Tadhg Furlong, Conor Murray, Robbie Henshaw and CJ Stander are the four nominees from Rugby Players Ireland for the 2017 Zurich Players’ Player of the Year Award.
The winner will be presented at an awards ceremony on 10 May.
The quartet have been rewarded for outstanding form for both province and country, with Stander looking to retain the award he won last year.
Leinster prop Furlong has become the cornerstone of Ireland’s scrum and was named in Warren Gatland’s Lions squad for the summer tour of New Zealand along with his three fellow nominees.
Murray, currently working his way back to fitness after sustaining nerve damage to his shoulder and neck in the Six Nations defeat to Wales in March, has cemented his place as one of the leading scrum halves in world rugby and was a key figure in the victories over South Africa, New Zealand and Australia last year.
Leinster centre Henshaw is nominated for the second year in succession as he continues to grow in influence for both club and country.
South African born Stander has followed up his debut international season with another stellar campaign in green, and has been a leading figure in Munster's resurgence under Rassie Erasmus.
A host of talented young players will contest the Nevin Spence Young Player of the Year Award and three iconic try efforts will contest the Volkswagen Try of the Year.
With the announcement of the rugby Players' Player of the Year nominees, who was Ireland's best player this season?
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 3, 2017
Connacht’s Ronan Loughney, Ulster scrum-half Ruan Pienaar and Leinster prop Jack McGrath are the nominees for the Vodafone Medal for Excellence, awarded to the individual who demonstrates exceptional commitment to the game both on and off field.
Last year the award was won by Isaac Boss.
Paula Fitzpatrick, Leah Lyons and Lindsay Peat will battle it out for the BNY Mellon Women’s Player of the Year, while Ashleigh Baxter, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Megan Williams have been nominated for the 7s Player of the Year.
