European player of the year: Exeter number eight Sam Simmonds wins award
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Sam Simmonds (left) and brother Joe were key players in Exeter's European Cup triumph, with Joe receiving his man of the match award from Sam, who was later named European player of the season
Exeter forward Sam Simmonds has been named European Player of the Year.
The number eight scored a try as Exeter won the Champions Cup for the first time by beating Racing 92 31-27.
Simmonds, the older brother of Exeter captain Joe, was the competition's top try scorer with eight.
The England international, 25, beat Exeter team-mate Stuart Hogg, Bristol centre Semi Radradra and the Racing pair of Finn Russell and Virimi Vakatawa to the award.
Simmonds is the fourth English player in five years to receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy after Saracens trio Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell and Alex Goode.
The Chiefs will bid to make it a title double when they take on Wasps in the Premiership final at Twickenham next Saturday.