World Rugby player of the year: Ireland centre Bundee Aki on four-man shortlist for award

Bundee Aki scored four tries during Ireland's run to the World Cup quarter-finals

Ireland centre Bundee Aki is on the four-man shortlist for the World Rugby men's player of the year award.

France captain Antoine Dupont is also nominated, along with two players set to feature in the Rugby World Cup final - South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth and New Zealand back row Ardie Savea.

Ireland's Andy Farrell is shortlisted for the coach of the year award.

He is joined by New Zealand's Ian Foster, Fiji's Simon Raiwalui and South Africa's Jacques Nienaber.

Aki scored four tries during Ireland's run to the World Cup quarter-finals, where they suffered a 28-24 defeat by the All Blacks.

Josh van der Flier, Aki's Ireland team-mate, won the player of the year award in 2022.

French scrum-half Dupont, who claimed the prize in 2021, also went out at the quarter-final stage when his side lost to South Africa.

The winner of the award will be announced in a ceremony in Paris on Sunday.

There will be nine other awards handed out including breakthrough player of the year. Two New Zealanders in wing Mark Telea and prop Tamaiti Williams, South Africa fly-half Manie Libbok and France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey make that shortlist.

Four women's awards, including the player of the year, will be handed out after the ongoing WXV tournament which ends early next month.