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Northampton's Freeman earns dual nominations for player of the season
Northampton Saints winger-centre Tommy Freeman has secured spots on both the Premiership Rugby and England men's player of the season shortlists, the Rugby Football Union announced on Thursday.
Men's player contenders
Freeman, 25, is joined on the England men's list by Leicester Tigers duo Ollie Chessum and Joe Heyes, and Saracens flanker Ben Earl. The quartet will vie for the honour at the Rugby Awards in London on 10 June.
The Saints star has crossed the try-line 17 times in 16 appearances for Premiership leaders this season, adding three more tries during England's Six Nations campaign.
Women's player nominees
Red Roses captain Meg Jones is nominated for England women's player of the year alongside Sale Sharks hooker Amy Cokayne, Saracens fly-half Zoe Harrison and Loughborough Lightning back-row Sadia Kabeya. Jones led England to an eighth consecutive Six Nations title last weekend.
Premiership honours
Freeman's club-mates face competition from Leicester fly-half Billy Searle, Bath scrum-half Ben Spencer and Saracens number eight Tom Willis for the Premiership men's award. Willis will leave Saracens this summer.
The breakthrough player category features Saracens teenage wing Noah Caluori-recently called into England's Nations Championship training squad-alongside Northampton duo Archie McParland and Edoardo Todaro, and Bath hooker Kepu Tuipulotu.
Coaching and women's rugby shortlists
The director of rugby nominees come from the current Premiership top four: Northampton's Phil Dowson, Bath's Johann van Graan, Leicester's Geoff Parling and Exeter's Rob Baxter.
In Premiership Women's Rugby, Gloucester-Hartpury prop Maud Muir and full-back Emma Sing are joined by Saracens signing Olivia Apps and Harlequins centre Claudia Pena for the player of the season award. Gloucester-Hartpury's Dan Murphy, who has guided the side to an unbeaten season, is nominated for director of rugby alongside Saracens' Alex Austerberry, Sale's Tom Hudson and Trailfinders' Barney Maddison.
Event details
The ceremony at London's Old Billingsgate on 10 June will also crown the Premiership and PWR try of the season. It marks the second year all four governing bodies-Prem Rugby, PWR, the Rugby Players' Association and the RFU-will present their awards together. The event will be broadcast on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
