Lions Quartet Nominated for Rugby Player's Ireland Top Award

Rugby Players Ireland has announced the nominees for the 2017 Zurich Players' Player of the Year award, with Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw, Conor Murray and CJ Stander battling it out for the top honour.

The Lions quartet have been shortlisted to claim the Zurich Players' Player of the Year award for excelling for club and country, with each nominee travelling to New Zealand this summer to represent the British & Irish Lions.

All four players starting the famous victory over New Zealand in Soldier Field, Chicago in November. Tadhg Furlong has enjoyed a breakthrough season for his province Leinster and in the green of Ireland.

Revered for his bullish carries with ball in hand and securing a growing popularity among the Irish fans. Furlong was the cornerstone of the Ireland scrum that enjoyed a 100% success rate during the Six Nations.

Conor Murray has had a excellent season for Munster & Ireland, with the scrum-half now firmly considered to be one of the leading 9's on the planet. Current Leinster centre Robbie Henshaw has been nominated for a second year in succession, while last year's winner, CJ Stander is again nominated due to his outstanding performances.

The evening will honour a season that has seen the Irish provincial sides feature prominently in both domestic and European competition, while the national team also claimed victories over South Africa, New Zealand and Australia before rounding up the season with a second-place finish in the Six Nations.

A trio of talented young players, Joey Carbery, Garry Ringrose and Darren Sweetnam, will contest the Nevin Spence Young Player of the Year award, and three iconic try efforts have been shortlisted for the Volkswagen Try of the Year.

2017 RUGBY PLAYERS IRELAND - AWARD NOMINATIONS:

ZURICH PLAYERS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR -

Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster)

NEVIN SPENCE YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR -

Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster)
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)
Darren Sweetnam (Cork Constitution/Munster)

VOLKSWAGEN TRY OF YEAR -

Craig Gilroy (Ireland v Italy, RBS 6 Nations)
Robbie Henshaw (Ireland v New Zealand, November Test)
Conor Murray (Ireland v New Zealand, November Test)

IRISH TIMES SUPPORTERS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR -
Vote for the winner online on the Irish Times website

Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Tiernan O'Halloran (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Charles Piutau (Ulster)
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster)

BNY MELLON WOMEN'S 15s PLAYER OF THE YEAR -

Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's/Leinster)
Leah Lyons (Highfield/Munster)
Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)

VODAFONE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE -

Ronan Loughney (Galwegians/Connacht)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary's/Leinster)
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)

MASON ALEXANDER WOMEN'S SEVENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR -

Ashleigh Baxter (Cooke/Ulster)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)
Megan Williams (St. Mary's)

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