Eight Irish players have been nominated for the 2019 EPCR European Player of the Year award.
Defending Heineken Champions Cup champions Leinster have three players on the list, as do Munster, while Jacob Stockdale of Ulster is nominated, as well as Racing 92’s Simon Zebo.
Joey Carbery’s excellent performances for Munster have earned him a nomination alongside teammates Peter O’Mahoney and Tadhg Beirne.
From Leinster, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong and Garry Ringrose make the list for the award which has previously been won Rob Kearney, Sean O’Brien and Ronan O’Gara.
The winner of of the award will receive a specially struck gold medal as well as the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy.
The list of nominees will be cut to five in April following the Champions Cup quarter and semi-finals by a combination of public vote and the verdict of judges, including Brian O’Driscoll, Bryan Habana and Dimitri Yachvili.
Voting for the award is now open here and fans will be in the running to win two VIP tickets to the Heineken Champions Cup final in Newcastle next May with one night's accommodation and a signed jersey of one of the Heineken Champions Cup finalist clubs.
EPCR Player of the Year 2019 nominees:
Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby)
Joey Carbery (Munster Rugby)
Sean Cronin (Leinster Rugby)
Antoine Dupont (Toulouse)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse)
Viliame Mata (Edinburgh Rugby)
Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
Peter O’Mahony (Munster Rugby)
Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby)
Finn Russell (Racing 92)
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster Rugby)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Simon Zebo (Racing 92).