Chiefs and All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick's stellar year in the engine room is in line for world recognition after making the shortlist for the prestigious IRB World Rugby Player of the Year Award.

The International Rugby Board announced its five finalists yesterday, with two Kiwis and two South Africans in the nominations as well as an Irish first five.

Chiefs and All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick attempts to fend of English wing Marland Yarde this year. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Retallick is joined by teammate Julian Savea, Springboks No. 8 Duane Vermuelen and fullback Willie Le Roux, with Ireland's Jonathan Sexton rounding out the list.

For Retallick, the nomination marks a sharp rise in his stock since he burst onto the international scene against the Irish in June 2012, becoming an integral cog in the All Blacks machine with 33 caps since.

During this time, the Bay of Plenty Steamer has been a consistently high performer for both province and country - highlighted by his ability to get through a power of work for the full 80.

By 2014 the world-class locking combination of Retallick with Canterbury's Sam Whitelock meant he had now been recognised as an automatic selection for the All Blacks.

Moving from Hawke's Bay after the 2011 ITM Cup season, the 23-year-old's appearances in the Bay's blue and gold might be sparse, but for the Chiefs he has amassed 51 caps since being plucked from the 2011 World Cup winning Under-20 side by coach Dave Rennie.

The IRB World Rugby Player of the Year 2014 nominees were selected by an independent IRB Awards panel, chaired by Australia's 1999 Rugby World Cup-winning captain John Eales.

The panel, comprising Will Greenwood, Gavin Hastings, Raphael Ibanez, Francois Pienaar, Agustín Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Tana Umaga and Paul Wallace, has deliberated on every major test played in 2014, starting with the RBS Six Nations and culminating with the November internationals.

'As always the panellists' independent deliberations have produced a worthy list of contenders among a strong field,” says Eales.

'It has been a year where we have seen a levelling in competition with an unpredictability in so many games now.

'With a spread of a couple of outside backs, a fly-half, a back-rower and a lock in contention it is not going to be an easy selection to determine the Player of the Year.”

Previous winners include Kieran Read, Dan Carter, Thierry Dusautoir, Shane Williams, Bryan Habana, Schalk Burger, Jonny Wilkinson and Richie McCaw, with the two All Black centurions the only players to have won the award on more than one occasion.

The winner of the award, which dates back to 2001, will be revealed at their nation's final match of 2014.