Paul O'Connell is amongst five Irish-based players on the longlist for 2014 ERC European Player of the Year.
Munster captain, Peter O'Mahony, has also been nominated along with Sean Cronin and Cian Healy of Leinster and Ulster's Ruan Pienaar.
Here's the full list
Steffon Armitage (Toulon) Miles Benjamin (Leicester Tigers) Sean Cronin (Leinster Rugby) Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse) Matt Giteau (Toulon) Alex Goode (Saracens) Cian Healy (Leinster Rugby) Fritz Lee (ASM Clermont Auvergne) George North (Northampton Saints) Paul O'Connell (Munster Rugby) Peter O'Mahony (Munster Rugby) Louis Picamoles (Toulouse) Ruan Pienaar (Ulster Rugby) Sitiveni Sivivatu (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)
A five-man shortlist will be announced following the semi-finals of the Heineken and Amlin Cups. Players not included on this longlist will also be considered for that short list, which almost makes this longlist seem pointless.
