Northampton Saints’ boss Phil Dowson has been named Director of Rugby of the Season at the Premiership Rugby Awards, presented by Gallagher, this evening.
After leading Saints to their first top-of-the-table finish in the Gallagher Premiership since 2015, the 42-year-old was given the gong in only his second year in the role – collecting the prize at the glittering ceremony at The Brewery, London.
And Dowson was not the only Saint to scoop an award at the league’s night of celebration, with winger Ollie Sleightholme announced as the Premiership Rugby Top Try Scorer as his 14 tries in a stellar season put him five scores clear of any of his teammates or opposition.
On collecting the award, Sleightholme said: “It’s a reflection of the Club in general and how we’ve been playing. The backline has been on fire, I’ve got boys setting me up and putting me through holes every week, which makes my job a lot easier.
“The boys are buzzing [about Saints' upcoming Premiership semi-final against Saracens], it will be a great atmosphere on a Friday night at the Gardens. I’m biased but our supporters are the best in the league. It’s always an unbelievable atmosphere there and they are with us, win or lose. They mean a lot to us.
“It’s about doing what we do really well and putting our game on the pitch. If we do that, hopefully we’ll get a result.”
The other awards on the night went the way of Exeter Chiefs’ duo Henry Slade and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso – who were named Gallagher Player of the Season and Breakthrough Player of the Season, presented by Defender, respectively – and Saracens back rower Andy Christie, who was named Community Player of the Season, presented by Funding Circle, for his work as an ambassador of the Sporting Roots project.
Slade picked up a second trophy of the night as the Premiership Rugby Top Points Scorer, while referee Wayne Barnes was also given a Special Recognition Award after announcing his retirement earlier this season.
Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO of Premiership Rugby, said: “The 2023/24 Gallagher Premiership Rugby season has produced some incredible moments of drama and many of those protagonists went on to receive awards for their part.
“Taking Northampton Saints from the play-off positions to top of the league makes Phil Dowson the obvious choice for Director of Rugby of the Season.
"On top of that, he has improved a young batch of English talent to become stars of Premiership Rugby and then England regulars, which is testament to the outstanding job Phil is doing in Northampton.
"Saints’ Ollie Sleightholme was five clear of the competition in the try scorer stakes with 14. Surely on the radar of England, the winger was another star of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby season.”
The judges for the Premiership Rugby Awards 2023/24: Ali Eykyn (TNT Sports), Ugo Monye (BBC, TNT Sports), Jill Douglas (ITV, BBC), Ashleigh Wilmot (Eurosport, TNT Sports), Rugby Inside Line, Alex Lowe (The Times), Hugh Godwin (i), Nick Mullins (TNT Sports), and Chris Jones (BBC).
2024 Premiership Rugby Awards Winners
Community Player of the Season, presented by Funding Circle
Winner: Andy Christie (Saracens)
Nominees: Mark Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Tom James (Northampton Saints), Ethan Waller (Northampton Saints)
Premiership Rugby Try of the Season
Winner: Tyrone Green (Harlequins: Round 4 vs Newcastle Falcons)
Nominees: Tom James (Northampton Saints: Round 17 vs Gloucester Rugby), Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears: Round 16 vs Newcastle Falcons), Louis Lynagh (Harlequins: Round 17 vs Exeter Chiefs)
Premiership Rugby Top Points Scorer
Winner: Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Premiership Rugby Top Try Scorer
Winner: Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
Special Recognition Award
Winner: Wayne Barnes
Breakthrough Player of the Season, presented by Defender
Winner: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
Nominees: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons)
Director of Rugby of the Season, presented by London Pride
Winner: Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)
Nominees: Johann van Graan (Bath Rugby), Alex Sanderson (Sale Sharks), Mark McCall (Saracens)
Gallagher Player of the Season
Winner: Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Nominees: Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Finn Russell (Bath Rugby), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
