Maro Itoje & Owen Farrell: England pair nominated for World Rugby award

Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje are team-mates with England and Premiership club Saracens

England players Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje have been nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year award.

The Saracens pair won the Six Nations and European Champions Cup last season, before excelling for the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand.

All Blacks Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett, and Australia's Israel Folau, are also on the shortlist.

England wing Lydia Thompson has been nominated for the Women's Player of the Year award.

Thompson was part of the Red Roses side which came runners-up at the Women's World Cup in Ireland.

Farrell and Itoje were rested by head coach Eddie Jones for England's 21-8 autumn international win over Argentina on Sunday.

The awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, 26 November at the Salle des Etoiles, in Monte-Carlo.