RBS 6 Nations: Team of the Tournament

by Brendan Cole

This is one stab at a team of the tournament selection. Having taken some stick for picking a host of Irishmen last year, I will at least avoid the charge of bias this time. Ten Frenchmen, three Scots and one each from Ireland and Wales. For the record, I thought England were excellent against France and desperately unlucky against Ireland but from position to position they did not have too many outstanding challengers.

15: Clement Poitrenaud: Rarely pressurised properly but was assured and classy behind a dominant team.

14: Tommy Bowe: Some classic finishing and his carrying up the middle was another highlight for Ireland.

13: Mathieu Bastareaud: Those who predicted he would flop were left with egg on their face. Not a great display against England but his dominance against the Irish midfield is a rare achievement.

12: Yannick Jauzion: Not a great year for 12s but Jauzion’s size, speed and class make him the obvious standout.

11: Marc Andrieu amazed at times late in the tournament but France mixed and matched a bit too much on the wings. Welshman Shane Williams contributed some of the tournament’s best moments and this was a return to form of some quality from the little man.

10: Francois Trinh-Duc: Still doubts over whether he can cut it against the very best after another dip in standards under pressure against England. But he had some moments of sheer class and is a superior kicker out of hand and runner.

9: Morgan Parra: Head and shoulders above – albeit behind a beast of a pack – with a phenomenal passing action at the heart of his enviable skill set.

1: Thomas Domingo: Just 5’8 but an incredibly powerful and difficult customer to handle both in the scrum and around the park.

2: William Servat: Some lineout wobbles but the most effective hooker round the park and made his opposite numbers look like they were in a real ‘men against boys’ contest.

3: Euan Murray: Superior scrum operator who provided a platform for Scottish heroics in almost every game.

4: Donncha O’Callaghan had an excellent year while Simon Shaw also looked in top form and could have been influential but for injury but Lionel Nallet’s power and enforcer quality helped France to decimate the Irish tight five.

5: Pascal Pape: A fourth member of the French tight five but they proved the most durable and dominant unit of the Championship.

6: Thierry Dusautoir is not as flash as one or two others but he led the resistance late in the game against England and made sure France took the Slam. A superb defender.

7: John Barclay: The Killer B trio could all have been nominated here as they spent zero time moaning about the laws and got on with playing passionate and exhilirating rugby in every game. A privilege to watch them.

 8: John Beattie: Harinorduquy delivered the class moments and a hell of a lot more besides but Beattie epitomised Scotland’s desire and kept coming back for more. Tremendous effort in a unit and a team that played Six Nations rugby the way it is meant to be played.