Ruan Pienaar among 15 nominees for 2014 ERC player award

Ulster scrum-half Ruan Pienaar is among the 15 long-list nominees for this season's ERC European Player of the Year award.

Munster duo Paul O'Connell and Peter O'Mahony are among the contenders with Leinster duo Cian Healy and Sean Cronin also nominated

Last year's winner Toulon's Jonny Wilkinson makes the long-list again.

Other names in the 15 are Leicester's Miles Benjamin, Saracens back Alex Goode and Northampton's George North.

ERC European Player of the Year 2014 long-list

Steffon Armitage (Toulon), Miles Benjamin (Leicester Tigers), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Matt Giteau (Toulon), Alex Goode (Saracens), Cian Healy (Leinster), Fritz Lee (Clermont Auvergne), George North (Northampton Saints), Paul O'Connell (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Clermont Auvergne), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)