The Rugby Players Association (RPA) is pleased to announce Courtney Lawes as the latest inductee into the RPA Hall of Fame.

The former England captain and Northampton Saints flanker will be honoured at the RPA Awards 2024, taking place on Wednesday 29^th May at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London.

Lawes is to be inducted following a glittering career in the English game. He played 105 times for his country, before retiring after the Rugby World Cup 2023, and featured for the British & Irish Lions five times. He made his debut for Northampton Saints in 2007 and has proven himself to be one of his club’s greatest players. He is proving to be a pivotal player for the Saints in their push for silverware towards the end of the season.

Recent inductees into the RPA Hall of Fame include Sarah Hunter, Jonny Wilkinson, Dan Carter and Martin Johnson.

On receiving this news, Lawes said: “It’s an unbelievable honour to have my career recognised in this way. I never expected to be able to have such a career where people would look on my involvement in rugby with such fond memories. It is honestly what all players dream of and for this I am immensely grateful. I want to say thank you to all my peers for this recognition and to all those people along the way who have helped to make this a possibility for me.”

Christian Day, RPA General Secretary, who played alongside Lawes at Northampton Saints, added: “It is difficult to sum up Courtney’s contribution to the English and world game over the last 17 years. His career has been as long as it has stellar, with his playing style evolving over that time to leave him as one of the best – if not the best – flankers in world rugby. This award will hopefully show him how well respected he is by the players that he has played with and against.”

To book your place at the RPA Awards 2024 and to rub shoulders with the past and present heroes of the game, email events@therpa.co.uk or visit www.therpa.co.uk/rpa-awards-2024.

Inductees into the RPA Hall of Fame are recognised by the RPA Players’ Board as having made an outstanding contribution to the international game.