Tuttosi scoops Player of the Year award

By Mark Stevens
25/5/21

Canadian international Emily Tuttosi was crowned the inaugural Players’ Player of the Year for the Exeter Chiefs Women following the conclusion of the Allianz Premier 15s season.

The all-action hooker was presented with her award by club chairman and chief executive, Tony Rowe OBE, following the club’s final fixture of the season against Gloucester-Hartpury.

In what was a season to remember for Susie Appleby’s newly-formed side, not only did they secure an impressive top six finish, but they also defeated – at least once – all of the four clubs that made up the end-of-season play-offs.

Other award winners included:

Young Player of the Year: Flo Robinson

Top Try-Scorer: McKinley Hunt

Best Try: Garnet Mackinder (versus Bristol Bears, away)

Club Woman of the Year: Emily Tuttosi

After a slow start to the season – the Chiefs suffered five defeats in their first seven games – before then going on a seven-game winning run from the end of December.

In late January they inflicted a first league loss on champions Saracens since October and then beat runners-up Harlequins a week later. However, a dip at the end of the season, caused by injuries to key players, saw the Chiefs finish sixth with 10 wins from 18 games.

"I was pleased overall, but I'm frustrated that we gave ourselves a shot and then missed out," said Appleby. “I've been in this league for three years, so I now how important bonus points are, but I don't think the girls had a grasp of it. But they do now.

"The girls are very excited to get going again in the summer. There was lots achieved, but a bit of disappointment in the end which will set us up."

Exeter's women had only one chance to play in front of a crowd - 1,141 people saw them beat fellow new side Sale 38-0 in late December when spectators were briefly allowed back into grounds before Christmas.

But despite the lack of chances to see the team, Appleby feels Exeter have captured the imagination of the fans.

"The support on social media has been immense, both here and overseas," she said. "Devon and Cornwall love rugby and love the Chiefs and don't care if it's men or women playing.

"It was nice to have that crowd in that day and the girls really felt it, and the crowd really appreciated them, but the sad point was that for the most part nobody was there. I know we'll start to get more and more people through those doors and the buzz will grow and we'll show what Exeter Chiefs is."