15. Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
A bit of a no-brainer this one. Hogg has always been a superb counter-attacker – as we saw with his breathtaking solo score against Ireland – but he has added a maturity to his game that was seen in some excellent game management and decision making against France, after Finn Russell went off injured.
14. George North (Wales)
One of the joys of this tournament has been North rediscovering his best form. The giant Welsh winger has grown into the tournament, and by the end of it was running riot over an admittedly slipshod Italian defence.
13. Duncan Taylor (Scotland)
Taylor would probably win the title for most improved player in the past year or so. He’s been knocking about for a few seasons, doing a decent enough job at Saracens, but this tournament he has stepped things up a notch with some incisive running, strong defence and a couple of glorious solo tries.
12. Owen Farrell (England)
Jamie Roberts came very close for some superhuman defensive efforts in the first few rounds, but Farrell’s steely-eyed contribution to England’s Grand Slam effort cannot be overlooked. The fly-half-come-centre hasn’t always been perfect, but he has brought a play-making streak to the number 12 jersey that many feared he didn’t have.
11. Anthony Watson (England)
The greatest compliment you can pay to Anthony Watson is that it feels like there is a lot more to come from him. He has supplied a steady stream of top notch finishes to England this tournament – not to mention some brilliantly athletic fielding of high balls – but with his quick feet and lightening pace, there is undoubtedly more to come.
10. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
To be honest, no fly-half has really stamped his authority over this tournament with any real success. Sexton, in the final few rounds, has managed to get his back-line firing (finally) while his game management is pretty much unparalleled in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment.
9. Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
To be honest, is has not been a vintage tournament for half-backs. Maxime Machenaud injected some life into the French side – and kicked for goal well – but Laidlaw’s two sensational performances against Italy and France are just about enough to get him into the team here ahead of the Frenchman.
1. Rob Evans (Wales)
Evans’ work at scrum-time has been second to none this tournament, and after years of worrying about whether Gethin Jenkins could hold up this side of the scrum, Welsh fans no longer have such concerns. The challenge for Evans, now, is to learn from Jenkins’ undoubted prowess in the loose, and most notably the breakdown.
2. Guilhem Guirado (France)
France’s hooker has almost elevated himself to the Sergio Parisse plane, in that this Six Nations he has been a captain that has consistently outperformed everyone else in his team. Although there have been several wobbles at the lineout, his aggression and work rate in defence have been most notable because both have largely been lacking from the rest of his team.
3. WP Nel (Scotland)
No debate here – the squat, powerful prop has been a revelation in the scrum (particularly in his brutal demolition of Jefferson Poirot) and is a surprisingly effective and willing ball carrier. The days of Scotland fearing the set piece are over.
4. Maro Itoje (England)
It would seem that the hype has been justified, then. There was so much expected of young Itoje coming into the tournament, and after a promising first start against Ireland, he exploded into life against Wales and France. His sheer athleticism makes him at times unplayable in the lineout, and a nuisance at least at every breakdown at which he competes.
5. George Kruis (England)
Quite how Kruis missed out on the official shortlist for player of the tournament is completely incomprehensible. The Saracens second row has come on leaps and bounds under the tutelage of Steve Borthwick, and has paired his powerful work in the loose with a real canniness at the set piece.
6. CJ Stander (Ireland)
Most fans in Ireland have been waiting for the day that Stander qualified for Ireland, and now we can see why. His willingness to carry the ball meant that Ireland could just about cope with the loss of Sean O’Brien, and he has been a shining light in a mostly disappointing tournament for Ireland.
7. James Haskell (England)
No-one could argue that Haskell is the most complete openside flanker in the tournament, but he has been relentlessly effective in the role that Eddie Jones has him in. He has torn about the pitch with huge speed to put in some excellent hits behind the gainline, that have more often than not sapped the opposition of momentum. He may not be the long term answer for England in the seven shirt, but this tournament he has fulfilled his role perfectly. A mention for Scotland’s John Hardie, too.
