Jamie Heaslip, Ian Madigan among EPCR nominations

Jamie Heaslip and Ian Madigan have been included among the initial 15 nominees for the European Player of the Year after the conclusion of the group stages last weekend.

The Leinster duo are named on a longlist, selected by an EPCR judging panel, that is dominated by players from the big-spending French giants Clermont, Racing Metro and Toulon.

Announcing their decision, the ERPC lauded Heaslip as the “ultimate leader by example” highlighting the 83 carries he made in his six pool games. Madigan is described as being not quite “the finished article, but some of his attacking play this season has been sensational.”

The panel of judges will whittle the list down to five following the semi-finals with the overall winner named directly after the Twickenham decider in early May.

EPCR European Player of the Year 2015 longlist

Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon) Chris Ashton (Saracens) Jamie Heaslip (Leinster Rugby) Juan Imhoff (Racing Metro 92) Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby) Fritz Lee (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Camille Lopez (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Ian Madigan (Leinster Rugby) George North (Northampton Saints) Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro 92) Aurélien Rougerie (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Nicolas Sanchez (RC Toulon) Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing Metro 92) Billy Vunipola (Saracens)