Chris Robshaw scooped the award last term but he does not make the cut this season © Getty Images

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Past winners of Player of the Season

• 2011-12: Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
• 2010-11: Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)
• 2009-10: Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
• 2008-9: Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
• 2007-8: James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester)
• 2006-7: Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers)
• 2005-6: Mike Catt (London Irish)
• 2004-5: Martin Corry (Leicester Tigers)

The shortlist for the Aviva Premiership Player of the Season Award has been announced with Leicester's Julian Salvi the only player included who made the cut last year.

Salvi has excelled for Leicester at openside this year and gets the nod alongside five other players. Saracens skipper Steve Borthwick, although out of the England reckoning, has been one of the stand-out second-rows in the Premiership this term and has played a key role in leading his side to the summit of the league.

Wasps' flyer Christian Wade is also included after enjoying a memorable campaign where he has scored 11 tries in the top flight - one of which came against Exeter on Sunday. And Gloucester's Fijian back-rower Akapusi Qera also gets the nod.

Two of England's Six Nations contingent complete the shortlist with Tom Youngs included for the first time. Youngs made his debut for England during the November Tests and has now won nine international caps to date. And he is joined on the six-man list by Quins scrum-half Danny Care who bagged two tries against Worcester on Saturday.

"We have enjoyed another breathtaking season on the pitch with so many matches going down to the wire," Premiership Rugby's rugby director Phil Winstanley said."The length of the deliberations for the awards reflects the current standard of Aviva Premiership Rugby - we had so many compelling candidates."

The six-man shortlist was complied by rugby's media with ESPN's Nick Mullins included on the panel alongside: Miles Harrison (Sky Sports), Alastair Eykyn (BBC 5 Live), Jill Douglas (Freelance), Stephen Jones (Sunday Times), Adam Hathaway (chairman of the Rugby Writers' Club and Sunday People), Hugh Godwin (The Independent and Independent on Sunday), David Rogers (Getty Images), and Alan Pearey (Rugby World).

The winner will be announced on May 9 while more award nominees will be revealed over the coming days.

Thanks a lot for all the love about being nominated for player of the season. Surely I've got to win best hair cut though???

— danny care (@dannycare) April 24, 2013

Aviva Premiership Player of the Season:

Steve Borthwick - Saracens
Danny Care - Harlequins
Akapusi Qera - Gloucester Rugby
Julian Salvi - Leicester Tigers
Christian Wade - London Wasps
Tom Youngs - Leicester Tigers

Congrats to @christianwade3 on his player of the year nomination!!! Amazing season.

— Tom Varndell (@Tom_Varndell) April 24, 2013