Saints boss Boyd on five-man shortlist for big Premiership prize

Boyd only joined the black, green and gold last summer, leaving Super Rugby side the Hurricanes after a hugely successful spell in his homeland.

He has since steered Saints to Premiership Rugby Cup glory, a European Challenge Cup quarter-final and into the Premiership's top four.

Saints know that if they win at Exeter Chiefs on Saturday, they will be able to look forward to a Premiership play-off semi-final a week later.

That means Boyd could still bring the title to Saints at the end of his first season in charge.

He is up against Saracens boss Mark McCall, Exeter's Rob Baxter, Gloucester's Johan Ackermann and Bristol's Pat Lam for the director of rugby of the season award.

The winner will be announced at the awards dinner on May 22.

McCall and Baxter have won the accolade before – the former on three occasions – but Boyd, Ackermann and Lam are all looking to take home the prize for the first time.