Baxter up for Premiership prize

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter is on a four-man shortlist for the Guinness Director of Rugby of the Season award, Premiership Rugby confirmed today.

Baxter, who picked up the award during the 2011-12 season, is up against Jim Mallinder, the Director of Rugby at current leaders of Aviva Premiership Rugby, Northampton Saints, Mike Ford (Bath Rugby) and Dai Young of Wasps for the prestigious prize.

This season Baxter has guided the Chiefs to the LV= Cup Final, a first-ever European semi-final and has the Devon club pushing hard for the play-offs entering into the final week of the season.

"We have some of the best coaches in the world within Aviva Premiership Rugby ensuring the judging panel had a tough job once again," said Phil Winstanley the Rugby Director at Premiership Rugby.

"All four have had very different challenges to face this season - both at home and in Europe - but have emerged from a compelling campaign with a huge amount of credit both inside and outside their clubs."

The shortlist is:

* Rob Baxter - Exeter Chiefs
* Mike Ford - Bath Rugby
* Jim Mallinder - Northampton Saints
* Dai Young - Wasps

The shortlist was compiled by a panel of media professionals - Nick Mullins (BT Sport), Stephen Jones (Sunday Times), Owen Slot (The Times), Ben Coles (Planet Rugby), Sarah Mockford (Rugby World), Mick Cleary (Daily Telegraph), Jill Douglas (Freelance), Alastair Eykyn (BT Sport), Chris Jones (BBC Radio) and David Rogers (Getty Images). They were joined by Paul Morgan (Premiership Rugby's Communication Director) who chaired the panel.

Previous Winners:
* 2013-14 - Mark McCall (Saracens)
* 2012-13 - Mark McCall (Saracens)
* 2011-12 - Rob Baxter (Exeter Chiefs)
* 2010-11 - Jim Mallinder (Northampton Saints)
* 2009-10 - Andy Key (Leeds Carnegie)
* 2008-09 - Richard Cockerill (Leicester Tigers)
* 2007-08 - Dean Ryan (Gloucester Rugby)
* 2006-07 - Pat Howard (Leicester Tigers)
* 2005-06 - Philippe Saint-Andre (Sale Sharks)
* 2004-05 - John Wells (Leicester Tigers)
* 2003-04 - John Connolly (Bath Rugby)
* 2002-03 - Warren Gatland (London Wasps)
* 2001-02 - Conor O'Shea and Brendan Venter (London Irish)
* 2000-01 - Dean Richards (Leicester Tigers)
* 1999-2000 - Andy Robinson (Bath Rugby)

The winner will be announced on Thursday, May 20 at the sold out Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards at the Hilton, Park Lane. The event will be covered live on Twitter via the @premrugby account