Faf de Klerk and Don Armand have made the five-man shortlist for the English Premiership Player of the Season award.

De Klerk has been the Sale Sharks’ star performer this season, while Armand has had another consistent campaign for the Exeter Chiefs.

Three of the four Premiership semi-final teams are represented, with the Chiefs’ Armand, Danny Cipriani of Wasps and the Newcastle Falcons’ Vereniki Goneva making it onto the shortlist. Saracens are the only team in the last four with no player in contention for the award.

De Klerk and the Northampton Saints’ Jamie Gibson – two of only four players to feature in all 22 rounds on the competition – complete the quintet.

The shortlist was compiled by a panel of rugby writers, including Alastair Eykyn (BT Sport), Nick Mullins (BT Sport), Sonja McLaughlan (BBC Radio), Sarah Mockford (Rugby World), Mick Cleary (Telegraph), Stephen Jones (The Times), Jonny Fordham (The Sun), Dave Rogers (Getty Images), Chris Jones (BBC Radio) and Paul Morgan (Premiership Rugby’s Communications Director).

Photo: Getty Images