ERC Player of the year longlist

[fourthirtythree]

http://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/erc-r ... 014/110199

Steffon Armitage – Sheer power and dynamism. The Toulon back row, who has featured at No 8 this season, won 13 turnovers in the Heineken Cup pool stage – only Justin Tipuric of Ospreys with 15 has more.

Miles Benjamin – Back from injury, and making waves in Europe. The strong-running wing scored four tries in four games for Leicester Tigers in their push to the quarter-finals – only Chris Ashton (7) and Naipolioni Nalaga (5) have more – and made eight clean breaks.

Sean Cronin – Another dynamic contender with six clean breaks to his name for Leinster in the pool stage – no other Heineken Cup hooker has made more than three this season. His success rate for line-out throwing is 86%.

Jean-Marc Doussain – The multi-talented Toulouse playmaker has a total of 15 defenders beaten which is the best for an out-half. He has also landed 13 of his 14 shots at goal.
Matt Giteau – The gifted Australian made 53 tackles for Toulon in the pool matches – the best for a centre. Giteau also scored two tries for last season’s Heineken Cup champions and came up with three assists.

Alex Goode – The in-form Saracens full-back, who scored a brilliant individual try against Connacht in Round 6, is the third highest metre-maker in the Heineken Cup to date with 459 and also ranks third for defenders beaten with 21.

Cian Healy - Despite playing only 188 minutes in Europe this season, just five props have made more metres than the Leinster powerhouse who has carried for 77 metres. Healy has also beaten seven defenders, ranking him second among the Heineken Cup props.

Fritz Lee – With 53 carries, 36 out of 38 tackles made and two tries in his four matches for Clermont, the rugged, hard-running New Zealander has been the find of the European season at No 8.

George North – His 434 metres gained in the pool stage puts him in the Heineken Cup top-five metre makers. North’s irresistible combination of pace, balance and power will be a massive asset to Northampton Saints as they pursue more European silverware in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Paul O’Connell – Quite simply Munster’s talisman during the two-time champions’ drive to yet another Heineken Cup quarter-final. Without the inspirational second row, the Irish province’s chances of winning a third European title are massively diminished.

Peter O’Mahony – If O’Connell is the brain, O’Mahony is the heart. A superb all-round back row, Munster’s abrasive captain has scored two tries and made 35 out of 39 tackles during the pool stage.

Louis Picamoles – The powerhouse Toulouse No 8 leads the Heineken Cup statistics in two categories this season with 84 carries and 27 defenders beaten. Picamoles’ total of 300 metres gained is also the best of any forward in the tournament.

Ruan Pienaar – A class act in Ulster’s 100% pool stage performance. The brilliant South African led the No 1 seeds to a Ravenhill quarter-final with a total of 54 points including two tries.

Sitiveni Sivivatu - With the highest total of clean breaks (14) and the second-best individual performance in metres gained (510), the outstanding former New Zealand wing has once again been one of the players of the tournament.

Jonny Wilkinson - The Heineken Cup’s top points-scorer with 73 going into the knockout stage. Only three out-halves have made more tackles (37) than the evergreen Toulon captain.

Well done Sean, Cian, Paul, Peter and Ruan.

[The Doc]

That reads like they got the US soccer commentators to write the profiles.

[fourthirtythree]

It wasn't up on ERC at the time so I took blog link rather than Leinster rugby to look beyond our own. I declined to comment on any of them.

Anyway, good to see four Irish on it.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Richie McCaw for me.

Nobody really jumps out. From a selfish point of view I think Heaslip and Toner are unlucky not to be on the list. We've had some other players who've played really well but they've been consistently good over the campaign.

Great to see Benjamin back in contention for something like this. Wonderful player to watch anyway but I'm mainly just happy for him because of his return from injury, great stuff.

[suisse]

ERC polls are worthless without Anthony Foley. Can't see either Leinster player winning it though, even with 3 games to go.

[paddyor]

My own shortlist from that list:
Healy
POC
Pienaar
Giteau
Armitage
Lee
Sivivatu

Hmmm
Picamoles - didn't start against Sarries in Twickenham, was subbed for young Bear Galan. Made hay against the weakest teams in the comp. Outside chance if they make it to the final.

