Six Nations 2015: Combined Wales/Ireland XV

Ahead of the Wales vs Ireland fixture this weekend, who makes our combined XV of the two teams?

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
Rob Kearney is unlucky to miss out as he has been imperious again this tournament, but Halfpenny’s monotonously metronomic boot is worth its weight in gold to Wales. In a tournament as tight as the Six Nations, he often makes the difference.

14. George North (Wales)
It’s been a relatively quiet Six Nations for North, although he began to show signs of being back to his best in Paris. To be honest, neither of these sides have utilised their wingers to any great effect, so we’re working somewhat off reputation here – of which North’s is definitely the biggest.

13. Jonathan Davies (Wales)
Neither outside centre has set the world alight this tournament, but Davies has played key roles in both wins for Wales so far, particularly at Murrayfield. Payne still doesn’t look completely comfortable in the Irish 13 shirt, although his defence has been excellent.

12. Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)
It’s not been pretty and it’s not been subtle, but it sure as hell has been effective from Henshaw. Almost in the mould of Roberts, he is a hard running, tough tackling inside centre, although there have been glimpses of guile that set him apart – that salmon-like leap to steal the ball from Alex Goode for his try against England, for example.

11. Liam Williams (Wales)
Ireland’s gameplan is not set up for someone like Simon Zebo to thrive, and although Williams has only played two of the three games so far his contributions have been far more memorable than the Munster-man’s. This weekend will be a true acid test of his capabilities though, with Sexton sure to test him out positionally.

10. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
Both countries have tactically astute fly-halves but this Six Nations, Sexton has taken his game to another level, almost re-defining how tactical kicking can be used as an attacking weapon. It’s not terribly thrilling, but when you execute it as consistently accurately as Sexton does, it is mightily effective. He is Ireland’s new talisman.

9. Conor Murray (Ireland)
The deputy to Sexton’s general, Murray’s importance to the Ireland side often gets swept under the rug in the midst of the fly-half’s glowing reports. His box kicking is amongst the best around and he still retains the ability to keep fringe defences honest with his sniping runs.

1. Jack McGrath (Ireland)
A couple of years ago, Ireland would have rushed Cian Healy straight back into the starting line-up. It is a testament to McGrath’s ability that that hasn’t happened this year, as he has more than held his own in both tight and loose. Gethin Jenkins is unlucky to miss out, but still blows too hot and cold against the very best.

2. Rory Best (Ireland)
Best’s lineout demons have been kept at bay so far, and that has highlighted how important he is for Ireland in the loose. He is like a limpet at the breakdown, his low centre of gravity allowing him to latch onto the ball and cling on for dear life.

3. Samson Lee (Wales)
The fact that Lee is so solid at the scrum at such a young age is astonishing, given props tend to reach their best years at a more mature age than most positions. All that means is that Lee should keep getting better. Mike Ross has done admirably well this championship for a man previously so out of form, but Lee edges him out of our team.

4. Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)
We’ve cheated slightly here by moving Jones from the five to four shirt, but we had to find a way to accommodate two of the most passionate men currently playing the game. The second row might not wear the captain’s armband, but he is a rallying point for his side on the pitch, and after a quiet opening game he has ramped up his work rate.

5. Paul O’Connell (Ireland)
Like Jones, not only is O’Connell the motivational fulcrum for his side but he also continues to defy his age and put in the type of all-action performance on the pitch that many a younger man can only aspire to.

6. Peter O’Mahony (Ireland)
Another of Ireland’s nuisances-in-chief when it comes to the breakdown, you feel that O’Mahony’s influence on this championship is beginning to grow. He doesn’t get through a great deal of ball-carrying, but then his opposition this weekend, Dan Lydaite, gets through even less. It’s a battle of two players that love the ‘unseen work’.

7. Sam Warburton (Wales)
Probably the closest call on the park, and Warburton sneaks it by virtue of Sean O’Brien not really being back to his best yet. Warburton deserves credit for galvanising his side after that crushingly disappointing opening weekend, to the point where they are arguably more upbeat right now than their vanquishers that day.

8. Taulupe Faletau (Wales)
Another close one to finish with, the returning Jamie Heaslip’s lack of game time this championship working against him. Faletau has provided a couple of moments of real quality in an otherwise fairly quiet championship, most notably his sublime offload for Rhys Webb’s try against England.

Final count: Wales 8, Ireland 7

N.B. this is a composite team of the two starting line-ups, all injured/non-selected players weren’t considered.

By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images