – Gloucester Rugby
11. Ollie Thorley – Gloucester Rugby
10. Danny Cipriani – Gloucester Rugby
9. Cobus Reinach – Northampton Saints

1. Mako Vunipola – Saracens
2. Jamie George – Saracens
3. John Afoa – Bristol Bears
4. Franco Mostert – Gloucester Rugby
5. Will Skelton – Saracens
6. Alex Dombrandt – Harlequins
7. Tom Curry – Sale Sharks
8. Matt Kvesic – Exeter Chiefs

Main image credit: Premiership Rugby

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