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It’s been a roller coaster of a Six Nations.
Scotland retained the Calcutta Cup, Wales became legitimate World Cup contenders and England came away with some pride intact after hammering Ireland in Dublin.
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France are in freefall and Ireland will be licking their pre-World Cup wounds, and sorry, I know it’s St Patrick’s Day weekend, but not a single Irishman has made my XV.
1 Rob Evans
The cornerstone of the Welsh pack. His brother beat me in a ‘chop off’ in Cardiff so he’s going in there.
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2 Stuart McInally
For me he’s in the top three or four hookers in the world. Can do everything – turnovers, ball carrying – we saw the charge down at the weekend; huge workrate. If there was a Lions game at the weekend it would be him and Jamie George.
3 Kyle Sinckler
A man from my own heart. For all the discipline problems we’ve seen – he’s been cast as the pantomime villain – he’s for me the standout tighthead in World Rugby right now. His carrying ability, the power that he’s got and the way he can change a game; he has to be in there.
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4 Alun Wyn-Jones
Goes without saying. He’s cemented himself as one of the greatest secondrows to have ever played the game. The leadership he has shown again for Wales and what he did for that mascot – the guy is an absolute hero.
5 George Kruis
My old Saracens teammate. He’s back to his very best form. He suffered from the Lions, getting dropped after that first game; and a fair share of injuries. He’s also had to train more at Sarries since I’m not there to do all his training for him so he’s had to work harder.
6 Josh Navidi
His workrate is phenomenal. His tackle count is ridiculous. He’s had a massive void to fill with Sam Warburton hanging up his boots but he’s done it.
7 Tom Curry
The breakthrough player of the Six Nations. Everyone was talking about Underhill but Curry has been absolutely worldclass. Turnovers, ball carries, smashing boys – he’s just hard as nails; and he’s only 20-years-old, which is just farcical.
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8 Ross Moriarty
Again, a massive fan of his; his ability to get over the gainline but also his ability in the tackle. Love his dad aswell, so he’s in.
9 Tito Tebaldi
The Italian scrumhalf has looked really good for Italy this Six Nations, across everything he’s done. I’ve been impressed with Italy in some parts of their game, although results obviously haven’t shown that. I also trained with him in Italian episode of the RugbyPass ‘Rugby Explorer’ and I gassed him, which made me feel really good about myself.
10 Dan Biggar
Bit of an outside call. I was going go for Finn Russell but for what Dan Biggar did in that game against England. His clearance kick changed the game and changed the course of Wales’ Grand Slam opportunity. When he came on he really steadied the ship. Gareth Anscombe has done well but I just think Biggar coming on has really won the Grand Slam for Wales.
11 Josh Adams
I think he’s got better and better every game he’s played. Has tryscoring ability, aerial ability and is also defensively sound. He is an all-rounder.
12 Manu Tuilagi
Manu is back to his very best. Ridiculous specimen of a human being. I grew up with Manu. I was in the house with him when he was carrying a lunch box around when he was around eight years old – cleaning my plate and bringing me beers to the table. First opportunity for a Six Nations XV and he’s in.
13 Jonathan Davies
Impressed me. Quietly got around his work. There weren’t that many to chose from. Slade and Ringrose did well but I think Foxy really stepped up to the mark in all facets of the game – both defensively and in attack, and in leadership, when he captained.
14 Darcy Graham
My favourite player of the Six Nations championship. I commentated on him a few times this year. Unbelievable rocket – he’s got the speed and evasion of Shane Williams and the power of a Jacob Stockdale or a George North. He can carry route one China. He is a phenomenon for Scottish Rugby.
15 Liam Williams
An absolutely class player. His ability under the high ball and his seeming effortlessness in high-pressure situations; he’s my 15. Hell yeah.
Comments on RugbyPass
Farcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
61 Go to comments