Who made our Six Nations Team of the Tournament?
The 2017 Six Nations is now but a memory. Lee Calvert relives the good times and honours the classiest of class acts with his Team of the Tournament.
1: Rob Evans (Wales)
The young Wales loosie had a good tournament in the tight and gave his side some much-needed go-forward in the loose. Also gets extra points for propping for 100 minutes in the final game against France before he was finally shown some mercy and taken off. Close between him and Joe Marler of England for this spot.
2: Ken Owens (Wales)
Pinpoint accurate throwing in and indefatigable in the open, the all-action Scarlets man was the personification of his nation’s determination to win. It’s a real shame his team’s management don’t have in savvy what he has in heart. Definite Lions tourer.
3: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
The man with the unpronounceable first name (it’s like the “tig” in “tiger”, by the way) and the face of a 1920s gangster massacre continued the impressive form he has shown since the beginning of the season. Just edges out England’s impressive Dan Cole.
4: Courtney Lawes (England)
The Northampton lock’s international career began very brightly and then faded behind a miasma of injuries, poor form and questionable discipline. He is now emerging from the fog to realise his classy, powerful potential.
5: Joe Launchbury (England)
It was a very good tournament for second rows so it says something for how the England boilerhouse played that both members make the team. Launchbury was his usual mobile and destructive best and just edged out the likes of Jonny Gray, Donncha Ryan, and Alun Wyn Jones who were all in with a very good shout at selection.
6: Sam Warburton (Wales)
Moving permanently from the 7 jersey and the loss of the captaincy has seen the Wales flanker reborn as a hard carrying, ball-snaffling, defensive clamp of a blindside. Like Ken Owens, a standout performer in every outing, no matter how the rest of his team played.
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7: Kevin Gourdon (France)
The Frenchman with the first name of a Coronation Street mechanic was a livewire of class, running lovely support lines off his team-mates, hitting space regularly, scoring and generally being a bloody handful.
8: Louis Picamoles (France)
Speaking of handfuls, every defence against France had to get plenty of those around the big number 8 as he ran at the opposition again and again and again. Then did it again. Ludicrous 300 metre plus carrying stats for the tournament edges him ahead of Ireland’s CJ Stander.
9: Rhys Webb (Wales)
Everything a scrum half should be: tanned, brilliant white teeth, overly coiffured hair and a complete gobshite. But also had an outstanding tournament in defence, where his work is much unheralded, and in attack where his contribution was obvious. Often found himself and the sole creator in the entire Wales backline.
10: Jonny Sexton (Ireland)
The only true class act 10 in the tournament. Took plenty of beatings, particularly in the England game, but continued to be a one-man creative tour de force when required, and a very astute game manager in the rain vs France.
11: Elliott Daly (England)
An amazing and consistent tournament from the young Wasp who, lest we forget, was playing out of position at the highest level and yet still looked a different league entirely to most others he took on. Incredible pace alloyed with outstanding rugby brain makes him a very large part of England’s present and future.
12: Owen Farrell (England)
His pinpoint 30-metre pass at full sprint to Daly for the try that sealed the victory and ultimately the championship for his side demonstrated in one moment everything that is good about him. The Saracens playmaker oozed composure, creativity and wrecking ball defensive power in the second five-eighth channel. Likely to win the official player of the tournament title.
13: Remi Lamerat (France)
Jonathan Joseph caught the eye against a poor Scotland defence, but it was the French outside centre who lived longer in the memory across the whole tournament. Was lively, tricky and full of energy and support running. Loses points for his defence, but given this was not exactly a vintage tournament for outside backs he did enough to get in here ahead of others. Garry Ringrose was close also.
14: George North (Wales)
Was utterly terrible against Scotland where his defence was so bad even the human motorised scarecrow Tim Visser made him look daft, but then showed against Ireland just how very good he can be, and was decent against France. Much is made of his size, but the true mark of what a player he is was his gorgeous, gossamer inside step at full speed between two Ireland defenders to finish Wales’ try of the tournament.
15: Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
A fullback whose play makes you love rugby again. Hits the line, takes people on, chips and chases, scores tries and causes a hush of anticipation every time he has the ball. If only he would keep his yapping mouth shut a bit more often then he would be impossible not to love.
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
1 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, 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.
8 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.
56 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.
8 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 comments