A trio of Ireland Grand Slam winners – Leinster Rugby No.8 Caelan Doris and full-back Hugo Keenan plus Connacht Rugby wing Mack Hansen – are on the six-strong list along with three France players – Stade Toulousain full-back Thomas Ramos and scrum-half Antoine Dupont, plus ASM Clermont Auvergne winger Damian Penaud.

The Leinster pair are set to face Ulster Rugby in the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 at the Aviva Stadium on April 1, a day before the Toulouse duo are expected to line up against Vodacom Bulls at Le Stadium in the same competition.

Meanwhile, Penaud and Hansen will be looking to transfer their spectacular Six Nations form to the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16, the former at Bristol Bears on March 31 and the latter at Benetton Rugby on April 1.

The winner will be announced on Friday.

Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup stars have been shortlisted for the Six Nations Player of The Championship.