Centre Garry Ringrose is among the contenders for the 2023 EPCR Player of the Year award after a string of masterful performances for Leinster Rugby in the Heineken Champions Cup pool stage.

The 28-year-old has been the beating heart of the four-time champions’ midfield, starting in all four of their Pool A victories and dotting down in each of their successes against Racing 92.

Ringrose was Heineken Star of the Match in the latter triumph over the TOP 14 side, setting up Jimmy O’Brien with a brilliant offload before dotting down himself to round off a commanding 36-10 win in Dublin.

He lifted EPCR’s top prize with Leinster in 2018 and will hope to guide his side to victory over Ulster Rugby in the Round of 16, and thus closer to a fifth star, though he suffered a worrying injury in the Six Nations last week.

2023 EPCR PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES 

Grégory ALLDRITT (Stade Rochelais)
Gavin COOMBES (Munster Rugby)
Caelan DORIS (Leinster Rugby)
Elliot DALY (Saracens)
Antoine DUPONT (Stade Toulousain)
Eben ETZEBETH (Cell C Sharks)
Jaden HENDRIKSE (Cell C Sharks)
Siya KOLISI (Cell C Sharks)
Makazole MAPIMPI (Cell C Sharks)
Julien MARCHAND (Stade Toulousain)
Emmanuel MEAFOU (Stade Toulousain)
Jamie OSBORNE (Leinster Rugby)
Garry RINGROSE (Leinster Rugby)
Justin TIPURIC (Ospreys)
Josh VAN DER FLIER (Leinster Rugby) 

Judging Panel – Bryan Habana (two-time Heineken Champions Cup winner), Sarah Hunter (former England captain), Elma Smit (sports presenter and producer), Andy Goode (two-time Heineken Cup winner), Dimitri Yachvili (France Télévisions and Challenge Cup winner) 

Roll of Honour – 2022: Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby) ; 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 professional club competitions)