Rugby Union · Back Of The Season
Rugby Union Back of the Season Award
The rugby union back of the season award recognises the best player wearing nine to fifteen, from the scrum-half who ran the game to the full-back who never missed a high ball. Backs score most of the tries, which makes this award trickier to judge than it looks. Here is how clubs separate it from the top try scorer, how they reach a fair decision and what to put on the glass.
A few ways to make it yours
The designer
Design yours
Upload your club crest, type up to four lines and see it on the glass.
Simple pricing
End of season award prices: £8.99 small · £13.99 large
Mix sizes and designs freely. One delivery charge per order.
Minimum 5 awards. Delivery £10.00 per order.
Rugby union end of season awards: more than the try count
Many clubs already hand out top try scorer and top points scorer, and those are settled by the numbers. Back of the season should reward something wider: decision-making at fly-half, defensive reads in the centres, a winger who chased every kick, or a goal-kicker who turned close games.
If your back of the season simply goes to whoever scored most, you have two awards for the same thing. Agree as a coaching team what the award is meant to recognise, and it becomes much easier to defend the choice when the winner is read out.
Deciding between nine and fifteen
Backs coaches often build a short list in March and then talk it through with the head coach and captain. Useful evidence includes missed tackles, kicks from hand that found touch, turnovers conceded and how often a player was picked when fit.
Some clubs open it to a vote among the backs themselves, which works well because the centre partnership knows exactly who kept the line together. Junior and colts sides may prefer the coaches' choice, since young players tend to vote for their friends or the quickest winger.
Wording for a back's award
BACK OF THE SEASON is short enough to sit on line one at a good size. Club name goes on line two and the player's name on line three. If you want to note the position, keep it brief, for example Fly-half or Outside Centre, after the name.
For a women's XV or a vets side, put the team on line four alongside the season, such as Women's XV 2025/26. Clubs that run the same award across several teams find this keeps every piece consistent while still making it clear which side each winner played for.
Where it fits in the running order
Most presentation nights work up from team-level awards to the headline honours. Back of the season normally comes straight after forward of the season, and both lead into the players' player for that team. Ordering all three in the same size keeps them balanced.
The Small square block at £8.99 each is the usual choice for positional awards. Keep the Large block at £13.99 for the one or two awards that close the evening, and add every winner to a single order so delivery stays at the flat £10.00.
Good to know
Questions
Should back of the season and top try scorer go to different players?
They can go to the same person, but many clubs use them for different things. Top try scorer is settled by the count, while back of the season reflects all-round play, including defence and game management. Deciding that in advance avoids awkward overlaps.
Can we print the player's shirt number or position?
Yes, as text. Add it after the name on line three, or use line four if you are leaving the season off. Something like Scrum-half reads better than a number alone, as numbers change from week to week in community rugby.
Our club colours are bright. Will they print accurately?
The crest prints in full colour, so it comes out in your club's own colours as they appear in the file you upload. The best results come from the original artwork, ideally a transparent PNG, rather than a photo of a shirt or a screenshot.
How long do the awards take to arrive?
Made in Cornwall and delivered within 7 days Delivery is a flat £10.00 per order however many awards are in it, so it is worth ordering every team's awards together once the coaches have made their decisions.
Keep exploring
Related awards
Club secretaries
Ordering for the whole club?
Finish one design, then reuse the same crest with a new name. Or paste a list of names and add every award in one go. Whatever the number of awards, there is one delivery charge per order.
Ordering for a club