Jack Willis retains Top 14 Player of the Year to match Dupont's back-to-back feat

Jack Willis has been named Top 14 Player of the Season for the second consecutive year, with the Stade Toulousain back-rower collecting the LNR award at the 22nd La Nuit du Rugby. In doing so, the 29-year-old England international has matched Antoine Dupont’s feat of claiming the prize in consecutive seasons.

Willis was again central to Toulouse’s title-winning campaign, scoring six tries, winning 19 jackals, and making 173 tackles. He also earned a Player of the Match display in the Top 14 final victory over Montpellier, as Stade Toulousain clinched a 25th Bouclier de Brennus. He was nominated alongside Union Bordeaux-Bègles’ Matthieu Jalibert and ASM Clermont’s Harry Plumer. The only other English player to have won the award is Zach Mercer, who claimed the honour in 2022 with Montpellier.

Willis was far from the only winner on the night, with 12 additional awards handed out across the evening.

Section Paloise’s Fabien Brau-Boirie won the Player Revelation of the Season, ahead of Kalvin Gourgues and Montpellier’s Auguste Cadot. The Pau club claimed a second award when Émilien Gailleton’s try against Aviron Bayonnais in Round 21 was named Try of the Season.

In the ProD2, Flying Fijian Setareki Bituniyata was chosen as the competition’s Player of the Season after helping Provence qualify for the final, while Vannes were named ProD2 Coach of the Year after Jean-Noël Spitzer guided the side to the title — conceding only six defeats in 32 games — for the second time in three years.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey was voted Les Bleus Player of the Season, having scored nine tries during France’s Six Nations-winning campaign. On the women’s side, ASM Romagnat hooker Mathilde Lazaro won the AXA Élite 1 Player of the Year award, while France Women’s No.8 Léa Champon took home the France Women’s Player of the Year award following a year that included three international tries and standout performances at both the Women’s Rugby World Cup and the Six Nations.

In coaching honours, Montpellier’s staff under Joan Caudullo were recognised after leading the club to EPCR Challenge Cup glory and a Top 14 final appearance. Referee Luc Ramos, who officiated last season’s Top 14 final, was named Match Official of the Year.

The Extenso Supersevens Player of the Year awards went to UBB’s Marcos Moneta in the men’s category and AC Bobigny’s Hawa Tounkara in the women’s.