Bowe shortlisted for player award

TOMMY BOWE is the only Irishman on the shortlist for the RBS Player of the Six Nations Championship.

Grand Slam favourites France have four players in contention – Imanol Harinordoquy, Mathieu Bastareaud, Morgan Parra and Thierry Dusautoir – while Bowe and Shane Williams of Wales complete the list.

A panel of former internationals from all six nations submitted their top three nominations, from which the shortlist of six nominees was compiled. Panellists included former Irish captain Keith Wood, Raphael Ibanez and Jonathan Davies, Andy Nicol, Ieuan Evans and Jason Leonard, as well as former RBS Ambassador Alessandro Moscardi. The panel were asked to base their decision on performance, form and achievement throughout this year’s campaign.

Despite French Championship victories in 2006 and 2007, Brian O’Driscoll has taken the trophy home to Dublin in three out of the past four years, proving the Player of the Championship is not always on the winning team.

The 2010 RBS Player of the Championship will be decided as a result of a public vote, hosted on www.rbs6nations.com. Voting will continue through the final week of the Championship, and will close after the final round of matches, at midnight on Monday, March 22. A winner will be announced the following week

Log onto www.rbs6nations.com for details.