8. Billy Vunipola (England)
We started on a no-brainer, and we finish on one too. The freedom with which big Billy has been playing has been a joy for all (except his opposition) to see. Jones has told him to just go out and play his natural game, and that has involved marmalising defenders. Some of the power he can generate from a standing start is quite astonishing to watch. The next challenge is to develop his offloading game.
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
61 replies on “Six Nations 2016: XV of the Tournament”
Laidlaw pfft, why not pick a random guy off the street while your at it. Murray is way better, Care is way better. And that’s just the absolute no brainer’s. Evans ahead of McGrath is also a joke. Like everything Welsh in rugby he is considered a lot better than he actually is because of him being Welsh (Same reason everyone thinks bigger should be in the Lions squad when in reality he wouldn’t even start for Italy if everyone was fit.)
” Like everything Welsh in rugby he is considered a lot better than he actually is because of him being Welsh ”
Ah, prejudiced views trying to pretend to be insight but failing because the poster doesn’t have the wit to hide their hatred. Classic.
The other thing that seems to be considered a lot better in Welsh rugby is the amount of recent Grand Slams and World Cup Semi Finals we’ve got with these supposedly inferior players while Ireland have …. 1.
So now we are living in the past, hmmm…I’m just angry they didn’t win it this year as now we will be listening to all this BS of how good they apparently are until they actually get a note worthy win.
More ignorant prejudice, this time topped off with an inability to realise who brought tense into this in the first place.
” all this BS of how good they apparently are until they actually get a note worthy win.”
Feel free to show me this…. I can give you plenty of examples though where you’ve talked up the future of this thoroughly excellent 3rd place Irish side….
You have a thing against “the Welsh”, as you like to call them and generalise about them. It’s an odd one. Get over it.
Do you not think that Welsh fans most often overhype their players and the quality of their team?
I understand a reasonable amount of that is Jonathan Davies.
Maybe it’s just Davies.
Wow, I hadn’t thought of it like that – moment of clarity achieved here, thanks Ed. There definitely is something in the Welsh psyche that comes from somewhere that means we alone stand at the top of the tree in terms of hyping our players. I mean, it’s clear isn’t it;
Despite “the Welsh” being a term that applies to a disparate group of people from across a wide range of social, economic. education, ideology and ethnic backgrounds, born and raised all over the world, we’ve still got an undying bond on this one thing and it makes us stand out as the one nation that, without any individual exceptions, goes all out in hyping it’s players.
In addition we’re the only country in the 6 nations who would think that 3 grand slams, 4 titles and 1 world cup semi final over roughly a decade is anything worth being chuffed about until we’re rightfully straightened out on this piffling record by fans from those countries with far more recent success.
I can see exactly what you mean now. I’m having “the Welsh” round my place for dinner on Thursday so I’ll have a word and we’ll stop this forthwith. Thanks for pointing this out. Not sure I’ll get them to stop dressing like miners and endlessly singing Cwm Rhondda though, is that ok?
What the hell man?
You could have just disagreed.
Reply to a tired old national-prejudice-motivated cliche with a simple yes or no? Nah, I’d rather amuse myself while highlighting the idiocy of the original point. Humour is subjective of course.
Why would it be prejudice based? I was trying to get a point of view from outside my regular group.
You don’t think attributing an attribute e.g. “most often overhype their players and the quality of their team” to an entire nation of people indicates any sort of prejudicial view of that nation?
As I long windedly said, the idea that we all think the same is laughable before even getting to the idea that there is any common trait of “the welsh” which makes them more prone to overhyping than anyone else.
I tire of this constant “the welsh”, “the english”, “the etc..” rubbish, masquerading as observation, when someone just wants to have a go at the few people from that nation they’ve interacted with. In most cases I come across it usually indicates far more about the writer than those they’re trying to generalise about. Kippers are especially prone to it.
Apologies for my poor wording, I certainly don’t believe this is true of all Wales rugby fans, whatever nation they hail from.
