By:
Conor Martin
Caelan Doris is flying the Irish flag alone after being named on the 10-man shortlist for Investec Champions Cup Player of the Year, a nod that reflects his towering influence throughout the pool stages.
The Leinster number eight was at the heart of a ruthless campaign as the province swept aside all four opponents to finish clear at the top of Pool 3. He has been mightily impressive since recovering from shoulder surgery earlier this year and deserves to make the shortlist.
That perfect record secured a third-seed ranking for the knockout phase and a home last-16 clash with Edinburgh, scheduled for the opening weekend of April. Doris’ physicality, work rate and leadership were central to Leinster’s control on both sides of the ball as they laid down a clear marker for the business end of the competition.
While Leinster impressed with their efficiency, Bordeaux lit up the pool phase with raw attacking power. The defending champions are strongly represented among the nominees, with electric wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey recognised after a series of devastating performances out wide.
Lots of big names shortlisted for award
He is joined on the shortlist by fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, whose vision, accuracy and authority steered Bordeaux through a dominant group campaign.
Premiership champions Bath are the only other club to feature more than once on the list. Playmaker Finn Russell earns recognition for his creativity and ability to dictate games at the highest level, while number eight Alfie Barbeary is rewarded for his relentless ball-carrying and physical edge, which proved crucial as Bath pushed deep into the competition.
Completing the contenders are five more standouts from across Europe: Toulouse full-back Thomas Ramos, Glasgow Warriors’ influential Jack Dempsey, Saracens ball-carrier Tom Willis, Northampton Saints flyer George Hendy and Stormers fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
The 10-man shortlist was assembled by a panel of former players and broadcast experts following the end of the pool stages, with supporters now invited to cast their votes. Fan voting stays open through to the conclusion of the quarter-finals in April.
That combined process will narrow the race to five finalists, before the overall winner is unveiled after the Champions Cup final in Bilbao on 23 May.
Irish players have won the Investec Player of the Year in the past
The successful player will be presented with the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy, one of the competition’s most prestigious individual honours.
Irish players have enjoyed notable success in the award’s history, with Ronan O’Gara claiming the honour in 2010, followed by Sean O’Brien in 2011, Rob Kearney in 2012 and, most recently, Josh van der Flier in 2022.
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