Leinster trio on European Player of the Year award shortlist
Tuesday 24 April 2018 18:31, UK
Three Leinster players have been included on the five-man shortlist for the EPCR European Player of the Year 2018 award.
Scott Fardy, Johnny Sexton and Tadhg Furlong have all been rewarded for playing a key role in the Irish province's march to the Champions Cup final with a place on the shortlist.
Leinster play Racing 92 in the final in Bilbao next month and the other two men in contention for the accolade - France scrum-half Maxime Machenaud and Fijian lock Leone Nakarawa - both play for the French side.
Australian back-row forward Fardy, 33, has made a major impact this season and was named man of the match on Saturday as Leinster booked their place in the final with a 38-16 victory over Scarlets.
Fly-half Sexton scored 18 points in the semi-final, taking him to 605 European Cup career points and sixth place on the all-time list, while his fellow Ireland international Furlong has also had an excellent campaign at prop forward.
Leinster have had two previous winners of the award in Sean O'Brien (2011) and Rob Kearney (2012).
A mix of a public vote and a panel of experts will decide the winner of the award, which was won by Saracens and England fly-half Owen Farrell last year.
The winner of the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy - named in honour of the late Munster head coach and Ireland forward - will be announced after the Champions Cup final between Leinster and Racing 92 on May 12 in the Spanish city of Bilbao.