I’m not having a go at anybody, I was trying to speak from my, granted, limited experience.
Your generalisation of ukip supporters seems awfully similar to the kind of prejudice you are calling me out on. Is yours experienced based too?
I support labour if you were wondering
The kippers was a bad attempt at a reverse switch. (though I’ve genuinely never met a kipper with balanced views, but that is a limited experience). Apologies all round then, I thought you were continuing Cathal’s original thread of calling “the welsh” guilty of a variety of things as a collective so you caught my response as part of that original load of prejudiced tripe, exacerbated by Cathal’s previous form for this.
For the record, no, I don’t think we overhype more than anyone else. Internally (press, fans, etc.) you will find a constant stream of praise/criticism for all of the players. Lately especially. One man’s saviour (Matthew Morgan) is another man’s tiny defensive liability for example.
Apologies all round then. Glad this was resolved.
Thank you for the feedback.
All praise to our Lord and Saviour, Matthew Morgan.
I hope you have a good evening.
But Laidlaw can kick better than anyone in the north except Halfpenny!
The only one I would question is Laidlaw instead of Murray, but apart from that I would agree.
Interesting to see the official RBS 6 Nations player of the tournament shortlist. Somehow both Joseph and Nowell are on it, but no Watson, Kruis or Itoje for England. Also no space for Stander, or Nel?
I would be tempted to have Vakatawa in there, but probably not until he learns where the touch line is.
Don’t see why Vakatawa keeps getting mentioned, not very good at all in my opinion a low rent Nandolo.
Interesting with all the teams I have seen there has been no real deviation to selection at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 15.
Don’t agree with Laidlaw either yes he can kick but by no way was the Scrum Half of the tournament Murray and Care were better.
Or put another way…Saracens 6 😉
I think with more 15s play Vakatawa will shine more, but the french have better wingers who could be played.
Laidlaw did have a good tournament, but you wouldn’t consider him to start for the lions.
Depends if you think this team is supposed to be a working team or simply the players who were best in that position.
I do think Murray was the best scrumhalf overall. Another start for Machenaud and I’d give it to him though.
I’d put Farrell at 10 simply because a)all the other 10s except Canna had poor games and b) because Faz played 10 a lot due to Ford being inside him. This allows you to bring Henshaw in at 12 (no not Dr 2 Step Roberts)
Also I’d go with Hardie at 7 in stead of Haskell who did better than expected but still gives away too many pens.
I understand Laidlaw but did think Murray had a good tournament let down by Sexton outside him in first 3 games.
So that’s
France 1
Ireland 2
Wales 2
Scotland 4
England 6
Probably fair enough but who’d have predicted that back in January. Should make for some interesting Lions debates.
I’d bring McGrath in over Evans definitely, and maybe Murray for Laidlaw despite the fact that he was pretty average himself. Laidlaw can be really good, but then he tries to over-manage games and ends up slowly them down to Scotland’s detriment.
Other than that I wouldn’t change a thing to be honest. Farrell I wouldn’t consider at 10 for this since he didn’t play there, but if it turned into a Lions debate then he is ahead of the rest currently.
Was going yes, yes, yes, 14 of them until a big fat No, Billy Vunipola. Sorry just don’t get it, him.
Billy is strong, hard to stop, has good body position when taking tackles, rarely loses the ball on the floor, gets over the gain line, has good hands and is getting better at offloading. What´s not to like? I certainly didn´t see anyone better in this championship, and I´m really looking forward to seeing him and Hughes battling for the England place in the summer.
I think there are a number of very good 8s in the NH. Parisse is immense if e tries (has to do) too much. Faletau is a lovely playmaking 8 with great hands. France missed Picamole hugely and I thought Ryan Wilson did very well for Scotland (not so sure about Strauss and Denton is a 6 when and if he returns). Heaslip started quietly but his class shone through by the end.
However, big Billy was just that bit more special and add to that his potential as he is still not quite the finished article. With all those choices for 2017 (adding Hughes to the mix) Keiron Reid will have a big challenge, one which he will relish, to hold onto his no.1 eight in the world title.
