This accolade acknowledges not only individual brilliance but also contributions to the team's success. Here is the roll call of players who have received the distinguished honour.
2020 - Emily Scarratt: Centre Scarratt took the inaugural award – voted for by the head coach and captain of each participating team – displaying an enduring excellence that saw her play more minutes than any player in the Championship. Her stellar performances and prolific boot contributed significantly to England's success, in a campaign that saw her notch up her 90th Test appearance.
2021 - Poppy Cleall: Cleall's exceptional abilities in the back row earned her rave reviews, and she was integral to England's triumph, including scoring the match-winning try on the final day against France. This time, it was a public vote that led to Cleall scooping the prize..
2022 – Laure Sansus: The talented French scrum-half was a beacon of brilliance as she orchestrated games with her trademark finesse, finishing the Championship with more tries and assists than any other player. Her unparalleled skill and vision underlined her status as a true great in the world game.
2023 – Gabrielle Vernier: Whether it was scoring tries (five), offloading (eight) or breaking through tackles (20), Vernier did it all and more. The centre received almost half the public vote to make it consecutive French Player of the Championship winners.