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23rd May 2022
11:35am BST
Josh van der Flier applauds the support after a Leinster win over Connacht at the Aviva Stadium. (Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)[/caption]
"I've been talking about Josh for a while," O'Brien told Goode. "I think this guy is one of the best players in the world, at the minute, in his position. "His carrying has improved. He was always a tackling machine - a real chop focus - didn't do too much damage at the breakdown, and his carrying was limited. What he's added to his game in the last couple of years is a real change-up to his carry - how hard he is running into holes, running into people, when he has to. "And then, breakdown-wise and the tackle area, how solid he is there. He is making impact shots now. He's not just getting people on the ground, he's staying in the tackle and buying Leinster time to get their defensive line set."Goode, who won the EPCR prize after helping Saracens to a third European title, believes van der Flier 'sets the tone' for Leinster and is a 'real leader' for the team. He also teams up with Johnny Sexton in tackling the big centres and No.8s that run down his channel. "He has been phenomenal and has taken his game up a level," says Goode. https://twitter.com/ChampionsCup/status/1526548240128262145 The winner of the annual award, which was introduced back in 2009, will be announced shortly after Saturday's Champions Cup final. It will be decided by a panel of rugby greats and pundits, including the likes of Bryan Habana, Lee McKenzie, Dimtri Yachvili. Here is a quick run-down of Sean O'Brien's thoughts on the five EPCR nominees:
ANTOINE DUPONT (TOULOUSE)
He pulls teams apart. He does special, special things in games. What a lot of people underestimate, though, is his defensive game and how good that is.
GREGORY ALLDRITT (LA ROCHELLE)
He’s been excellent. Speaking to Ronan O'Gara about him, he’s just a machine. He never stops going.
CAELAN DORIS (LEINSTER)
He’s really come into his own this season, both for club and country.
JOSH VAN DER FLIER (LEINSTER)
This guy is one of the best players in the world… He is on another level, at the minute, to anyone else.
JAMES LOWE (LEINSTER)
He's a real free spirit... brilliant in the air, unbelievable going forward and such a tough guy. And he's a try-scoring machine... You need someone who is going to stand up and be counted. That is James Lowe.