IOM humble opinion Hughes is 10 x better than BV and Morgan went fit 5 x better.
And let me guess disquiet, I bet you reckon Dr Jamie 2 Steps Roberts was the best 12 on show?
Did I not state yes to 14 picks?
So the one player you don’t agree with is the one most pundits and rugby fans alike are saying was the best player of the tournament?!
Carries made 72 (2nd), metres made 325 (5th), defenders beaten 24 (3rd), offloads 8 (2nd) and minutes played, all 400!! What is it you don’t get about a number 8 that can produce these stats!?
lies, dam lies and stats; I am not saying that BV is a bad player but he is very one dimensional. I am interested in the ‘most pundits’ and rugby fans comment when it is clear form this blog alone that others question the rating of BV throughout the whole six nations. It is going to be interesting to see who does win the vote as best player of the tournament tomorrow, fully aware that there are omissions who should have been on that short list; MI & GK. My money is on George North
I don’t get this disquiet. He’s a big, hard and intelligent runner. Wales did shackle him fairly well, compared to his rampages in earlier matches, but this tied up defenders for exploiting outside Billy’s channel. 1 dimensional doesn’t matter when you execute it supremely … and I don’t agree it is only 1 dimension anyway. Pickups, runs, passes, draws, he did all of those.
Fale at 8 and Billy at 6. Billy is an excellent carrier, decoy runner and passer. Fale has better skills from the pickup, scrum driving, handling a retreating scrum and working with the scrum half. Having both of them in the backrow, with their mutual skills, would be a terror. Blighty this answers my dilemma. TF offers overall more than BV at 8, and BV at 6 is a good call.
That would be great for the Lions tour, but we’re talking about the best players in the positions they played in this tournament. Based on the performances Billy V was better than any other player in his position. Maybe Faletau is a better all round 8, but he didn’t get to show his or have as much impact as Billy did. Maybe it was due to the Welsh pack not being as dominant and not giving him enough good ball?
I do not think it is that clear cut that he was the best number 8. Fale had some huge influence on matches as well, just not in the attention grabbing line breaking style that Billy had and, crucially, not in a clean sweeping team.
Billy gets XV of the tournament nod for me because it’s a close decision on player quality but England won the tournament, beating all of the other teams. When one team gets the slam it’s hard to put a creditable argument up against most of their players being the best of the tournament.
Also the bit of my post that Disquiet is quoting (where I say Fale at 8 and Billy at 6) is in fact from a Lions XV discussion.
Can you tell us who was a better number 8 than him in this tournament then?
Good team, can’t see an obviously out there pick, agree that 9/10 was a tough one to call given the lack of quality there in this tournament.
Is Hartley unlucky to miss out here? I thought he got the better of Guirado on Saturday and his darts have been awesome whereas Guirado lost 4 lineouts to Krutoje. On the Scotland-Ireland rating post, it’s got Rory Best down as number 2 number 2 (if you follow). I have to confess to having doubted EJ’s choice of Hartley as skipper as I wasn’t convinced he was first choice for England, but I am very happy to have been proved wrong. I’d put Hartley in as hooker of the tournament and in line for the Lions’ shirt. Separately, in terms of potential/class (as opposed to 6N form here) I think Joseph is in line for the 13 shirt – a Slade-Joseph combo in the midfield would be hugely exciting.
Agree Scrappy. Hartley was a revelation for his captaincy as much as his play. For me he’s the best set-piece hooker in the N Hemisphere.
I’d rank the starting hookers as follows
Hartley
Guirado
Baldwin
Best
Ford
Gega
But some of the subs are great as well – Chat for France, McInally for Scotland and George for England should all be making names for themselves soon
Unsure about Cowan-Dickie so far
McInally appears to be so much better than Ford, i don’t understand why he isn’t starting at all.
