Canada international scoops Player of the Season gong at Rugby Awards

Saracens scrum-half Olivia Apps has been named Premiership Women’s Rugby Player of the Season.

The Canada international, who has also starred for Canada in HSBC SVNS competition this season, has been a revelation for Alex Austerberry’s side.

In her debut PWR season the 27-year-old has scored nine tries, made eight try assists, beaten 41 players and completed 19 line breaks.

Ahead of Apps’ debut season in women’s senior rugby she told RugbyPass:

“It’s good timing for me to experience something new and see if I like playing 15s as much as I think I do. It was just a good experiment year and I have had a lot of support from all the coaching staff [in Canada].

“I think I needed a new challenge to see another rugby environment, play with a different team and see how that could help my development.”

Alongside Gloucester Hartpury, Saracens were early qualifiers for the PWR semi-finals and will host Exeter Chiefs this weekend at StoneX Stadium in a winner-takes-all encounter.

The Ontario-born half-back was also named in the PWR Team of the Season, where she partnered club teammate Zoe Harrison.

The only other North Londoner to make the team was May Campbell, whose 12-try haul saw her win Top Try Scorer alongside Rhona Lloyd [Sale Sharks], Mia Venner [Gloucester Hartpury], Bo Westcombe-Evans [Loughborough Lightning].

Loughborough’s Haineala Lutui was named Breakthrough Player of the Season. The 19-year-old has shone on her debut season in senior rugby and leads PWR for carries [241].

It is that relentless work-rate that earned Lutui a maiden international call-up and she later made her Red Roses debut in the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Trailfinders Women head coach Barney Maddison was named Director of Rugby of the Season after he led the club to knockout rugby for the first time in their history.

PWR Team of the Season

15. Emma Sing (Gloucester Hartpury)
14. Mia Venner (Gloucester Hartpury)
13. Claudia Pena (Harlequins)
12. Meg Jones (Trailfinders Women)
11. Millie David (Bristol Bears)
10. Zoe Harrison (Saracens)
9. Olivia Apps (Saracens)

1. Hope Rogers (Exeter Chiefs)
2. May Campbell (Saracens)
3. Maud Muir (Gloucester Hartpury)
4. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury)
5. Alana Borland (Trailfinders Women)
6. Rachel Malcolm (Trailfinders Women)
7. Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning)
8. Aoife Wafer (Harlequins)