Hooper, who is his country's most-capped captain, is nominated for the award again alongside England's Maro Itoje in the Men’s 15s Player of the Year category.

The first Frenchman to be nominated since 2012, scrum-half Antoine Dupont, and Samu Kerevi of Australia, who has been pivotal in the Wallabies midfield, have also been nominated.

In the women's equivalent, English pair Poppy Cleall and Zoe Aldcroft are nominated alongside France's Caroline Boujard, who scored the joint-fastest hat-trick in Women's Six Nations history against Wales.

Boujard's compatriot Laure Sansus is also on the shortlist for the third year in a row.

Fijian pair Napolioni Baloca and Jiuta Wainiqolo are on the Men's Sevens Player of Year shortlist after winning gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

They are joined by New Zealand co-captain Scott Curry and Marcos Moneta of Argentina.

Sarah Hirini was rewarded for her efforts in helping New Zealand take gold at the Olympics and is now on the shortlist for the Women’s Sevens Player of the Year, while Fiji's Alowesi Nakoci and Reapi Ulunisau have been recognised for helping the island nation win its first women's rugby medal at the Games when they claimed bronze.

Anne-Cécile Ciofani of France was pivotal in getting her nation the Olympic silver and completes the nominations.

Will Jordan is the second-fastest All Black to get to 15 Test tries and heads up the Breakthrough Player of the Year nominees, alongside Wales' Louis Rees-Zammit, who became the youngest member of the British and Irish Lions in 50 years.

Andrew Kellaway of Australia and England's Marcus Smith are also included.

New Zealand women's sevens backroom staff Allan Bunting and Cory Sweeney are in the running for Coach of the Year following their Olympic victory and are joined by England women's Simon Middleton, New Zealand men's Ian Foster and Australia men's Dave Rennie.

Lukhanyo Am of South Africa, Frenchmen Pierre-Louis Barassi and Damian Penaud and Luke Jacobson of New Zealand are all in contention for International Rugby Players Men’s Try of the Year.

France's Emilie Boulard and Romane Ménager, England's Abby Dow and Sara Barattin of Italy are on the International Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year shortlist.