Ireland’s miserable rugby season summed up by European Player of the Year shortlist

This makes for grim reading.

Irish rugby suffered probably its poorest season in a decade over the last nine months. Our World Cup campaign came to a grinding halt in October, then all Irish sides in the Champions Cup failed to make the knockout stages after hugely disappointing performances. If it wasn't for Connacht, the whole season would have been a write-off. This wouldn't be ideal as Joe Schmidt and everyone at the IRFU looks forward to summer tests against New Zealand and South Africa. England claimed the Grand Slam and French sides are dominating club rugby, so we can't even be mildly surprised that there are no Irish, Welsh or Scottish based players included in the shortlist for the best players in Europe.

The EPCR release their European Player of the Year list. Who gets your vote? Anyone who should be on there? pic.twitter.com/IUaovlkFty

— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) 20 April 2016

Steffon Armitage is a bit of s surprise, while Jimmy Gopperth has also played well for Exeter Chief, but not to see any Irish players on the list makes for depressing reading. Can it really be five years since Sean O'Brien claimed the award?