Don´t agree with you Scrappy, nor Pablito. To call someone a “revelation” just because he keeps his temper, doesn´t put in too many cheap shots and does a competent job seems to me to be gilding the lily. I thought Hartley captained reasonably well and threw decently at the lineout but he was under the cosh in the tight in the first half because Mako was under so much pressure. Marler coming on made Hartley and the whole front row look far better. Guirado has been absolutely outstanding in a very poor team for most of the season, and brings far more in the loose than Hartley ever does. His lineout throwing wasn´t bad, he was simply undone by a couple of outstanding athletes and a lineout that Borthwick has got working extremely well. I think that George only needs one good opportunity and Hartley will be yesterday´s man. Don´t understand how Ross Ford has got so many caps for Scotland, he always seems completely anonymous.
I’d also have Hartley in for the lineout. We only lost 6 of our own ball but more than made up for that in the amount we stole from others, notably from Guirado. The set piece was once again a laurel upon which we could rely with consummate ease and Hartley was integral to that. Very harsh on Guirado but if you were to expand this list to a match day 23, he’d be better suited for the 16 shirt anyway for the impact his carries/breakdown work could have. Hartley was also the GS winning captain despite being a much maligned appointment according to many fans and pundits prior to the tournamnet, whereas Guirado (whilst leading by example) never looked like rallying his troops to perform to even half his own intensity.
Other changes would be Murray, who has been the best all rounder in terms of kicking, passing and management and also scuttled over for three tries. Probably Faletau at 6 as well. Once again, harsh on Stander but I feel Faletau was more than just the second best #8 of the tournament, he was the second best back rower across the board. Whilst he wasn’t as good as Vunipola he’s played too well to be overlooked entirely and his massive work rate in defence, intelligent brand of carrying and ability in the lineout would mean he’d slot in at 6 perfectly.
Would maybe consider Farrell at 10 with Henshaw at 12. Sexton was simply sub par for 60% of the tournament.
I’d swap that Tom – Fale at 8 and Billy at 6. Billy is an excellent carrier, decoy runner and passer. Fale has better skills from the pickup, scrum driving, handling a retreating scrum and working with the scrum half. Having both of them in the backrow, with their mutual skills, would be a terror.
As for 10 … may we see a bolter here given the lack of top class 10s playing for the national sides? In Wales you’ve got Sam Davies, Madigan in Ireland, etc? I know, we could pick Priestland…..
Fair reasoning there, I’ve often admired Faletau’s ability to pick up the ball (often one handed) and still make metres from a scrum going backwards, most notably his assist for Webb against us in 2015 6N. Among the best 8s in the world and still only 25, his name comes up so often it feels like he’s been around for ages. I just did a bit of Googling (so I wouldn’t look a fool quoting his age) and some of the long term stats he’s produced since his debut are mind boggling.
Remarkably consistent, never gets injured. Legend Centurion easy. Hopefully his cousin will follow suit.
If we’re going for a bolter at 10 would Horne fit the bill?
Surprised no-one is talking about Russell at 10? He’s excellent at taking the ball to the line, his tactical kicking is good and although he doesn’t kick at the poles for Scotland, he does so well enough for Glasgow. He was a bit inconsistent this Six Nations, but all the tools for an excellent 10 are there. Would certainly put him ahead of Horne, who is more of a 12 in my eyes (despite an admittedly excellent game at 10 vs France).
I think he’d still be behind Farrell and Sexton if you were picking a team now, but I’d put him probably on a par with Biggar and ahead of Madigan/Priestland/Ford.
I think it’s the consistency that is his problem Jamie – I thought he was looking excellent going into the 6Ns but was up and down a lot to the point where it’d be a bit scary relying on him down south.
I guess though if I was picking a Lions squad then it’s currently a tricky one – Sexton obviously, then …. perhaps I’d just go for some flair backup on the assumption that Sexton could play to top form so I’d take Russel for the subs bench and Sam Davies for the midweek games.
