Ireland Quartet Make BKT Rising Star Award Shortlist

Ireland’s Robert Baloucoune, Nick Timoney, Cormac Izuchukwu, and Cian Prendergast are in the running to win the BKT Rising Player award, which is designed to recognise the brightest emerging talents in the Guinness Men’s and Women’s Six Nations.

All four players made their Six Nations debuts during the opening rounds of the 2026 Championship, and after four rounds of high-octane action, they have been included on the final shortlist of 12 players for the award.

The BKT Rising Star award winner, determined by an expert panel of official broadcast partners, will be revealed on ‘Super Saturday’, with the announcement and trophy presentation shown across global broadcast channels.

Connacht captain Prendergast joined Josh van der Flier and captain Caelan Doris in Ireland’s back row for the round 1 clash with France, while Timoney was a try-scoring replacement in Paris.

Timoney’s Ulster team-mates, Baloucoune and Izuchukwu, both got their first taste of Six Nations rugby at home to Italy the following week. The Enniskillen-born winger made an immediate impression as a try-scoring player-of-the-match.

Baloucoune double his account in the record away win over England, a game which saw Timoney and Prendergast feature off the bench. Baloucoune and Timoney were both involved against Wales last Friday, with the latter occupying the blindside flanker berth on his first Six Nations start.

Along with his two tries, Baloucoune is joint-fourth for line breaks across the 2026 tournament, with seven, and has made 12 tackle breaks, the most of any Irish player.