by Brendan Cole
Wales won every match they played - and with an excellent front row, back row, scrum-half and outside backs they gave themselves every chance of doing so. The forward pack is not as good in contact as the French and lacks the brute carrying power of Ireland, but it is quick and highly motivated for every encounter.
Wales' back play was brutish and lacked a really top class out-half, but it was undeniably effective. With France, the traditional standard bearers for flair, playing a horrible style, they also get plenty of picks there. Overall, Wales make up over half of the team of the tournament with eight selections.
1. Gethin Jenkins: A superior athlete, his speed is a major asset to the Welsh defence. Alex Corbisiero was quiet until the final game, in which Cian Healy, who had issues with carrying and giving up penalties through the tournament, was demolished by Dan Cole. Lions pick: Jenkins looks sure be the Test starter
2. Rory Best: The hardest selection as most of the hookers were very poor. Best's two tries help him get the nod in a non-vintage year in which France under-used William Servat and Wales mixed up their selection. Lions pick: A very tricky selection, with Gatland set to be head coach, Matthew Rees could beat Best in the battle for the place, but it may be ripe for a bolter like Richardt Strauss to mount a charge.
3. Adam Jones: A mountain of a man who has now won three Grand Slams in three different teams - Wales would probably not have won any without him. Mike Ross had a solid tournament until his injury against England, no-one battled harder than France's David Attoub in the final match while Martin Castrogiovanni was Italy’s heart again. Lions pick: Adam Jones is sure to get the pick if he stays relatively trim and injury free, though Ross will travel as a very useful back-up.
4. Richie Gray: An eye-catching lock-forward who showed a combination of skill, power and stamina through Scotland’s campaign get him picked just ahead of Yoann Maestri, though the Frenchman is a formidable opponent when roused. Lions pick: Richie Gray could end up being another one of those talismans from smaller nations who struggle on the Lions tour, but his sheer size should help him earn a place. Donnacha Ryan did enough to suggest he could get involved in the battle for this jersey too.
5. Geoff Parling: The Wales locks were not a standout feature of their campaign, and while Paul O’Connell was heroic for Ireland in his three games he made more errors than usual, not least that missed tackle against Wales. Parling deserves a mention for the way he grabbed his chance and combined a huge work-rate with excellent lineout displays. Lions pick: Paul O’Connell looks capable of keeping going for a while yet and the effect of his absence for Ireland's final two games only emphasised his quality.
6. Dan Lydiate: Tom Croft’s sheer speed stood out while Stephen Ferris was consistently extraordinary for Ireland. But Wales' massive appetite, superb tackle technique and linespeed were key to their ability to make life miserable for half-backs and it was led by their number six. Lions pick: Dan Lydiate, but with Ferris at number eight.
7. Sam Warburton: Thierry Dusautoir deserves a mention but like France, he only played his trademark hard hitting rugby in snatches. Admittedly, Warburton missed three games in total but his "Man of the Match" outing against England was absurdly good and swung this Championship for Wales. Lions pick: Sam Warburton, and a cracking clash with David Pocock awaits, though the young Welshman's playing style means he is a huge risk to miss the Tests through injury.
8. Sergio Parisse: Imanol Harinordoquy made a raft of errors, David Denton performed well only in one or two games, while Toby Faletau was good but not great. Jamie Heaslip only got near his best form against Wales. Ben Morgan had a stormer against France but Parisse consistently demonstrated superior skill and athletic ability even when Italy were getting hosed. Lions pick: Stephen Ferris will have to accommodated in any Lions XV and looks more adaptable than Lydiate.
9. Mike Phillips: Consistently the most difficult scrum-half to handle and his combination of slick service, speed and physical power must be the envy of the rest of the Six Nations coaches. Lions pick: Mike Phillips was brilliant in South Africa as the likes of Mike Blair were exposed and can do the same again.
10. Jonathan Sexton: Had a very good campaign in which he was the most effective running out-half in the tournament. The bravery of his defence against France also stood out. No out-half kicked the lines well, while Rhys Priestland was rarely more than a conduit - though his long passing was impressive. Lions pick: Jonathan Sexton is capable of claiming this place but must have the mental strength to see off Owen Farrell, who looks to have that quality in abundance.
11. George North: An extraordinary athlete, his offload against Ireland to put Jonathan Davies through was the best moment of skill in the Championship. Lions pick: George North, and the scary thing is he could keep getting better.
12. Jamie Roberts: Wesley Fofana showed great pace but missed too many tackles and also passed poorly. England's Brad Barritt is the other real contender, but Roberts showed up time and again for big carries, especially against Ireland and England, to give his team crucial go-forward. Lions pick: Jamie Roberts though Barrit's greater range of skills make him a real contender and Manu Tuilagi could also force his way in here somewhere.
13. Jonathan Davies: He was not given much respect at the outset of this tournament, but earned it with a series of important interventions. His combination of power and smart game-reading is one that will serve Wales well for a long time in this position. Tuilagi also showed his quality as a carrier but also had obvious skill problems with some facets of the game. Lions pick: The mouth-watering prospect of re-uniting the excellent Roberts/Brian O’Driscoll combination could prove too hard to resist.
14. Tommy Bowe: Alex Cuthbert had the look of a classic successful Gatland project and justified the faith shown in him with the try against France in the last game, but Bowe’s try-scoring feats and his brilliance in Paris earn him the pick. Lions pick: Tommy Bowe is always at his best against the top teams and looks the man to beat.
15. Rob Kearney: Sometimes frustrates with failure to create team plays in the manner of a Kurtley Beale but his performance against France was extraordinary and he was hugely impressive in the other games as well. Clement Poitrenaud's stylish brand of rugby was also enjoyable, while Leigh Halfpenny attacked every situation with relish and hit the winner against Ireland. Lions pick: Kearney is in pole position but Leigh Halfpenny is breathing down his neck and it may be decided that he offers more in attack.
Coach of the Tournament: Warren Gatland has assembled a great team around him and under him, the Welsh consistently made good selection decisions as well as bringing great motivation into every match. Their tactics are sometimes frustrating to watch, but Gatland, Shaun Edwards and co deserve every plaudit that comes their way.
For England, Stuart Lancaster also had a very good tournament, both on the pitch and in terms of the PR exercise. They started with rocky wins but by the end he had achieved a remarkable turnaround, restoring pride and a sense of connection between the team and fans. The stench of England's horrible RWC 2011 had lifted.
It all started perfectly for Phillipe Saint-André but he failed to change the culture and looked a bit-part player in the French drama, just as Marc Lievremont used to, by the time the last round of matches had rolled around and the French tally of two defeats and a draw is undeniably poor.
Jacques Brunel did not crack the problems in the Italian team but it was not for want of trying as he changed his team the most. He put a much more confident and cohesive unit on the field for the wooden spoon clash with Andy Robinson's Scotland. Admirably straight-talking and plainly a hard worker, he is another coach to who looks to have poured all his ideas and energy into the pit of Scottish rugby, to little avail.
For Ireland, Declan Kidney can take credit for good wins over the smaller guns and his side's superb performance against France, but the low-key linespeed against Wales and the selection of out-of-form or unsuitable players, in particular for the final game against England, were clear mistakes that proved very costly.
