READERS at our website www.worcesternews.co.uk have voted emphatically for Dale Rasmussen as their Warriors player of the season.

The Samoan centre picked up more than 60 per cent of the 127 votes on our online poll to finish well clear of his four team-mates on the shortlist.

It is no surprise the 29-year-old came out on top after a season in which he has emerged as arguably the best defensive centre in the Premiership.

Rasmussen's performances in the early part of the season earned him a new three-year contract at the club and he celebrated that news with a match-winning display at Sale in March.

The man who captained the side that day, Matt Powell, was the second most popular choice.

The scrum-half struggled even to get a place on the bench in the early part of the season but finished as the first-choice number nine with a string of impressive showings.

Of the other players on the shortlist, Craig Gillies polled 10.4 per cent, Thinus Delport 8.8 per cent and Kai Horstmann 5.6 per cent.

Horstmann has the distinction of being named in the squad for all 34 of Worcester's games this season.