Not
Wilkinson - Not as good as last and Armitage and Giteau look like the main guys for Toulon
Dousain - Made hay against weak pool rivals(put way whats...etc), will be far less prolific in the knockouts
Goode - as above
North - Token Welsh
Croinin - important player and has put in some fine performances this season but inability to hook will be shown up by knockout rivals
POM - similar to Cronin(not the hooking) but always seems to be eclipsed by POC
Benjamin - Can't see him getting past Siviatu in SMM

[All Blacks nil]

My own shortlist from that list:
Healy
POC
Pienaar
Giteau
Armitage
Lee
Sivivatu

Hmmm
Picamoles - didn't start against Sarries in Twickenham, was subbed for young Bear Galan. Made hay against the weakest teams in the comp. Outside chance if they make it to the final.


Not
Wilkinson - Not as good as last and Armitage and Giteau look like the main guys for Toulon
Dousain - Made hay against weak pool rivals(put way whats...etc), will be far less prolific in the knockouts
Goode - as above
North - Token Welsh
Croinin - important player and has put in some fine performances this season but inability to hook will be shown up by knockout rivals
POM - similar to Cronin(not the hooking) but always seems to be eclipsed by POC
Benjamin - Can't see him getting past Siviatu in SMM

Realistically the winner will be a member of one or other of the finalist's teams, most likely the winning team. Historically ( haven't checked ) I imagine that is the norm.
Short list is a bit presunptive. Norths chance while deserved for his performances so far, is dependent on the rest of the tournament being abandoned.
It is a bit like picking the GAA All-Stars before the All-Ireland Series.
As it is Pienaar had possibly the greatest influence in any team's qualification to the knockouts.

[ceemec]

Given that half the list changes when they announce the shortlist, I don't think we can read anything into this. They'll drop about 12 of the 15 and add a few who weren't in it to begin with.

[All Blacks nil]

Given that half the list changes when they announce the shortlist, I don't think we can read anything into this. They'll drop about 12 of the 15 and add a few who weren't in it to begin with.

Does the winner not come from this particular list?

Six Nations player of the tournament is also flawed in that the shortlist is drawn up from the 15 MOTM awards. Doesn't allow for consistency and can reward inconsistency.

[paddyor]

My own shortlist from that list:
Realistically the winner will be a member of one or other of the finalist's teams, most likely the winning team. Historically ( haven't checked ) I imagine that is the norm.
Short list is a bit presunptive.
It is a bit like picking the GAA All-Stars before the All-Ireland Series.

That's the norm from the past 3 years anyway(SOB, RK, Wilko). Making the longlist........
Presumptive based on what I've seen so far and what I know about the players. Yes! You read my comments after each player I discounted. With the exception of North(Token Welsh) all the nominees have a chance to get to the final.
How many of the longlist will still be playing come April 4/5/6 Or May for that matter? After the opening 3 performances of the pool stages I had SOB stepping up for another gong.

[paddyor]

Given that half the list changes when they announce the shortlist, I don't think we can read anything into this. They'll drop about 12 of the 15 and add a few who weren't in it to begin with.

That I didn't know. I was just giving my opinion on the 15. How long is the shortlist?

[Lar]

How long is the shortlist?

How can a shortlist be long?

[All Blacks nil]

My own shortlist from that list:
Realistically the winner will be a member of one or other of the finalist's teams, most likely the winning team. Historically ( haven't checked ) I imagine that is the norm.
Short list is a bit presunptive.
It is a bit like picking the GAA All-Stars before the All-Ireland Series.

That's the norm from the past 3 years anyway(SOB, RK, Wilko). Making the longlist........
Presumptive based on what I've seen so far and what I know about the players. Yes! You read my comments after each player I discounted. With the exception of North(Token Welsh) all the nominees have a chance to get to the final.
How many of the longlist will still be playing come April 4/5/6 Or May for that matter? After the opening 3 performances of the pool stages I had SOB stepping up for another gong.

Sorry Paddy I meant the ERC list was a bit presumptive.
Limerick would have had 6 All-Stars if the they were picked in July.
Can the winner only come from this list

[TerenureJim]

Given that half the list changes when they announce the shortlist, I don't think we can read anything into this. They'll drop about 12 of the 15 and add a few who weren't in it to begin with.

