Lewis Ludlam named Gallagher Player of the Month

Lewis Ludlam named Gallagher Player of the Month

by The TRU Team Thursday 12 May 2022

Northampton Saints captain, Lewis Ludlam, was today named Gallagher Player of the Month for April 2022 and acclaimed as one of the key reasons for the Club’s recent surge into the top four.

The back-rower, who was presented with his trophy by Gallagher’s Anthony Rostance, has been in fine form as the men in Black, Green and Gold leapt into the Gallagher Premiership’s semi-final spots, according to BT Sport pundit and Gallagher ambassador Ugo Monye.

“In the last six weeks, Lewis Ludlam and Northampton Saints have resuscitated their ambitions for the top four on a couple of occasions,” Monye said.

“In Round 23 against Bath, that sense of direction he gave them in the last 15 or 20 minutes when they were nearly 20 points down was crucial in helping them come back and score four tries to keep the top four alive.

“To be successful in the Gallagher Premiership, you need players that are consistently on top of their game and available, and that’s something he always is. Every time he leaves the pitch, he looks like a man that has given everything.

“The win against Quins and to get five points was massive with Exeter Chiefs on a bye week – it was pivotal to their quest for the semi-final with two rounds to go, and they will be looking to keep that momentum going.”

Club liaison for Northampton Saints and MD of Gallagher’s Leicester branch, Chris Noah, added: “Having skippered his side to five successive wins, and taken Saints into semi-final territory, Lewis has earned his Gallagher Player of the Month award for April.

“Always impressive in his leadership, physicality and dogged resourcefulness, Lewis is captaining a side producing some brilliant end-to-end contests with confidence and self-belief.

“In April alone that resulted in a nine-try thriller against Bristol, an astonishing come-from-behind win against Bath and a late penalty nail-biter to deny Quins – fantastic entertainment for local fans and helping ensure the Gallagher Premiership remains the best, most competitive elite rugby league in the world.”5.00pm

Saracens outside-half Owen Farrell was the runner-up this month, with his team-mate Ben Earl tying for third with Saints scrum-half Alex Mitchell.

As part of his prize for being named Gallagher Player of the Month, Ludlam wins a shirt signed by the whole Northampton Saints squad and framed by Gallagher to gift to a charity of his choice, to help them raise funds for their chosen cause. Lewis’ chosen charity is Key4Life, who aim to reduce youth re-offending through delivering an innovative rehabilitation programme to those in prison and those at risk of going to prison. They also work with under-18s tackling anti-social behaviour and knife crime.

Ludlam was judged by a panel of experts (alongside a public poll on the Premiership Rugby app which drew more than 1,400 votes), as the player who made the biggest impact in Gallagher Premiership Rugby in April 2022.

The judges were: Nick Mullins (BT Sport), Alastair Eykyn (BT Sport), Gavin Mairs (Daily Telegraph), Sarah Mockford (Rugby World), Hugh Godwin (i Newspaper), Andrew Baldock (Press Association), Bobby Bridge (Coventry Telegraph), John Everly (Bristol Post and Bath Chronicle), Jill Douglas (Broadcaster), Craig Swayne (@BallcarrierRugby), Chris Jones (BBC 5 Live), David Rogers (Getty Images) and Tom Hamilton (ESPN). The panel was chaired by Paul Morgan, Premiership Rugby’s Communications Director.

Winners in the 2021-22 season

April – Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)
March – George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons)
February – Freddie Burns (Leicester Tigers)
January – Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins)
December – George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
November – Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
October – George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
September – Adam Radwan (Newcastle Falcons)

Winners in the 2020-21 season

May – Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
April – Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby)
March- Danny Care (Harlequins)
February – Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
January – Piers O’Conor (Bristol Bears)
December – Alfie Barbeary (Wasps)
November – Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)

Winners in the 2019-20 season

August – Jack Willis (Wasps)
May– Paul Hill and Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)*
April - Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs) *
March – Jamal Ford-Robinson (Gloucester Rugby)*
February – Charles Piutau (Bristol Bears)
January – Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
December - Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby)
November – Tom O’Flaherty (Exeter Chiefs)

* Gallagher ran public polls while play was suspended to nominate a ‘Community Player of the Month’ in recognition of inspiring off-pitch performances made by players during lockdown to support their local communities and boost the morale of the wider rugby community.

Winners in the 2018-19 season

April – Francois Hougaard (Worcester Warriors)
March – Santiago Cordero (Exeter Chiefs)
February – Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints)
December – Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints)
November – Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby)
October – Alex Goode (Saracens)
September – Danny Cipriani (Gloucester Rugby)

Winners in the 2017-18 season

April – Vereniki Goneva (Newcastle Falcons)
March – Joe Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
February – Jack Willis (Wasps)
December – Josh Adams (Worcester Warriors)
November – Ruan Ackermann (Gloucester Rugby)
October – Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
September – Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)

Winners in the 2016-17 season

April – Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby)
March – Christian Wade (Wasps)
February – James Short (Exeter Chiefs)
December – Tom Varndell (Bristol Rugby)
November – Freddie Burns (Leicester Tigers)
October – Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
September – Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps)

Winners in the 2015-16 season

April – Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints)
March – Francois Hougaard (Worcester Warriors)
February – George Smith (Wasps)
January – Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs)
December – Maro Itoje (Saracens)
November – Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
October – Nick Evans (Harlequins)

Winners in the 2014-15 season

April – Joe Simpson (Wasps)
March – Elliot Daly (Wasps)
February – Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
January – Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
December – Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints)
November – Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs)
October – Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
September – Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)

Winners in the 2013-14 season

April – Chris Ashton (Saracens)
March – Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
February – Vereniki Goneva (Leicester Tigers)
January – Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
December – Nick Easter (Harlequins)
November - George Ford (Bath Rugby)
October – Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints)