Six Nations Team of the Tournament 2019

A grand slam win for Wales. A Championship win built on substance over style. Wales' victory was founded on Shaun Edwards' stubborn defense, but when they needed to they turned it on to score the tries, more often than not through the use of clever kicks. Maybe this Wales team would do well in rugby league?

On another day this would have been England's championship, but Wales outperformed them in Cardiff, and they switched off in the second half at Twickenham against the resurgent Scottish team. In the end Wales were deserved winners, their control of the game, resolute defence and ability to put themselves in good positions and capitalise, saw them through as comfortable champions.

Here is my team of the tournament:-

1 - Allan Dell (Scotland) - Dell had an impressive tournament amongst a changing lineup, he got through a stack of work, in terms of carries but particularly tackles, making the 5th most tackles of anyone in the tournament.

Notable mention: Rob Evans, he's been a perennial performer for Wales, solid in the scrum and effective in the loose.

2 - Jamie George (England) - England were seemingly stronger without their captain, such was George's tournament, Dylan Hartley wasn't even thought of. George carried well, made the 3rd most tackles, and was dependable in his lineout throwing.

Notable mention: Stuart McInally - Ghiraldini, Guirado, Best and Owens are all top level hookers. McInally stood out with some great carries in the loose. 

3 - Demba Bamba (France) - Amidst an inconsistent and disappointing tournament, Bamba was one of the young guns who stood out, with some impressive carries and offloads.

Notable mention: Kyle Sinckler, he had a strong tournament, with the only blemish being when he was riled by the Welsh game plan to get under his skin.

4 - George Kruis (England) - He was impressive particularly in calling the lineouts, working well in tandem with club mate Jamie George.

Notable mention: Grant Gilchrist - He played nearly every minute for Scotland, carrying well, securing ball in the lineout and making numerous tackles.

Wyn Jones is the only member of the 2008 Grand Slam winning Welsh squad to win the Grand Slam in 2019

5- Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) - Wales were epitomised by Wyn-Jones' industry, endeavour and street smarts. He lead from the front, and his leadership, lead Wales to a grand slam.

Notable mention: James Ryan - He was very unfortunate not to make the team. No one had more gain line success, Ryan is the leads by example for Ireland. 

6 - Josh Navidi (Wales) - He has gone from strength to strength and his speed at getting to the breakdown causes the opposition problems in securing quick ball. He made the second most tackles of anyone in the tournament.

Notable mention: Peter O'Mahoney (Ireland) - In a poor tournament for Ireland O'Mahoney and Ryan were the only ones who maintained a high level. O'Mahoney was dominant in the lineout and won the second most turnovers in the tournament.

7 - Tom Curry (England) - Despite a yellow card in the game against Ireland, Curry made himself a valuable member of the England team. He filled a back row position England had been lacking and lead the tournament in tackles made.

8 - Billy Vunipola (England) - A tough call for the No.8 position as Vunipola seemed to tire as the tournament went on. Moriarty was ok for Wales but Vunipola had more gain line success. 

Notable mention - Braam Steyn - If this was Parisse's last tournament then Steyn has shown he can be the man to step into Parisse's large boots. No-one had more gain line success than Steyn and he had the most lineout steals also.

9 - Ben Youngs (England) - There was no stand out scrum half in the Championship, but Youngs played accurate rugby, showing he has not lost his speed and has improved the accuracy of his kicking, greatly helped by the quality and speed of his chasers.

Notable mention - Tito Tebaldi showed some impressive glimmers in a tournament that should have ended with a win for Italy.

10 - Gareth Anscombe / Dan Biggar (Wales) - Anscombe spent the most time for Wales at fly half an played well, but it's hard to separate him from Biggar, who excelled when he came on. Between them they helped Wales to the grand slam, Biggar playing a key role in helping Wales to see out games.

Notable mention - Ntamack - The young fly half showed great promise with some beautiful plays. Both Sexton and Farrell were below their best, Russell was impressive in patches, particularly in the 2nd half of the England game. Tommaso Allan took a step forward, demonstrating more control.

11 - Josh Adams (Wales) - The Worcester winger was clinical in his three tries, including a fantastic finish against Scotland and a crucial catch and score against England.

Notable mention - Damian Penaud was impressive for France, although his defence was lacking against Jonny May, he showed not just speed and power but the nous to see players outside him.

12 - Hadleigh Parkes (Wales) - An impressive tournament for Parkes, epitomised by his performance in the win over Ireland, with a try and a try saving tackle on Stockdale.

Notable mention - Manu Tuilagi - It had been a long time since Manu last played in the Six nations and if you had forgotten what he brought to the table, Tuilagi provided plenty of reminders throughout the Championship, but Parkes kept him quiet in Cardiff.

13 -  Henry Slade (England) - Slade added guile to England's grunt. Eddie Jones likes a ball carrying option at 12 with either Tuilagi or Te'o, Slade is able to utilise the space to create tries.

Notable mention - Jonathan Davies - He marshaled Wales' line well alongside Parkes but didn't or wasn't able to show his usual flair in attack.

14 - Jonny May (England) - The top try scorer, May used his pace to devastating effect, he's become a clinical finisher and has made a habit of scoring early.

Notable mention - Jacob Stockdale - After a standout tournament last year, Stockdale maintained his standards, but suffered from the lack of support around him.

15 - Liam Williams (Wales) / Elliott Daly (England) - It was really hard to split the two, Daly provided England with sparkle in attack, running excellent support lines and hitting the line at angles that created problems for the defence. Williams was superb particularly under the high ball.

Six Nations team of the tournament 2018

Ireland have achieved the highest accolade in Northern Hemisphere rugby, they stared all their opposition down and were unassailable champions, winning not only the Six Nations but also the Grand Slam. 

Here is my team of the tournament:-

15 - Matteo Minozzi (Italy) - Italy played exciting rugby, although ultimately ended every game in defeat, they were very close to beating the Scots in Rome on the final weekend. Minozzi typified the Italian flair, scoring 4 tries and making the most metres of any Italian. Notable mention - Rob Kearney, a solid performer, back to his best.

14 - Keith Earls (Ireland) - In a game increasingly played by muscular beasts, Earls somehow manages to hold his own, his solid defence and graft are often unsung and unseen but he was a solid performer for Ireland. 
Notable mention - George North, didn't play enough games, but when he did was threatening.

13 - Huw Jones (Scotland) - Had Garry Ringrose played more he could well have made the team, as he was fantastic in his two performances. Huw Jones picked up from his last six nations, demonstrating his searing pace and ability to play on the shoulder. Jones had a stand out performance against England, and made the most breaks of any Scotsman.
Notable mention - Garry Ringrose, came back in looking like he had never been away.

12 - Hadleigh Parkes (Wales) - The Six Nations certainly didn't go as planned for Wales, and their team was never settled. However, there were bright sparks, and Parkes was the brightest of them all, making the most carries of any Welshman and beating 15 defenders.
Notable mention - Owen Farrell, anything England did well came through him.

11 - Jacob Stockdale (Ireland) - Stockdale was the outstanding winger of the tournament. His 7 tries scored in the tournament is a new record, and demonstrated his talents with a mixture of power, speed, finishing and intuition. Several other 11s in the tournament did well, Grosso and Thomas for France, May for England and Evans for Wales, but Stockdale was a cut above.

10 - Jonny Sexton (Ireland) - The Grand Slam for Ireland was almost halted at the first hurdle. His place kicking was poor for much of the tournament (7 missed kicks), but when it matters Sexton delivers, his drop goal leading Ireland to a crucial win against France. His creativity and understanding with Murray were the key cog in Ireland's success. 
Notable mention - Tommaso Allan, almost lead Italy to victory v Scotland.

9 - Connor Murray (Ireland) - Mr Consistent, his box kicks consistently land in areas which challenge the defence. His passes are on point, he is the base around which the backs can play, and his partnership with Sexton helps Ireland thrive.
Notable mention - Gareth Davies, a lethal live wire especially close to the line.

8 - CJ Stander (Ireland) - The man is a workhorse, powering through carry after carry, that provides Ireland with go forward ball, and momentum, weakening the opposition defense. His 96 carries was by far and away the most in the tournament.
Notable mention - Sergio Parisse, not his best tournament but for a man who made his Six Nations debut 14 years ago, his consistency is outstanding.

7 - Yacouba Camara (France) - A new star in the back row for France, Camara was efficient and effective for France, carrying hard and maintaining a consistent standard, something the French are often maligned for not doing.
Notable mention - Josh Navidi, his impressive work rate helped reduce the impact of Sam Warburton's absence.

6 -  John Barclay (Scotland) - As captain Barclay lead from the front, especially against England where his turnovers stripped England of precious possession and momentum. Scotland's pack was meant to be their weakness coming into the tournament, instead it was their loose attack, scuppering their chances by throwing game changing interceptions.
Notable mention - Aaron Shingler, incredibly effective in winning and stealing lineout ball, made himself a key platform for Wales to build off of. Negri of Italy was also impressive.

5 - Johnny Gray (Scotland) - He made 100 tackles in the tournament, averaging 20 a match, which underlines his huge workload. To maintain those standards match after match is very difficult at test level, but Gray has proved himself as a key leader in the Scottish pack.
Notable mention - Alun Wyn-Jones, always effective for Wales, dependable in every area of his game.

4 - James Ryan (Ireland) - The second row has never really been a worry for Ireland, from the beasts of O'Connell and O'Callaghan to most recent incumbents Toner and Henderson, it is not a place where they have been wanting. Which is why Ryan's performance has been so impressive making the place his own.
Notable mention - Iain Henderson, acting like an extra back rower, Henderson gives Ireland extra dynamism.

3 - Tadhg Furlong (Ireland) - One of the most effective scrummagers in the world, but also showed his potency in the loose, with effective carries and offloads.
Notable mention - Rabah Slimani

2 - Guillem Guirado (France) - A hardworker, making the most amount of tackles of any French player and leading by example.
Notable mention - Rory Best, consistent performer and captain of the Grand Slam winners

1 - Cian Healy (Ireland) - He had his work cut out just keeping Jack McGrath out of the side. Healy was effective in the scrum, and made some big carries, particularly against Wales and France.

Lions and Six Nations team of 2017

The six nations is over, that's right, it's not injury time anymore, it has definitely finished.
Here is my team of the tournament and Lions picks.

1 - Loosehead Prop: Rob Evans (Wales)
Zander Fagerson showed great promise for the future for Scotland, who missed WP Nel who was one of the players of the tournament last year. Joe Marler was good for England, especially considering his broken leg just a month before the tournament. However, Rob Evans was brilliant in the loose, making key yards, but also showcasing some great passing.

2 - Hooker: Ken Owens (Wales)
Owens has a peerless throw, only once being picked in the tournament. He also demonstrated good work in the loose. Rory Best and Dylan Hartley are likely to accompany him on the plane to New Zealand.

3 - Tighthead Prop: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
Furlong has been dominant in the scrum. There have been better plays in the loose, but none have been better in the scrum. 

4 - Second row: Joe Launchbury (England)
England's lock positions are stocked with talent, which means it requires a good performance each game, to maintain your place. Launchbury has been colossal in his performances, making 85 tackles, more than anyone else in the championship and providing key go forward ball.

5 - Second row: Alun Wyn-Jones (Wales)
Wales' new captain hasn't been able to match his predecessors in terms of on field success, but he has lead by example and maintained his own high standards. He is likely to be picked to start for the Lions being a firm favourite of Warren Gatland's, and a leader on the field.

6 - Blindside flanker: CJ Stander (Ireland)
The back row positions especially 7. is one of the most hotly contested for Lions and in the Six nations team of 2017. Which is why, I have picked Stander at 6. However, Stander offers a key threat in the loose he's had 104 carries and beaten 14 defenders, although not as threatening as the likes of Warburton or Watson at the breakdown, his presence with ball in hand often puts his team on the front foot.