I'm hoping Fitzgerald will be a late comer to those ranks, for me he's impressed in a serious manner in the pool stage. Kearney as well. Fitz esp seems to be involved in everything when he's on the pitch.

[All Blacks nil]

To answer my own question, from the ERC website

The Judging Panel will also have the option to consider additional players who make major contributions during the knockout stages of both tournaments before announcing a five-man shortlist following the semi-finals with the overall winner named directly after the ERC European club finals in Cardiff in May.

The Judging panel is

Judging Panel: Stuart Barnes (Sky Sports), Mick Cleary (Daily Telegraph Rugby Correspondent), Emmanuel Massicard (Editor, Midi Olympique), Emile Ntamack (three-time Heineken Cup winner with Toulouse) and Gerry Thornley (Irish Times Rugby Correspondent).

In addition to the decision of the panel, the 44 clubs in the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup will have the opportunity to vote for contenders nominated on the ERC European Player of the Year 2014 shortlist while supporters can also have their say on Twitter using #ERCPlayer2014, and on the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup Facebook pages.

The awards were inaugurated in 2010

In 2010, ERC launched the highly-acclaimed ERC15 Awards, recognising the efforts of a number of outstanding contributors to the first decade and a half of European club rugby competition. Two-time Heineken Cup winner, Ronan O'Gara (Munster Rugby), was the inaugural recipient of the ERC European Player honour as the best player over the first 15 years of the two tournaments, he was followed by Sean O'Brien (Leinster Rugby), who was voted ERC European Player of the Year 2011, and then by Rob Kearney who won the accolade in 2012.

ERC European Player of the Year 2013 - Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)
ERC European Player of the Year 2012 - Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
ERC European Player of the Year 2011 - Sean O'Brien (Leinster Rugby)
ERC European Player Award (1995-2010) - Ronan O'Gara (Munster Rugby)

[paddyor]

I'm hoping Fitzgerald will be a late comer to those ranks, for me he's impressed in a serious manner in the pool stage. Kearney as well. Fitz esp seems to be involved in everything when he's on the pitch.

I agree he's back to his best, all depends on the knockouts.

[All Blacks nil]

I'm hoping Fitzgerald will be a late comer to those ranks, for me he's impressed in a serious manner in the pool stage. Kearney as well. Fitz esp seems to be involved in everything when he's on the pitch.

I agree he's back to his best, all depends on the knockouts.

If Leinster win the HC a Leinster player will win the ERC player of the year. Fitzgerald's performances are right up there and certainly if you were to pick 2 Leinster players in the long list a case could have been made for him.
If Leinster go onto win the competition Healy and Cronin are by definition in the box seat.

[TrapperChamonix]

ERC European Player of the Year 2013 - Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)
ERC European Player of the Year 2012 - Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
ERC European Player of the Year 2011 - Sean O'Brien (Leinster Rugby)
ERC European Player Award (1995-2010) - Ronan O'Gara (Munster Rugby)

How did that happen? I thought the fact the winner had to be Irish was one of the list of things that McCafferty was campaigning to change.

[TerenureJim]

I'm hoping Fitzgerald will be a late comer to those ranks, for me he's impressed in a serious manner in the pool stage. Kearney as well. Fitz esp seems to be involved in everything when he's on the pitch.

I agree he's back to his best, all depends on the knockouts.

If Leinster win the HC a Leinster player will win the ERC player of the year. Fitzgerald's performances are right up there and certainly if you were to pick 2 Leinster players in the long list a case could have been made for him.
If Leinster go onto win the competition Healy and Cronin are by definition in the box seat.

Not necessarily, I'd argue Para was the stronger option last year (good and all as JW was) and players winning individual prizes can throw up some real oddities, see BOD v McCaw 2009 for World Player of the Year.

POC has been massive and if you guys get to the Semi's and loose valiantly (if against us) or progress to the final if it's against Toulon then he's got to be in the driving seat.

Doesn't always tally that the best team will have the best individual player, that's why individual prizes are a bit of a nonsense anyway. Racing have a lot of class individuals but are a shite team