FIVE IRISH PLAYERS have been selected on the longlist for the 2022 EPCR European Player of the Year.
Leinster’s Caelan Doris, Jimmy O’Brien and Josh van der Flier, Ulster’s Michael Lowry and Munster’s Jack O’Donoghue have been nominated for the prize.
Stade Toulousain’s Antoine Dupont, who is the current holder of the EPCR European Player of the Year and World Rugby Player of the Year awards, is again in the running to capture one of the game’s most prestigious individual accolades.
The list will be reduced to five players in May, following the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup semi-finals, by a combination of the public vote and the verdict of the judging panel.
Players who have not been included in the original long list, but who make a significant impact during the knock-out stages of both European competitions, may be considered for the shortlist.
The winner of the 2022 award will be announced following the Heineken Champions Cup final in Marseille on Saturday, 28 May.
2022 EPCR European Player of the Year nominees
Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Caelan Doris (Leinster)
Antoine Dupont (Toulouse)
Gael Fickou (Racing 92)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
Michael Lowry (Ulster)
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster)
Jack O’Donoghue (Munster)
Damian Penaud (Clermont Auvergne)
Semi Radradra (Bristol Bears)
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Josh Van der Flier (Leinster)
Cameron Woki (Bordeaux)
Originally published at 15.38
2022 player of the year In February containing a player who has only played 66 minutes in the whole comp…. what a joke of an award
How is Peter O’Mahony and Tadgh Beirne not nominated? For their away performances against Wasps alone
@Johnny 5: fair point. Definitely did more than Dupont
@Johnny 5: Tadgh Beirne has been immense all season. Munster’s best player at the moment. Is it shortlisted based on whoever won the star of the match award for each team?
@mcdb06: I think you got it right. There is no other way it makes sense, not that this makes much sense either. I think it’s standard they announce the long list after the pool stages, as you can still win if not in the long list of seems rather pointless and only done to generate chatter
How’s Dupont in there? He’s only played in 1 match and that was against a Cardiff team with literal amateur players in it
Great to see Jack O’Donoghue nominated. He’s dreadfully unfortunate to have emerged during this period of immense Irish backrow talent but should 100% be picking up far more international caps than he has been. Great player. Went through his dip and came back even better.
Totally biased here in my blue-tinted viewpoint but I think JVDF should get it. There I said it! Looking beyond the provinces I think Dombrandt and Smith would be fair calls, can’t believe I’m putting a shout out for quins players….
@SPQH: think JVDF is one of the hot favourites. Think Marcus Smith must be in the strong running too.
This whole thing shows the calibre of Larry’s that are running the EPCR, I think they’ve done predicted grades for Dupont, and the decision to bother having a shortlist for player of the year when the majority of the competition is yet to come, like what do they do if all these players end up not playing again, or being poor. Does any player from outside this list have any hope of being player of the year, it’s madness. It’s such a nothing award anyway the way it’s handled, but just demonstrates how little thought the organisers of the competition put into almost every decision.
@Patrick Breen: Did you even read the article? It clearly states that players not on the long list but make a significant impact during the knock out stage can be considered for the short list. Just scroll back up a little… it’s right there.
Is this award for the calendar year 2021? Or is it for the season? If its for the season, which I think it is for, is it not a bit early to be putting a long list together? There’s still a lot of rugby to play! Some of these players may miss later matches too if there’s bad injuries picked up in the 6N! I’m not even sure it’s a good time to release it as a piece to keep people engaged in the championship! We’re all looking towards the 6N now really.
Dupont is ludicrous, some of these awards are nonsense, or rather a popularity contest. I know its soccer, but Messi winning the Balon D’Or is an example, one league goal for Paris or something. People just see the name and go “oh ya, definitely that guy” without a proper analysis.
Worst i recall was McCaw winning World Player of the Year over BOD or du Preez in 09 i think. McCaw himself said it was one of his poorer seasons, and the stats back it up. Only played 9 games and lost 3 or 4 of them.
Absolute rubbish – 4 matches played with another 5 more in the competition (for the team that will win it). When was rgevkast time a Okayer of the match was selected at half time.
@Kevin Norris: can’t type – when was the last time a POTM was picked at half time!!!!
https://www.epcrugby.com/european-professional-club-rugby/european-player-of-the-year/
Not enough Leinster players! Very disappointing!