So your discounting Farrell Brighty? I’d have him as an outside bet for skipper
Farrel will undoubtedly get picked Jez and stands a good shout of being in the first XV. I honestly, putting aside all of my prejudices right now, cannot ever see him as the skipper. There are too many better candidates – Heaslip, Warburton, AWJ, Kruis. He’s better off left to play his game, free to indulge his little ways without it reflecting on the team. I can’t imagine him having the rep or gravitas of being someone anyone would look up to.
In my fantasy Lions squad he’d never get on the plane, I’m pretty sure you know why. One of the joys of not being the actual coach is that I can let my personal preferences and dislikes be dictators of my judgement.
I would suggest of all the potential captains we’ve mentioned Kruis is the most likely seeing as, as it stands, he is the most likely to be a test starter (unless Gatland is coach which means Sam will get it regardless of his form or better openside being available.)
Russell is Scotland’s Freddie Burns or Billy Twelvetrees. All the skills to be a phenomenal player, but clicking as often as a planetary alignment.
Glasgow haven’t exactly been brilliant this season when he has played for them so I wouldn’t go for Horner myself. What about Jackson at Wasps?
I know, Cipriani!
Seen a lot mentioning Vuni/Fale cousin relationship, often by Welsh guys doing the whole “pinching our players” thing. Not massively important but they’re not really cousins, they’re valleys cousins i.e. their families were so close that they refer to each other as cousins.
Connacht have been the best pro12 team but nobody has suggested Ronaldson as flyhalf. International teams are so rarely picked on form.
Disquiet – Vunipola ? not sure why you are so down on him. He made huge yardage, consistently taking more players out than other players, kept to game plan absolute dream to play as a flanker alongside him – knowing where he was going to be etc You might say parisse had better tournemant but you must accede that he is a stand out player in a mediocre second tier side and was often found carrying the ball where he oughten to be !
Its all one dimensional, see reply to Dazza.
But if the one dimension is working, which it did on all occasions, why do something different?
Billy was not only the most destructive player in the comp he also was constructive in creating space which England were good at using.
And on the one dimension he showed his class for Fords try against Italy, done his bash up, take players out game before then fooling the defence by throwing the reverse pass to Farrell to open up the space out wide. Billy is far from 1D.
Add in the offloading, add in he was much more of a presence in the defensive line than he used to be (e.g. it was often Billy smashing Roberts back), far from a one dimensional contribution.
For me one of the first names on the team sheet.
I would have Hartley in on the back of the strength of the lineout. Completely new combinations for him (recall all the Youngs and Parling debates) and to execute so well under pressure is exceptional.
Plus once that change is made we already have a Lions XV!
So if Guiardo was out and Hartley in we would have a ready made Lions team. But I think in reality anyone would make a few changes to that team. For instance I think Farrell would be in ahead of Sexton on current form. If so Roberts or Tuilagi (when fully fit and ready to start) for the 12 shirt. Murray for Laidlaw and Bill and Toby together in the back row and there is a potential starting Lions 15. With a bench of Best, McGrath, Cole, Gray/AWJ, Robshaw/Warburton, Care, Sexton, Nowell.
For me Henshaw at 12 with Faz at 10.
Interesting call Jez. Haven’t seen too much from Henshaw too impress me that much. Probably because Ireland didn’t have a great tournament? You know what you’re going to get from Roberts or Tuilagi. Also thinking that if Slade is fit, he may well squeeze in to the 13 shirt!?!?
I personally believe that both Roberts and Tuilagi would be better suited in the 13 shirt, running at gaps between outside centres and wingers forcing openside further wide to stop them outside a second distributor at 12.
However, I would suggest that Joseph, Taylor and Davies are all ahead of them in the pecking order at the moment. I also think, if his defence came up a bit more George North could be frightening g in that role.
“Roberts and Tuilagi would be better suited in the 13 shirt, running at gaps between outside centres and wingers”
Roberts and Tuilagi running at gaps LOL
Yes Leon, good point well made. Hopefully you understand the principle even if the players (and in Roberts case, his coach) don’t though.