Let the ERC15 Euro debate begin

Convened by ERC, organisers of the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup, the panel includes legends of the game such as Sir Ian McGeechan, Lawrence Dallaglio and Fabien Galthie who have exerted a major influence on the European club rugby landscape over the past 15 seasons.

Ieuan Evans, a Heineken Cup winner with Bath, former Australia great, Michael Lynagh, who played in both ERC tournaments, and leading media commentators from across Europe were also part of the nine-man panel.

The award categories are: ERC European Player Award, ERC European Coaching Award, ERC European Fair Play Award and the ERC European Dream Team of the past 15 years as selected by the panel.

The prestigious ERC European Dream Team will be a combination of the most talented players who have featured in ERC's tournaments since the Heineken Cup kicked off in the 1995-96 season.

The results of the ERC15 awards will be announced in May with the Dream Team as well as the individual winners honoured at the ERC chairman's dinner in Paris on the eve of the Heineken Cup final at Stade de France on Saturday, 22 May.

ERC Chairman, Jean Pierre Lux said. "There was a time when cross-border matches in Europe were a rarity. Players from the Four Home Unions, France and Italy only got together during Championship time - at the Five or 6 Nations and World Cups. On the club front, being champions in your own back yard was the most important thing of all.

"Then the Heineken Cup came along - and changed the face of the game in Europe for ever. Since 1995, when a 12-team, five nation competition was put together, the professional game across Europe has been transformed by ERC's tournaments, the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup.

"It hardly seems 15 years since Emile Ntamack took his Toulouse side to Romania to face Farul Constanta and kick-off an exciting new concept. From those embryonic days has emerged a strata of competition that has elevated the standard of rugby in Europe at both local and international level.

"Only France had reached a World Cup final prior to the game going 'open' in 1995. Since then, and the advent of a fully professional, cross-border tournament in Europe, the French were runners-up at the 1999 World Cup, England won in 2003 and were runners-up in 2007.

"The Heineken Cup is regularly described as 'the greatest club rugby tournament in the world' and has fitted perfectly into the northern hemisphere fixture schedule just below the international tier.

"Both tournaments have provided some truly memorable moments down the years and the ERC15 Awards are about celebrating them, as well as the players who have lit up the competitions with their passion, skill and determination. ERC has demonstrated its commitment to this innovative scheme by assembling a vastly experienced panel of experts to run the rule over the past 15 seasons.

"We all have our best moments locked away in our memories, our favourite players and greatest matches. As for me, I just look forward with great relish to the next round of games.

"There are more great feats and great matches to come . . . as well as some heated debate over who should be included in the ERC European Dream Team, and who should win the ERC European Player, ERC European Coach and ERC European Fair Play awards.

The ERC15 Award Categories

ERC European Player Award - the best player from the past 15 years of European club rugby as decided by ERC's selection panel.

Leading Candidates as Chosen by ERC Panel
Lawrence Dallaglio, Rocky Elsom, Yannick Jauzion, Martin Johnson, Paul O'Connell, Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Fabien Pelous, David Wallace

ERC European Coach Award - the leading coach from the past 15 years of European club rugby as decided by ERC's selection panel.
Leading Candidates as Chosen by ERC Panel
Warren Gatland, Declan Kidney, Guy Noves, Ian McGeechan, Dean Richards

ERC European Fair Play Award - the player considered by the panel to have best upheld the values of the game over the past 15 years.
Leading Candidates as Chosen by ERC Panel
Fabien Galthie, Jeremy Guscott, John Hayes, Alessandro Troncon, Martyn Williams

ERC European Dream Team - a selection of the greatest players to have graced the European club game over the past 15 years.
Leading Candidates for Dream Team as Chosen by ERC Panel

Full Backs - Josh Lewsey, Geordan Murphy, Clement Poitrenaud, Tim Stimpson, Mark van Gisbergen

Wings - Vincent Clerc, Cedric Heymans, Dafydd James, Josh Lewsey, Emile Ntamack

Centres - Pat Howard, Yannick Jauzion, Christophe Lamaison, Brian O'Driscoll, Fraser Waters

Outside Halves - Diego Dominguez, Austin Healey, David Humphreys, Stephen Jones, Ronan O'Gara

Scrum Halves - Philippe Carbonneau, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Austin Healey, Rob Howley, Peter Stringer

Props - Christian Califano, Pieter de Villers, Peter Clohessy, Darren Garforth, John Hayes, Sylvain Marconnet, Jean-Baptiste Poux, Rodrigo Roncero, Graham Rowntree, Julian White

Hookers - Jerry Flannery, Raphael Ibanez, Mario Ledesma, William Servat, Keith Wood

Second Rows - Ben Kay, Martin Johnson, Paul O'Connell, Fabien Pelous, Simon Shaw

Wing Forwards - Neil Back, Jean Bouilhou, Martin Corry, Rocky Elsom, Greg Kacala, Oliiver Magne, Alan Quinlan, David Wallace, Martyn Williams, Joe Worsley

No 8s - Lawrence Dallaglio, Anthony Foley, Jamie Heaslip, Christian Labit, Scott Quinnell

Who's Who on the ERC15 Panel

Sir IAN McGEECHAN, OBE: Seven British & Irish Lions tours - 1974 and 1977 as a player - 1989, 1993, 1997, 2005 and 2009 as a coach - and won 32 caps for Scotland. A former Scotland coach, he was also Northampton Saints' coach from 1993 to 1999 and the Heineken Cup final winning coach with London Wasps in 2007.

LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO, OBE: Former England captain and 2003 World Cup final winner he made 85 appearances for England and made three British & Irish Lions tours in 1997, 2001 and 2005. He captained London Wasps to Heineken Cup final glory in 2004 and 2007 and the Amlin Challenge Cup title in 2003 and is an Amlin Rugby Ambassador.

IEUAN EVANS, MBE: Former Wales captain, who he led a record 28 times, and scored 33 tries in 72 appearances for his country. Toured three times with the British & Irish Lions in 1989, 1993 and 1997, and was a Heineken Cup final winner with Bath in 1998.

FABIEN GALTHIE: Former France captain who won 64 caps and played in four World Cup final tournaments. He was named IRB Player of the Year for 2002 and played for Colomiers in the 1999 Heineken Cup final 21-6 defeat by Ulster Rugby.

DONAL LENIHAN: Former Ireland captain who won 52 caps and led his country 17 times. He made three British & Irish Lions tours as a player, in 1983, 1986 and 1989, and was manager of the 2001 tourists. Was also Ireland team manager and is prominent as a respected commentator.

MICHAEL LYNAGH: Former Australian captain and 1991 World Cup final winner he made 72 appearances for the Wallabies, including the 1984 Grand Slam tour. His final tally of 911 Test points was a then world record. He played in both ERC tournaments, for Benetton Treviso and Saracens, now a key figure in Sky Sports'coverage of European club rugby.

STUART BARNES: Won 10 caps for England and toured with the 1993 British & Irish Lions. Played for Newport, Bristol and Bath before switching to the commentary box and now half the main Sky Sports "team" beside Miles Harrison while also a columnist for The Sunday Times.

STEPHEN JONES: Has been rugby correspondent of The Sunday Times for more than 20 years and twice named Sports Correspondent of the Year by the Sports Journalists' Association. He won William Hill's Sports Book of the Year for Endless Winter and has covered all 15 Heineken Cup tournaments.

JACQUES VERDIER: He is both the editor and a director of the bi-weekly Midi Olympique, and has written several books about rugby as well as two novels. He is a consultant for RMC radio and also broadcasts for Eurosport France.