Former Ikey Tigers and Stormers loose-forward Don Armand was recently nominated for the English Premiership player of the season. He was on the six-man shortlist for the award, with the winner being announced this week as Saracens fly-half/full-back Alex Goode.

Flanker Armand has been in good form for the Chiefs this season, scoring four tries in 19 Premiership appearances for Exeter.

He was nominated together will fellow Exeter teammate Gareth Steenson. They were up against the Saracens pair Alex Goode and Maro Itoje, and the Wasps duo Charles Piutau and George Smith.

Whilst narrowly missing out on the Player of the Season Award, Armand has been included in the 27-man England Saxons squad to tour South Africa, where they are scheduled to play two matches against a South Africa A side.

The squad will play tests against South Africa A in Bloemfontein on Friday 10 June and Outeniqua Park in George on Friday 17 June. England internationals Kieran Brookes, Dave Attwood, Matt Kvesic, Danny Cipriani, Christian Wade, Semesa Rokoduguni and Luther Burrell bring 69 senior caps to the squad and many of the remaining 20 have represented England in age-grade teams in recent years.