SA-born Stander up for top award

London - The nominees for 2017's European rugby player of the year were announced on Tuesday by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR).

There are currently 15 nominees - it will eventually be reduced to five - with Ireland and Munster's CJ Stander being rewarded for his fine form over the past year. 

The South African-born flank has become one of the standout players for Ireland since making his Test debut in February last year. 

Nominees (player, club, country):

Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster/IRL), Elliot Daly (Wasps/ENG), Owen Farrell (Saracens/ENG), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/IRL), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors/SCO), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors/SCO), Maro Itoje (Saracens/ENG), Joe Launchbury (Wasps/ENG), Camille Lopez (Clermont/FRA), Conor Murray (Munster/IRL), Isa Nacewa (Leinster/IRL), Noa Nakaitaci (Clermont/FRA), Garry Ringrose (Leinster/IRL), CJ Stander (Munster/IRL), Thomas Young (Wasps/ENG)

The list will be reduced to five names on April 24 while the winner will be announced in Edinburgh on the weekend of May 13/14.

Previous winners:

2011 - Sean O'Brien (Leinster/IRL)

2012 - Rob Kearney (Leinster/IRL)

2013 - Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon/FRA)

2014 - Steffon Armitage (Toulon/FRA)

2015 - Nick Abendanon (Clermont/FRA)

2016 - Maro Itoje (Saracens/ENG)