Bristol Bears prop Ellis Genge was voted as December's Gallagher Player of the Month, claiming 44% of the public vote in a closely fought poll ahead of Exeter Chiefs No.8 Greg Fisilau and Northampton Saints duo George Hendy and Tommy Freeman.
The award follows a dominant run of form for the Bears, who secured three successive bonus-point victories in the Gallagher PREM across Rounds 6 to 8, including a home win over table-toppers Northampton Saints and an emphatic victory against Harlequins in the London side's traditional Big Game 17 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Genge has been central to Bristol's success in recent weeks, collecting three consecutive Gallagher Player of the Match awards.
The England and British & Irish Lions prop delivered an all-action 73-minute performance against Harlequins during the Festive Fixtures, making the second-most metres in the match and scoring one of the tries of the season from a quick lineout to cap a famous away victory.
The 30-year-old was equally influential in Round 8 against Newcastle Red Bulls. Despite entering from the bench, Genge produced a powerful display, ranking third for defenders beaten and fifth for metres made across the entire round in just 36 minutes on the field.
Nick Harris, CEO of Gallagher's insurance broking business which supports companies across the UK and Ireland, said: "Ellis and the Bristol Bears both rounded off the year in fantastic form, with Ellis collecting his third consecutive Gallagher Player of the Match award. He also continues to shine off the pitch with his fantastic work as an ambassador for Gallagher Touchline Academy, which aims to upskill over 2,000 teachers across the UK to inspire the next generation of rugby stars. Congratulations Ellis, and best of luck for the rest of the season."
The winners so far this season:
October — Edoardo Todaro (Northampton Saints)
December — Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
The shortlist was voted for by a panel of media professionals. The judges for the 2025/26 Gallagher PREM season are: Jill Douglas (ITV, BBC), Ali Eykyn (TNT Sports), Hugh Godwin (The i Paper), Chris Jones (BBC), Alex Lowe (The Times), Ugo Monye (BBC, TNT Sports), Nick Mullins (TNT Sports), Charles Richardson (Telegraph), and Claire Thomas (BBC, TNT Sports).
