JACK CARTY IS among six nominees in the running for the 2019 Rugby Players Ireland Supporters’ Player of the Year award, after the Connacht out-half’s outstanding form earned him his first international cap during the Six Nations.
All four provinces are represented in the shortlist for the award, with Leinster trio Cian Healy, James Ryan and James Lowe recognised alongside Tadhg Beirne of Munster and Ulster centre Will Addison.
Carty is one of the leading contenders for the award having enjoyed a hugely influential season with Connacht, the 26-year-old producing the best form of his career before earning international recognition when coming off the bench during Ireland’s win over Italy in February.
The Athlone native, who recently became Connacht’s leading points scorer in the Pro14, will face stiff competition for the award — which was won last year by Bundee Aki — from Ryan and Beirne, the latter making an instant impact at Munster after his move from Scarlets.
Healy’s excellent form has continued throughout the 2018/19 season with the loosehead starting four of Ireland’s five Six Nations games and playing a key role in Leinster’s run to the Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals for the third successive year.
Lowe made a big early-season impact, scoring eight tries including braces against Munster and Wasps, but has been seen just twice since his red card at Thomond Park over Christmas.
The Kiwi winger was left out of Leinster’s squad for last weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-final win over Ulster, again falling victim to the ‘non-European player’ ruling, and is likely to miss out on selection for the business end of the campaign should Scott Fardy and Jamison Gibson-Park be required.
The public can vote for their winner ahead of the annual Zurich Irish Rugby Players Awards, which take place in Dublin on Wednesday 15 May.
Supporters’ Player of the Year:
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster)
- James Lowe (Leinster)
- Jack Carty (Connacht)
- Will Addison (Ulster)
- Cian Healy (Leinster)
- James Ryan (Leinster)
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