Delon and Steffon Armitage have been nominated for honours in this year's Professional Rugby Players' Association awards. The brothers, who play for London Irish and made their England debuts earlier this season, feature on shortlists released ahead of the 13 May awards ceremony.

Delon starred for England throughout the autumn Tests and Six Nations, although he missed out on a place in the British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa this summer. He is among five nominees for the prestigious players' player of the year, joining his club colleague Seilala Mapusua, the Northampton back Ben Foden, the Newcastle fly-half Tom May and the Sale Sharks back-row forward Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe.

Mapusua has proved a key figure in the London Irish back division this term, while Foden has shone for Northampton at full-back and scrum-half and May earned plaudits after stepping in impressively at fly-half following Jonny Wilkinson's latest serious injury. Lobbe, an Argentina international, is one of the Premiership's unsung heroes, producing consistently high-class displays in a Sale side that could still reach the title play-offs.

Steffon will contest the young player of the year award, alongside Foden, the Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care, the Leicester flanker Tom Croft – the shock Lions omission – and the Quins centre Jordan Turner-Hall.

"It's a tremendous honour to be nominated by my peers for this award, and for Steffon and I both to be nominated is a fabulous surprise and a proud moment for our family," said Delon. "This has been a remarkable season for me, which will hopefully continue beyond this weekend, and to be nominated alongside the outstanding names on this list is a privilege I am both proud and humble to receive."