Pienaar up for top Euro award

Cape Town - Springbok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar is among 15 players nominated for the European Player of the Year award.

Pienaar was named on the longlist following the conclusion of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup pool stages. Pienaar is the only South African on this list.

A five-player shortlist will be announced by the judging panel following the semi-finals of the respective competitions. The winner of the award will be announced after the final in May.

The judging panel for the award is: Stuart Barnes (Sky Sports), Will Greenwood (Daily Telegraph, Rugby World Cup winner and two-time Challenge Cup winner), Stephen Jones (Rugby Correspondent, Sunday Times), Emmanuel Massicard (Editor, Midi Olympique) and Gerry Thornley (Rugby Correspondent, Irish Times).

Leinster's Rob Kearney won the award last season.

European Player of the Year 2013 list:

Steffon Armitage (Toulon)
Rory Best (Ulster)
Julien Bonnaire (Clermont)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Wesley Fofana (Clermont)
Mamuka Gorgodze (Montpellier)
Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
James Johnston (Harlequins)
Joe Launchbury (London Wasps)
Morgan Parra (Clermont)
Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Munster)