Tom Willis Named Premiership Player of the Year, to Join Bordeaux Next Season
The 27-year-old Saracens number eight won the award after beating three other nominees. He will rejoin Bordeaux next season after three years at the StoneX stadium.
bbc.co.ukTom Willis was named Premiership player of the year on 11 June 2026. The 27-year-old Saracens number eight beat Leicester fly-half Billy Searle, Bath scrum-half Ben Spencer and Northampton back Tommy Freeman for the award. Willis said the honour reflected what Saracens had given him over the past three years.
"They've backed me throughout and filled me with confidence, and that's freed me up and allowed me to go out and play the rugby I want to play," he told BBC Sport. Willis will join Bordeaux next season. He previously spent one season with the French club after Wasps went into liquidation in October 2022, then moved to Saracens ahead of the 2023-2024 campaign.
"I've got no regrets - I'm massively excited," Willis said. "Look at what Bordeaux have achieved in Europe the last two seasons - it's incredible - and the team I'm trying to get into is incredible. " Willis' Saracens side missed out on a Premiership semi-final place after losing at Exeter on the final day of the regular season.
He said the award "means a massive amount" because it showed the support he received at the StoneX stadium. Team-mate Noah Calouri won the breakthrough player of the year award. Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson received the director of rugby of the year award.
