Stuart Hogg & Finn Russell in running for European player of the year

Stuart Hogg (left) will captain Scotland during the Six Nations - but Finn Russell has left the squad

Scotland's Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell are in the running to be named this season's European player of the year.

Exeter Chiefs full-back Hogg and Racing 92 fly-half Russell are on the list of 15 nominees for the European Professional Club Rugby award.

England pair Luke Cowan-Dickie and Sam Simmonds are among the other players selected, along with Russell's club-mates Teddy Thomas and Virimi Vakatawa.

Ulster pair Marcell Coetzee and John Cooney are also included.

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Leinster are represented by Tadhg Furlong, Jordan Larmour and Garry Ringrose, with Jerome Kaino and Romain Ntamack of Toulouse two others to impress the "expert panel of judges".

Clermont Auvergne centre George Moala and Bordeaux-Begles winger Semi Radradra complete the names, the latter the only player competing in the second-tier Challenge Cup.

The list will be reduced to five players in early May following the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup semi-finals.