Six Nations Team of the Tournament

15 Elliot Daly (England): It might be an unpopular first selection with Wales’ Liam Williams nominated for the Six Nations Player of the Championship award but we felt Daly maintained a higher level of performance throughout the tournament. Daly’s attacking prowess was a regular feature, whereas Williams was quiet against France and Ireland, and came off injured against Scotland, despite having a solid game.

14 Jonny May (England): Shunted to the right wing as we had to find a spot for the England flyer, who finished top of the try-scoring charts on six. His all-round game has improved greatly over the past two years and he’s not let his level of performance drop, with a genuine hunger to impose himself on matches clear to see. A mention goes to France’s Damian Penaud, who did well out of his usual position.

13 Henry Slade (England): The Exeter Chiefs stalwart cemented his place in England’s first-choice starting XV with several superb performances, especially on attack, but also stood up well on defence. Made his mark with a brace of tries in a memorable away win against Ireland in their opener and also shone during England’s draw with Scotland, especially during the first half when his attacking brilliance came to the fore. He edges out Jonathan Davies, who was outstanding for Wales.

12 Hadleigh Parkes (Wales): Came to the fore with several impressive performances for Wales during their Grand Slam run and gets in ahead of Sam Johnson, who also caught the eye for Scotland. Parkes might not have been spectacular but he did what was expected of him as a ball carrier and in the execution of his defensive duties. His all-action style of play resulted in him spilling blood for the cause in the Round Four win over Scotland, but he continued to soldier on and also shone in the Grand Slam-winning clash against Ireland where he scored his side’s only try.

11 Josh Adams (Wales): The Worcester Warriors flyer proved his worth out wide for the champions and scored some important tries at crucial moments. His brilliance in the air, before crossing the whitewash in the dying moments in the win over England, and the way he beat Blair Kinghorn on his way over the try-line in the triumph against Scotland, were two of the standout moments, but he also defended well throughout the tournament. A mention too for Scotland’s Darcy Graham, who came in late but was brilliant against both Wales and England, finishing with three tries to his name.

10 Dan Biggar (Wales): No fly-half had an exceptional tournament but the Welsh replacement had the most impact when on the field. England’s Owen Farrell may have had slightly better individual displays, impressing against Ireland, France and Italy, but really faltered under pressure. He struggled in the second half of games versus Wales and Scotland in comparison to Biggar, who was calm and composed throughout the competition. His arrival was significant in the opener in Paris and the Northampton Saints pivot was also outstanding in the Grand Slam decider, coming on after nine minutes following George North’s injury.

9 Gareth Davies (Wales): Another position where there was no standout. Ben Youngs (England) had his moments, particularly early on in the Six Nations, but steadily declined as the tournament went on, so we’ve gone for Davies. The Scarlets half-back made a huge difference when coming onto the field against France before starting the final three encounters, using his kicking game to great effect at home to England and Ireland, and helping them to claim vital victories.

8 Ross Moriarty (Wales): Doesn’t have the carrying power of the other contender for this position, England’s Billy Vunipola, but did make metres in traffic, meaning he was a crucial bog in the back-row. His defensive prowess also helped Warren Gatland’s men dominate the gain line while his sheer aggression epitomised the attitude of Wales, who were relentless throughout the tournament.

7 Tom Curry (England): Continues to belie his age with five excellent displays. The Player of the Championship award will surely go to the brilliant Alun Wyn Jones but the Red Rose flanker is a close second. Arguably led England’s defence with the way he flew out of the line and forced the opposition backwards, and was a constant nuisance at the breakdown, winning several turnovers. Curry also carried well, despite it not being his primary job, and looks set to be a big part of England’s side for years to come, providing he can stay injury free.

6 Josh Navidi (Wales): Consistently excellent throughout the competition, edging out England’s Mark Wilson, after playing a huge part in Wales’ defensive superiority. Some almost seemed to forget about the Cardiff Bluesback-row after he missed the November series through injury, with regional team-mate Ellis Jenkins performing superbly in his absence, but Navidi more than proved his worth by putting together five excellent performances. Should have really been one of the nominees for Player of the Championship.

5 Alun Wyn Jones (Wales): Is there any point in the Six Nations Player of the Championship poll? In all seriousness Jones has been a cut above his fellow nominees as the 33-year-old was a talisman up front for Wales in their Grand Slam success. His leadership both on and off the field is admirable as he sees off Ireland’s James Ryan and England’s George Kruis, who both gave good accounts of themselves.

4 Felix Lambey (France): Some may be surprised to see Lambey included but he was a bright light in an otherwise dark campaign for France. Coming off the bench against Wales in their opener, he didn’t look back with tireless shifts that saw him carry and tackle his heart out. France simply must stick by the 25-year-old Lyon lock who also impressed in that dismal day against Ireland, making 28 tackles.

3 Kyle Sinckler (England): Tomas Francis deserves a mention straight off the bat for his efforts in the red jersey but we go for England tighthead Sinckler, who was at his destructive best this Six Nations. There was the odd blemish due to discipline but, on the whole, he can hold his head up as his dynamism and skill set, combined with power, make him a unique number three in the world game. He should only improve.

2 Jamie George (England): Joining Sinckler is international team-mate George, who sneaks in ahead of Wales veteran Ken Owens. This was a tough call as Owens was a real warrior in their successful campaign, but George really stepped up in the absence of the injured Dylan Hartley and was a threat with ball in hand. The big question now is whether he retains his spot when Hartley returns to full fitness.

1 Rob Evans (Wales): Our final Welsh representative is Evans who only really had one difficult day at the office and that was against Sinckler. Other than that his set-piece and work-rate typified this dynamic Welsh pack as he edges Cian Healy (Ireland) to this jersey.