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Investec Champions Cup

The 8 player shortlist for the 2024 Champions Cup Player of the Year

By Ian Cameron

213 days ago

Antoine Dupont of Toulouse after the Investec Champions Cup Pool 2 Round 3 match between Ulster and Toulouse at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

The European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has confirmed the shortlist for the 2024 Investec Champions Cup Player of the Year.

This year’s nominees include four Leinster players: Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, and Dan Sheehan. Northampton Saints’ Courtney Lawes and Fin Smith are also on the list, along with Antoine Dupont from Stade Toulousain and Marcus Smith of Harlequins.

Leinster – who are set to face Northampton Saints at Dublin’s Croke Park in the upcoming Investec Champions Cup semi-final – has a strong representation thanks to their dominant performance this season.

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Chasing the Sun on RugbyPass TV | RPTV

Chasing the Sun, the extraordinary documentary that traces the Springboks’ road to victory at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, is coming to RugbyPass TV.

Watch now

They reached the semi-finals after defeating the defending champions Stade Rochelais in both the pool stage and the recent quarter-final, as well as breezing past Leicester Tigers.

The contributions of Ireland stars Doris, Gibson-Park, Lowe, and Sheehan have been crucial.

Northampton’s nominees reflect their key roles in the team’s first semi-final appearance since 2011. Lawes has lead the pack while England rookie Fin Smith has stepped up to the plate in terms at flyhalf.

Dupont – the 2021 Player of the Year – continues to be a standout for Stade Toulousain as they aim for a record sixth title. It comes despite his foray on the HSBC SVNS circuit with France.

Meanwhile England star Marcus Smith has been central to Harlequins’ unprecedented success in Europe this season, maybe most eye-catchingly during their narrow 42-41 victory over Union Bordeaux-Begles last weekend.

The nominations were decided through a combination of public voting and expert analysis by a panel of judges. The panel includes Jim Hamilton, a two-time Investec Champions Cup winner; Francois Louw, a 2019 Rugby World Cup winner; Ugo Monye, a broadcaster and two-time EPCR Challenge Cup winner; Elma Smit, a sports presenter and producer; and Dimitri Yachvili, a commentator and EPCR Challenge Cup winner.

The public has the opportunity to influence the outcome once more by casting votes at epcrugby.com/ipoty. The winner, who will also receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy, will be announced after the Investec Champions Cup final scheduled at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 25.

2024 Investec Player of the Year nominees

Caelan Doris (Leinster Rugby)
Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
James Lowe (Leinster Rugby)
Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)

Roll of Honour
2023: Gregory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais)
2022: Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby)
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 club rugby)

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Comments on RugbyPass

DrinkAwayTheConcussion 28 minutes ago

Scott Robertson labels newest All Black 'the future'

Paddy T is playing the best footy of his career off the bench, and he’s a leader.

Straight swap: Paddy in for Scott, Scott to the bench.

But I’m loving Tuipolotu as an impact sub.

5 Go to comments

JW 30 minutes ago

Scott Robertson addresses Finau and Barrett injuries after France loss

Whats that team then? Are Clarke or Tele'a likely to come back? Proctor didn't return to the squad did he?

I'd like see the young fullbacks play fullback, and so Jordan cover on the wing instead. Even seeing Reiks on the other wing would be cool, Reece can go back on the bench if theres even room for him there.

So preferably it would be ALB and second five where he came of the bench in the weekend and was great. He's a bit slow on the play for outside center but looks like he might need to play there if we need wingers.

Cane really sounds like he'll bit fit, is he going to want to play? I'd really like to see Kirifi earn a cap if Lakai was the only 7 (Ardie has to be all used up/finished for the year). Which young lock are we going to see come in?

No team lists here, that's kid games...

1 Go to comments

Jmann 44 minutes ago

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NZ should certainly be above Ireland now

2 Go to comments

frandinand 1 hour ago

'Shame on you' - Viewers notice depressing off-field sight at Wales defeat

Who's obsessed. Your continual obsession with kiwi coaches is a sign of paranoia.

And the kiwi coach of the Wallabies has just coached them to a demolition of Wales a team that beat them 40 to 6 last year.

7 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

England player ratings vs South Africa | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

Didn't Earl get skinned again?

I get it, but at least your coach was a winner, right? Ours was hopeless, Rennie took over his Super team and immediately won two Championships. I might not be the best judge as it was my team but they were perennial underachievers under Foster. In any case, it's the best you've got (unlike in NZ's case), so try and get on board. Have faith that SB will be flexible enough to improve his personal if needed.

This surely has to be the best playing English side to follow in a long long time (well fans might need some more obvious proof come 6N time), so what are you waiting for?

PS: just gone through the last couple of decades results, particular the scorelines, and Eddie Jones era is far and away better than anybody else. You must have scored nearly twice the amount of tries per game as SL did.

9 Go to comments

DH 1 hour ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Autumn Nations Series

At least he no longer writes articles related to the All Blacks. The suggestion with these ratings is that the ABs have a lot more left in the tank... Which is nonsense, this was a nail biter of a test of the highest standard and both sides we're going at it hammer and tongs. As is often the case in rugby, the team that managed to score the most tries won.

32 Go to comments

frandinand 1 hour ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Autumn Nations Series

Why does Rugby Pass persist in giving Ben Smith the job of rating players. He's a total numpty and has no idea. The Taimati Williams rating of 4 just shows his complete inability to analyze a player's performance.

32 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Who, the ABs? Oh for sure, they punched above their weight in that cup, but also had got a lot better than anyone had thought they could (except perhaps SAn's) well out from the WC (to the point where you were disappointed not to win it). Then they've probably done the most post analyzing of their RWCs in the past, due to all their failures, they knew how to maximize their itinerary and that first game against France was of less importance than any one off test was against. At least a test like this weekends had meaning, even if it's not surrounded by any overarching point. That first match in the RWC though, along with the Ireland v SA game, were totally meaningless. Everyone already knew they were only going to be up against each other, and that's why NZ were only at around 70% during it.

So you're quite right, it was pointless to make as much out of it as this author did. The same pretty much goes for 2 years prior as well, because that's obviously before the above happened. NZ were at least trying very hard in that game, and although it needed some Ntamack magic at the end, France looked pretty comfortable, or should I say, NZ very poor. That picture obviously turned around this year, but still with that fabulous French flair scoring some crazy tries to win it again.

93 Go to comments

OJohn 1 hour ago

'Shame on you' - Viewers notice depressing off-field sight at Wales defeat

You really need to get over your obsession with my comments Scotty

7 Go to comments

frandinand 1 hour ago

'Shame on you' - Viewers notice depressing off-field sight at Wales defeat

A typically inane comment from Walter. The most influential rugby commentator in Australia can't give any praise to his countries team because he predicted that they would lose every game on the EYOT . You can’t see his face for the egg on it.

For someone who proclaims he is invariably right he is proving he is invariably wrong.

7 Go to comments

RF 1 hour ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Autumn Nations Series