Discovery of the Season Award

Copied from the 'Drunken Wasps' website,


Discovery of the season award
Posted by: dawson9 (IP Logged)
Date: 25 April, 2012 14:30

Launchbury and Wade shortlisted for top award

Joe Launchbury and Christian Wade have been shortlisted for the prestigious Land Rover Discovery of the Season award, an accolade give to the best young players in English rugby.



The winner, who receives a Land Rover Discovery 4 for a year, will be announced on 8 May at the annual Aviva Premiership Awards.
Wasps are the only Club with two players recognised on the short-list, with Launchbury and Wade joined by Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Matt Kvesic and Luke Wallace.
Both young Wasps stars have had break-through seasons having made their debuts in the same game in 2011 against Harlequins.
Launchbury has made 23 appearances for Wasps since then and has been a stand-out player in both the back and second row. He was rewarded for his efforts with a call-up to train with England during the recent Six Nations campaign, having impressed national coaches despite missing a chunk of the season with injury.
Wade has also made 23 appearances for Wasps and his try-scoring exploits out wide have been a huge feature this season. He has dotted down 13 times for Wasps in his career and is among the top try scorers in this year’s Aviva Premiership.
The shortlist was chosen by a panel comprising of Land Rover ambassador and Rugby World Cup winner, Josh Lewsey, Sam Peters from the Mail on Sunday, Alastair Eykyn from 5 Live, Alex Lowe from the Press Association and Corin Palmer (Premiership Rugby’s Head of Academies and Development). They were joined by Paul Morgan (Premiership Rugby’s Communications Director) who chaired the panel.
“The Academies at the Aviva Premiership Rugby clubs are clearly doing a great job as this current crop of young players are very impressive,” said Lewsey.
“There is real quality coming through the Aviva Premiership Rugby clubs when we’ve had several years of England underachieving. Now you can see an England squad with players who are genuinely enjoying being part of the set-up which obviously bodes well.
“England’s new head coach Stuart Lancaster has instilled the correct culture for which they know that if they perform both on and importantly off the field, they will get their chance . All six of these young men epitomise that value set.
“The shortlist gives us a huge range of players from gun dogs like Matt Kvesic, nuggety players like Luke Wallace and the obvious mental fortitude of a guy like Owen Farrell. London Irish’s Jonathan Joseph has also impressed me and of course – although it wasn’t all my choice – I was delighted to see two players from London Wasps make the shortlist, after performing as they have, in adversity.”
To be eligible for the award players have to be 21 or younger on the day of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final, on 26 May, and have played seven or more Aviva Premiership Rugby matches in the 2011-12 season.

Land Rover Discovery of the Season 2011-12 Shortlist:
Luke Wallace (Harlequins)
Christian Wade (London Wasps)
Joe Launchbury (London Wasps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Matt Kvesic (Worcester Warriors)
Jonathan Joseph (London Irish)

All good discoveries (does Farrell count? Wasn't his discovery last season?) butn I'm saying Wade

I maybe wrong but I don't think Farrell played that many games last season for Sarries to qualify.

Manu won it last year - but never got the Disco (cannot remember if it was Insurance or a lack of licence that caused the problem).

While they have all done well, to varying degrees, only one of them is now a Full International and almost a shoe in (according to the Tour Manager Andy Irvine) for the plane to Oz next summer with the Lions.

Toughie - I'd vote for Wade or Joseph

Depends what this award is based upon.

Farrell made his break through last season in my opinion. Though if you take into account his international performances and HC then he would probably win this award.


If it's based purely on the AP I would probably vote Wade.

I am surprised Mafi didn't make the list

Scratch that, didn't read the last bit about age

True Killer, but it looks a rather English dominated award so Mafi might not qualift on that basis or maybe he doesn't qualify because he is 22 and the cut off point is younger than that.

Yeh Sam, I did correct myself above, not sure about the nationality part the age part definitely rules him out, anyway he is definitely the young player (discovery player) of the year at Tigers for me, fantastic season.

On this award I would go for Wade.

I'd go for Launchbury. I feel it is harder to make a breakthrough in the pack and the fact he made it into the EPS, albeit as injury cover is a testament to his impact.

I feel it is a year early for Kvesic and a year late for Owen Farrell. It is a very tough choice but it's between Wade and Launchbury for me, both have performed admirably in a struggling team. I would go with Launchbury.

Call me biased but think May deserves to be there.

EnglishReign wrote:Call me biased but think May deserves to be there.

He's too old. He just turned 22 which rules him out unfortunately.

HongKongCherry wrote:

EnglishReign wrote:Call me biased but think May deserves to be there.

He's too old. He just turned 22 which rules him out unfortunately.

Had no idea it was 21 and under (had no idea May was 22 either). Ah well, he'll have his moment.

Yeh Sam, I did correct myself above, not sure about the nationality part the age part definitely rules him out, anyway he is definitely the young player (discovery player) of the year at Tigers for me, fantastic season.

On this award I would go for Wade.

+1 on that. Mafi has been brilliant. Agree on Wade as well, in a top 6 team he would have an easy life counter attacking and finishing moves but at Wasps he's been in teams under massive pressure and he's had to defend big time and put his body on the line. His attacking opportunities are limited because of the teams lack of quick ball but he is coming into the line as the Wasps go to back and his counter attacking skills are superb.

HongKongCherry wrote:I'd go for Launchbury. I feel it is harder to make a breakthrough in the pack and the fact he made it into the EPS, albeit as injury cover is a testament to his impact.

+1. I was about to give the exact same reasoning. I think given his age, Launchberry has done fantastically well. He's gone up against guys who are older and stronger, but still come out on top.

Closely followed by Wade and then Joseph for me.