Bowe shortlisted for player of Six Nations

Tommy Bowe is the sole Irish contender in a six-strong shortlist for this season’s RBS 6 Nations player of the championship in which French players dominate.

Bowe is one of two British and Irish Lions wings on the shortlist along with Welshman Shane Williams.

Centre Mathieu Bastareaud, scrum-half Morgan Parra, skipper Thierry Dusautoir and number eight Imanol Harinordoquy all feature on the list for France.

France will win the title and Grand Slam if they beat England in Paris on Saturday night, while Ireland can land a fifth Triple Crown in seven seasons by defeating Scotland at Croke Park.

A panel of former international players, including Jason Leonard, Keith Wood and Jonathan Davies, submitted nominations for an award won by Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll in three of the past four seasons.

The winner will be decided in a public vote hosted on the official Six Nations website.