8 players shortlisted for 2024 Champions Cup Player of the Year: This year’s nominees include four Leinster players: Kelan Dorris, Jamieson Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Dan Sheehan. Stade Toulouse’s Antoine Dupont and Harlequins’ Marcus Smith are also on the list, along with Northampton Saints’ Courtney Lawes and Finn Smith.
8 players shortlisted for 2024 Champions Cup Player of the Year, Leinster – who are set to face Northampton Saints at Croke Park in Dublin in the semi-finals of the upcoming Investec Champions Cup – have a strong showing for their dominant performances this season.
They reached the semi-finals, beating defending champions Stade Rochelle in the pool stage and most recently in the quarter-finals, as well as Leicester Tigers.
Contributions from Ireland stars Dorris, Gibson-Park, Lowe and Sheehan were key.
Northampton’s nomination reflects their key role in the team’s first semi-final appearance since 2011. Lois led the pack as England rookie Finn Smith stepped up to the plate at flyhalf.
Dupont – the 2021 Player of the Year – has been a standout for Stade Toulouse as they aim for a record sixth title. This comes despite HSBC entering the SVNS circuit with France.
England star Marcus Smith, meanwhile, has been at the heart of Harlequins’ remarkable success in Europe this season, perhaps most eye-catching in their narrow 42-41 win over Union Bordeaux-Begales last weekend.
8 players shortlisted for 2024 Champions Cup Player of the Year
Nominations were decided by a panel of judges through a combination of public voting and expert analysis. The panel included Jim Hamilton, two-time Investec Champions Cup winner; Francois Louw, a 2019 Rugby World Cup winner; Ugo Moni, a broadcaster and two-time EPCR Challenge Cup winner; Elma Schmidt, a sports presenter and producer; and Dimitri Yachvili, a commentator and EPCR Challenge Cup winner.
8 players shortlisted for 2024 Champions Cup Player of the Year,The public has a further chance to influence the outcome by voting at epcrugby.com/ipoty The winner, who will also receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy, will be announced after the Invetec Champions Cup Final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 25 May.
2024 Investec Player of the Year Nominees
Kelan Dorris (Leinster Rugby)
Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulouse)
Jamieson Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby)
Courtney Lodge (Northampton Saints)
James Lowe (Leinster Rugby)
Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby)
Finn Smith (Northampton Saints)