THREE LEINSTER PLAYERS have been shortlisted for the EPCR’s European Player of the Year award after Leo Cullen’s side booked their place in next month’s Heineken Champions Cup final.
Seán Cronin, Tadhg Furlong and Garry Ringrose are included on the five-man shortlist after helping the province to the St James’ Park decider, while Saracens duo Mako Vunipola and Alex Goode are also in the running.
The Leinster trio have been rewarded for their outstanding performances in blue this term and they will hope to emulate team-mates, Seán O’Brien and Rob Kearney, who won the award in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Cronin, who is now an injury concern for the final after sustaining a calf issue in Sunday’s semi-final win over Toulouse, has started all eight of Leinster’s Champions Cup games this season, scoring six tries.
Furlong’s consistently excellent form has continued during the 2018/19 season and after being nominated last year, the Ireland prop will be hoping to go one step further this time around.
Ringrose, again outstanding against Toulouse at the weekend, has played all but 10 minutes of Leinster’s run to a second consecutive European final.
The 15 initial nominees from the pool stage have been reduced to five based on the combined verdict of a panel of rugby experts — including Brian O’Driscoll, Bryan Habana and Dimitri Yachvili — and a public vote.
Voting has now reopened here and the winner and recipient of the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy will be announced following the Champions Cup final on Saturday 11 May.
EPCR European Player of the Year 2019 shortlist:
- Sean Cronin (Leinster Rugby)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
- Alex Goode (Saracens)
- Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby)
- Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
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