7 - Openside flanker: Justin Tipuric (Wales)
Gourdon has been a fantastic find for the French with his great work rate, Hamish Watson was key for the Scottish at the breakdown, but Justin Tipuric has a phenomenal work rate and made the second most amount of tackles (84) and his great dynamism is key in the flanker position.

8 - Number Eight: Louis Picamoles (France) / Lions - Billy Vunipola (England)
If only Picamoles could be a Lion, he is imperious in his strong running and carrying. He provided France with a key platform to attack again and again. No team was able to fully cope with his power and strength. Billy Vunipola would be my Lions starter, but he had very little time in the tournament to make an impact.

9 - Scrumhalf: Rhys Webb (Wales) / Lions - Connor Murray
A tough call, as it could easily have been Connor Murray, who had a good tournament, but missed half of the Wales game and all of the England game, Murray would be my Lions starter. Webb brings a bit more zip than Murray, and was key in providing Welsh momentum. Baptiste Serin looks like Lionel Messi, as well as looking like a great prospect for the future.
10- Fly-half: Jonny Sexton (Ireland)
Against Scotland, Ireland missed Jonny Sexton, Paddy Jackson played well, but Sexton brings a different level. As Brian O'Driscoll can attest to, the Lions will be targeted by New Zealand players, Sexton, who was peppered with cheap shots and late hits by England, is able to roll with the punches and keep his composure. George Ford was obviously also key to England, but Sexton's defence especially is the level above.

11 - Elliott Daly (England)
The try Elliot Daly scored against Wales will be remembered by England fans for a while. He made the most clean breaks of any England player, but Daly provides more than just speed. He has good all round footballing ability. He has the ability to kick penalties, as well as the nous, for example getting a touch on the ball before it went into touch on the full from an England kick to ensure key territory wasn't lost. For me he would be a certainty in the Lions squad as his versatility, he can play wing, centre or full back, mean he is ideal to cover the first XI.

12 - Inside centre: Owen Farrell (England)
Farrell is always competitive, he has an aggressive streak, which drives his game, and he thrives on competition. He was good with the boot, but outstanding alongside George Ford, in providing England with an attacking platform, which Daly and Joseph were able to thrive off of. Alex Dunbar deserves a notable mention as he was key in winning turnovers for Scotland.

13 - Outside centre: Gael Fickou (France) / Huw Jones (Scotland)
Outside centre was a tricky position to pick, Jonathan Joseph scored a hat-trick against Scotland but was anonymous in the other games, Garry Ringrose showed greater potential and promise, but Gael Fickou showed electric pace and skill, and Huw Jones provided Scotland with a potency in attack, breaking the gain line and scoring key tries, he would have been an outsider for the Lions, but injury may well dampen any selection hopes.

14 - Wing: George North (Wales)
North combines strength with speed and agility. He has struggled in recent tournaments with concussions, but this year North was close to his best, especially against Ireland and Italy.

15 - Full-back: Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Scotland have become an attacking force, something which a few years ago appeared unlikely. A key part of that has been Stuart Hogg, he is an exciting player with ball in hand, but also has a good boot on him and, as he displayed against Italy, has the requisite defence for a full-back. He was the stand out full back in the tournament.

My Lions Squad:
Props: Marler, Evans, Furlong, McGrath, Healy
Hookers: Hartley, Owens, Best
Second Rows: Launchbury, Wyn-Jones, J. Gray, Itoje
Back Rows: Vunipola, Stander, O'Mahoney, Heaslip, Watson, Warburton, Tipuric
Scrum halves: Murray, Webb, Youngs
Fly halves: Sexton, Ford
Inside centre: Farrell, Henshaw, S. Williams 
Outside centre: H. Jones, Payne, Joseph
Wings: North, Daly, L. Williams, Nowell/Seymour
Full back: Hogg, Halfpenny, Brown