Saints legend Lawes named Gallagher Premiership player of the month

Lawes secured a whopping 47 per cent of the vote in the public poll, seeing off competition from Exeter centre Henry Slade and Bath duo Finn Russell and Alfie Barbeary.

It is the second time Lawes has won the Premiership player of the month prize, having also claimed it back in September 2017.

He and Samu Manoa (October 2013 and December 2014) are the only Saints players to have won the award twice, with other recipients including Fraser Dingwall (February 2023), Alex Mitchell (November 2021), Lewis Ludlam (May 2020), Rory Hutchinson (February 2019), Cobus Reinach (November 2018), Teimana Harrison (April 2016) and Dylan Hartley (January 2014).

Lawes, who retired from England duty after an impressive Rugby World Cup 2023, was central to Saints’ unbeaten run in both the Gallagher Premiership and Investec Champions Cup during December.

The England centurion was the player of the match as Saints overcame champions Saracens at StoneX Stadium in Round 8 and the five-Test British and Irish Lion showed his international pedigree in further wins over Harlequins and Gloucester.

Lawes becomes the third recipient of the Gallagher player of the month award for the 2023/24 season, with Bath captain Ben Spencer voted as October’s winner and Bath team-mate Ollie Lawrence claiming November’s award.

Sam Armstrong, business development executive at Gallagher’s Leicester office, said: “It’s a pleasure to present the trophy to Courtney as he has been influential for Saints since his return from the Rugby World Cup.

“More recently during the Gallagher Premiership, Saints have shown great performance and drive, starting the New Year at the top of the table with three from three!

"This year looks like an exciting one for us Saints fans!”