With Leinster securing a spot in this year’s Heineken Champions Cup final against La Rochelle, it’s no surprise to see Leinster nominees for this year’s European Player of the Year awards.
Perhaps what is surprising – to some anyway – is that with the initial longlist of 15 players whittled down to five, it’s Leinster who occupy the lion’s share of spots.
With the province heading the Marseille at the end of the month, they’ll do so with the back-row duo of Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier along with James Lowe all making the final shortlist for the first time.
They’re joined by La Rochelle’s Grégory Alldritt who makes the shortlist for a second year running and Toulouse’s Antoine Dupont, last year’s player of the year.
You can cast your vote online now at epcrugby.com/epoty with the winner and recipient of the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy set to be announced following the Heineken Champions Cup final next Saturday.
2022 EPCR European Player of the Year shortlist
- Grégory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais)
- Caelan Doris (Leinster Rugby)
- Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain)
- James Lowe (Leinster Rugby)
- Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby)
EPCR European Player of the Year Winners
- 2021: Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain)
- 2020: Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
- 2019: Alex Goode (Saracens)
- 2018: Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
- 2017: Owen Farrell (Saracens)
- 2016: Maro Itoje (Saracens)
- 2015: Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
- 2014: Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon)
- 2013: Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
- 2012: Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
- 2011: Sean O’Brien (Leinster Rugby)
- 2010: Ronan O’Gara (Munster Rugby – best player of first 15 years of European club rugby)