Aviva Premiership
Goneva wins top players' award
ESPN Staff
May 21, 2014
Niki Goneva has had a remarkable season at Leicester © Getty Images
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Leicester Tigers winger Vereniki Goneva scooped the Rugby Players' Association's Player of the Year award on Wednesday evening.

Goneva, who finished the season as the top scorer in the Aviva Premiership, saw off the challenges of Mike Brown and Chris Pennell, who finished in second and third respectively.

"This is an extremely proud and happy moment for me to win this award," Goneva said. "There are so many other fantastic players in the Aviva Premiership, so I feel very humbled to be named ahead of them. When I first arrived in England, I never would of thought I would win such a big award, so it means an awful lot to me. I would like to thank my family and friends as well as all my Leicester Tigers team-mates and coaches."

Bath fly-half George Ford scooped the Young Player of the Year gong with Billy Vunipola and Jack Nowell in second and third. The England Player of the Year award was won by Harlequins' Brown.

Other awards on the night saw Tom Mitchell named Sevens Player of the Year, Rachel Burford winning Women's Player of the Year and Juan Pablo Socino scooping the Championship award. Steve Borthwick picked up the Special Merit Award while Richard Parks was the recipient of the Blyth Spirit Award. Ex-Wales back Jonathan Davies was inducted to the Hall of Fame.

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