Munster’s O’Donoghue named on European Player of the Year Award longlist

O’Donoghue became the youngest Munster player to reach the 150-cap landmark for the province against Wasps last month.

Munster’s Jack O’Donoghue is one of 15 players in the running to capture one of the game’s most prestigious individual accolades following the announcement of the longlist of nominees for the 2022 EPCR European Player of the Year award.

O’Donoghue has scored two tries in three Champions Cup games so far this season and was also named Player of the Match in the province’s 45-7 victory over Wasps at Thomond Park.

Munster won all four of their Pool games in the Champions Cup to earn a round of 16 place and will face Exeter Chiefs over two legs in April.

O’Donoghue is one of five Irishmen in the running for the award alongside Jimmy O’Brien, Caelen Doris, Josh van der Flier (all Leinster) and Michael Lowry (Ulster).

Ronan O’Gara is the only man to be awarded thus far, winning the inaugural award, honouring the best player fo the first fifteen years of the competition.

The winner of the award, which is in its 12th season, will receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy in memory of the former Munster Rugby Head Coach and captain.

Voting is now open here and fans will be in the running to win a signed ball and a signed jersey courtesy of one of the Heineken Champions Cup finalist clubs.

2022 EPCR European Player of the Year award Voting

The list will be reduced to five players in May, following the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup semi-finals, by a combination of the public vote and the verdict of the judging panel, and players who have not been included in the initial longlist, but who make a significant impact during the knockout stages, may be considered for the shortlist.

The voting will then re-open and the winner of the 2022 award will be announced following the Heineken Champions Cup final in Marseille on Saturday, 28 May.

See the full list of 15 nominees following the Pool stages below.

EPCR European Player of the Year 2022 nominees

Grégory ALLDRITT (Stade Rochelais)

Alex DOMBRANDT (Harlequins)

Caelan DORIS (Leinster Rugby)

Antoine DUPONT (Stade Toulousain)

Gaël FICKOU (Racing 92)

George FORD (Leicester Tigers)

Michael LOWRY (Ulster Rugby)

Jimmy O’BRIEN (Leinster Rugby)

Jack O’DONOGHUE (Munster Rugby)

Damian PENAUD (ASM Clermont Auvergne)

Semi RADRADRA (Bristol Bears)

Sam SIMMONDS (Exeter Chiefs)

Marcus SMITH (Harlequins)

Josh VAN DER FLIER (Leinster Rugby)

Cameron WOKI (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)

Roll of Honour

2021: Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain)

2020: Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)

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 professional club competitions)