James Ryan and Jack Carty up against two Munster men for Best Player award

Not an Ulster player in sight.

Ireland may have underperformed in the Guinness Six Nations - finishing third - but a host of their rugby players have prospered at provincial level. Ulster, Munster and Leinster all reached the knock-out stages of the Champions Cup, with holders Leinster making it to the final, in Newcastle, on May 11. Leinster topped the regular season standings, in the Guinness PRO14, while all four provinces are in the knock-out stages. Leinster await for the winner of Munster and Treviso, in Saturday's quarter final, while Connacht and Ulster face off for the right to meet Glasgow in the final four. Rugby Players' Ireland has released its' shortlist for Players' Player of the Year and three of the four provinces are represented. [caption id="attachment_196341" align="aligncenter" width="640"] (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile)[/caption] Two are from Munster, with Leinster and Connacht having a player apiece nominated.

• Tadhg Beirne (Munster)
• Peter O'Mahony (Munster)
• James Ryan (Leinster)
• Jack Carty (Connacht)

Ulster miss out on the shortlist, with perhaps Marcell Coetzee, John Cooney and Jordi Murphy three of the most entitled to feel upset. O'Mahony and Ryan both picked up their own provinces' award for Players' Player of the Season, so both will be fancied to take home the main prize in a fortnights' time. Anna Caplice, Eimear Considine and national team captain Ciara Griffin nominated for 15s Player of the Year in Zurich Irish Rugby Players Awards.