Five players shortlisted for EPCR European Player of the Year award

Five players have been shortlisted for the EPCR European Player of the Year award.

The initial list of 15 players which had been announced in January has been trimmed to five with Exeter Chiefs' Stuart Hogg and his club mate and the leading try-scorer in the tournament Sam Simmonds in the list.

Exeter's final opponent Racing 92 will also have two players in Finn Russell and Virimi Vakatawa. They will be joined by Semi Radradra, who was impressive for Bordeaux Begles in the league stage and powered Bristol Bears to the final following his switch to the Ashton Gate based outfit.

The judging panel included Erik Bonneval (beIN SPORTS), Bryan Habana (Channel 4), Emmanuel Massicard (Midi Olympique), Sonja McLaughlan (BBC Radio 5 Live), Brian O’Driscoll (BT Sport), Alan Quinlan (Virgin Media), Dimitri Yachvili (France Télévisions).

Previous winners:

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)