Aviva Premiership
Muffins, groins and rising stars - ESPN's end-of-season Premiership awards
Tom Hamilton
May 24, 2015
Thomas Waldrom
Thomas Waldrom© Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images

With the Aviva Premiership final lying in wait on Saturday, Monday Maul looks at the winners and losers from another momentous season.

Player of the Season: There are some worthy candidates here. Saracens' Billy Vunipola has had a fantastic campaign as has Newcastle's Sinoti Sinoti while at Exeter Henry Slade, Dave Ewers and Dean Mumm have impressed. At Northampton the Pisi brothers have been fantastic. Wasps have enjoyed seeing Nathan Hughes come on leaps and bounds while Bath have unleashed those potent weapons Jonathan Joseph, Leroy Houston and Matt Banahan. But for us, Bath fly-half George Ford has to take this honour. He is such a key cog in the Bath wheel that has rolled into Saturday's final. The fly-half has English rugby at his feet and is set to play a big part in the forthcoming World Cup.

Best Team: For those that like flowing rugby, then Bath are the winners but for those who are still holding on to the romance of the sport, Exeter would be their choice. The Chiefs are living proof of why the Premiership needs to keep the relegation-promotion drawbridge down and their near-miss with the play-offs should not detract from what has been a momentous season down in Devon. The Chiefs have lost a fine player in Mumm but have signed well in Michele Campagnaro, Julian Salvi and Geoff Parling. The future is bright for the Chiefs and next season they need to finish in the top four.

Henry Slade in action
Henry Slade in action© Tom Dulat/Getty Images

Best Young Player: Ford still qualifies for this given he is still just 22 but he is already in the above category so this is a straight fight between two players: Henry Slade and Maro Itoje. Itoje's rise shows no signs of tailing off. Having captained England to the Junior World Championships last summer he has now pushed on with Saracens and started their Premiership semi-final against Northampton. He was named in England's longlist for the World Cup where he was joined by Exeter's Slade. The young playmaker is a special talent and just edges Itoje. He has played the entire season for the Chiefs and should make the final 31-man England squad.

Biggest flop: This is a collective award for London Welsh - 22 games and just a solitary point to show for their efforts. They have been the whipping boys and although they can rightfully feel aggrieved for their financial disadvantage, they recruited poorly and next season's squad already looks more balanced than their one for the top flight.

Best try: Bath have scored some brilliant tries as have Sinoti and Daly but Joe Simpson's score against Exeter was box office.

Renaissance of the season: Matt Banahan and Thomas Waldrom. We always knew they were good rugby players but they have had remarkable campaigns. Banahan's hat-trick in the semi-final helped Bath to Twickenham while Waldrom finished the season as top scorer, not bad for a No.8. On the international stage David Strettle has also been brought back in from the cold for England's World Cup squad.

Quote of the season: "We are not the rich kids that ask their dads for a new bike and Dad just buys it." Richard Cockerill makes a thinly-veiled dig as the debate rages on over just who is potentially, maybe, theoretically breaking the salary cap.

Services to Muffins: Thomas Waldrom's acceptance speech for top try scorer at the end-of-season awards brought the house down on Park Lane. He spoke wonderfully in a self-deprecating manner and even surprised the host, Craig Doyle, with his wit.

Thomas Waldrom
Thomas Waldrom© Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images

Overexposure: The TMO is far too frequently used. Stricter rules are needed for when and where the on-field officials can 'go upstairs'.

Stunning drop of form: Just what has happened to Niki Goneva this season?

Unsung hero: Jamie George. He played in every Premiership match for Saracens this term and he should have made the England 50-man training squad.

Ongoing saga: The debate over Manu Tuilagi's groin. He spent most of the season being two weeks away from returning but hasn't played any rugby since October.

Ugo Monye, Mark Cueto
Ugo Monye, Mark Cueto© David Rogers/Getty Images, Dave Thompson/Getty Images

Services to the game: Tom May, Mark Cueto, Nathan Hines and Ugo Monye. All four will retire and all deserve lucrative next chapters in their respective lives. Four superb ambassadors for rugby.

Biggest mare: Manu's night out in Leicester which saw him booted out of the World Cup squad.

Best defiers of Old Father Time: Andy Goode, Peter Stringer and Brad Thorn. Goode finished the top points scorer in the Premiership and will play on next season with London Irish. Stringer was sublime in helping guide Bath into the final and he will join Sale next term. Thorn's body is still going but his mind has told him to call time on his playing career. 

Most welcome addition of the season: Itoje.

Best relocation: Wasps' decision to move to Coventry. The Ricoh Arena is a brilliant new addition to the Premiership roster.

© Tom Hamilton

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