Leinster European Player of the Year nominations

[Flash Gordon]

Great to see Leinster names on this list. I'm sure it doesn't harm them to get the nominations in advance of Lions selection conversations!

EPCR European Player of the Year 2021 award nominees:

Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle)
Levani Botia (La Rochelle)
Antoine Dupont (Toulouse)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
Kevin Gourdon (La Rochelle)
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby)
Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Jerome Kaino (Toulouse)
Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby)
Julien Marchand (Toulouse)
Kotaro Matsushima (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
Romain Ntamack (Toulouse)
Raymond Rhule (La Rochelle)
Will Skelton (La Rochelle)
Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby)

[offshorerules]

So that makes ROG's lot favourites?

[mildlyinterested]

Tadhg Furlong has made the European Player of the Year longlist in 5 consecutive seasons

[Flash Gordon]

Tadhg Furlong has made the European Player of the Year longlist in 5 consecutive seasons

Yes but how many club games as he played this year? 1 or 2? Think if I were Andrew Porter I'd be a bit disappointed in that list!

[mildlyinterested]

Tadhg Furlong has made the European Player of the Year longlist in 5 consecutive seasons

Yes but how many club games as he played this year? 1 or 2? Think if I were Andrew Porter I'd be a bit disappointed in that list!

Name recognition

[Flash Gordon]

Tadhg Furlong has made the European Player of the Year longlist in 5 consecutive seasons

Yes but how many club games as he played this year? 1 or 2? Think if I were Andrew Porter I'd be a bit disappointed in that list!

Name recognition

Did they get the 2 mixed up??? Interesting that are no English, Welsh or Scots players in there. Wonder if that's ever happened before?

[The Doc]

Interesting that are no English, Welsh or Scots players in there. Wonder if that's ever happened before?

Hadn't noticed that - bit odd

[Serb]

Probably the first time in a long time there are no English players anyway. English players have won the award 7 times from 11.

[fourthirtythree]

Who would people suggest?

Better: Raymond Rhule must surely be the first Ghanaian player nominated. Also, it's a sign of how well, and attractively, la Rochelle have played that they have the most nominations.

[Dave Cahill]

The longlist is usually issued after the pool stages and only contains players who play for teams that make the quarters

The shortlist is usually issued after the Quarters and only contains (5) players who play for teams that make the semis.

This is a long shortlist - which is why there are only players from the French clubs and Leinster

[paddyor]

Interesting that are no English, Welsh or Scots players in there. Wonder if that's ever happened before?

Hadn't noticed that - bit odd

It's not. Usually reserved for teams who make it to the last 8 but with the season being truncated they've plumbed for last 4.

[fourthirtythree]

...and Clermont.

[Ruckedtobits]

Tadhg Furlong has made the European Player of the Year longlist in 5 consecutive seasons

Yes but how many club games as he played this year? 1 or 2? Think if I were Andrew Porter I'd be a bit disappointed in that list!

EPCR has made a total farce of this award by the nomination of TF who has played 58 minutes of EPCR competition this Season.

Tagdh played better in each progressive round of the 6 Nations and he is marginally ahead of Andrew Porter as first-choice THP. But he is definitely not a worthy nominee for the Award this season. This Season, Luke McGrath or Rhys Ruddock would have been better nominees.

IMO, Dupont would be an appropriate winner, based on his performances to date.

[fourthirtythree]

Thought that, despite winning the man of the match award last week Henshaw neglected to engage beast mode for the first time in months, struggle to see a Leinster player winning it that is not him.

I'm sure Dupont is a shoo in but he's gone seriously off the boil the last few matches I've seen him in. Scotland, Munster, and ASM.

[mildlyinterested]

JVDF keeps up his form..

[Blue Man]

Crazy that Furlong is included based on 55 minutes of rugby. Rhys deserved to be included ahead of him

[paddyor]

...and Japan.

Fixed

[fourthirtythree]

...and Japan.

Fixed

Fair.

[Flash Gordon]

JVDF keeps up his form..

He certainly does. I think he was unlucky to miss out on Lions selection for the last tour as he was injured if memory serves, his form had been outstanding. He's a superb professional, his attitude and work rate are second to none.

[hugonaut]

Crazy that Furlong is included based on 55 minutes of rugby. Rhys deserved to be included ahead of him

Could not agree more.