England and Northampton Saints' Courtney Lawes gets Icon Award

Courtney Lawes speaks to the BBC at the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards

Northampton and England rugby player Courtney Lawes has become the first recipient of a special award.

Lawes was named winner of the Northamptonshire Icon Award at the county's Business Excellence Awards 2023.

The flanker retired from international rugby last month after 105 appearances.

He said he was "very honoured" to receive the award at a ceremony at the Northamptonshire County Cricket Club ground.

Lawes joined the Saints in 2007 and made his England debut against Australia two years later and is his country's fifth most-capped player.

He has played in four World Cups and helped England win three Six Nations titles.

Courtney Lawes made more than 100 appearances for England

Looking back on his career, he picked one particular highlight: "The biggest thing for me was being able to lift that silverware at the end of the Australia tour [2022] as a skipper.

"Being an England captain is quite a rare treat for anybody, and to win something in that role is an achievement I shall always treasure."

Courtney Lawes said lifting the trophy after the 2022 Australia Tour was one of his career highlights

Having decided to hang up his international boots, Lawes said he would miss his England teammates: "Especially when you're on a long tour like a World Cup or even four weeks in Australia, you really become a family and I'll miss being in and around the boys in the thick of it.

"When the chips are down, knowing you can rely on your mates is something you don't get too often."

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He believed the team he has left behind was in a "really good position".

"Towards the latter stages of the [Six Nations] tournament, training was becoming more fluid. The biggest thing for the boys going forward is going to be cohesion, all getting on the same page, having had such a short time with the current coaching staff," he said.

Receiving his Icon award, Lawes said: "I'm very glad that people have enjoyed my journey as much as I have.

"I'm glad I've been able to put some smiles on faces."