6 nations player of the tournament so far?

First topic message reminder :

In my opinion its been Wales flanker Dan Lydiate despite missing the first game he's been outstanding he was top tackle against England with 17 tackles made and 0 missed, he's always quick out of the block and carries well too, he's a very under rated player imo, sort of in the shadow of the impressive captain warburton,
so who does everyone else think has been the player of the tournament so far?

thebluesmancometh wrote:All good shouts, I think Rennie is doing a Parrisse type for Scotland at the moment, but again he just lacks the finishing touches, that fluffed chance V England stands out. But he's definately in the running.

Warbs is playing and captaining beautifully!

Dusatoir is just immense at present!

I don't think 1/2p has made a mistake, game winner V Ireland and game saver V England!

For me I also want to mention a few names noone has, Hogg has done a very good job for Scotland, as has Ghiraldini in the Italian pack, last but not least Malzeiu has returned to electric form for france and has been devestating, I think Fofana has been ok, but made a few mistakes, but Malzeiu has just been something else.

And a little further back I have been impressed with Denton, De Luca, Lydiate, Ian Evans, Kearney, and Pape!

I think you'll find Denton is doing a Parisse job and in many peoples eyes doing a better job

Fofana for his presence (is it 2 tries and creating the opportunities for 2 others) to me has been the better player but still a good call on Malzeiu who has been bloody good

Kearney took the high ball off 1/2p twice (I believe one resulted in a try), and altho 1/2p for his tries (fantastic superb) has not been the better FB

I think thus far there are only two teams who have candidates. We'll see after Sunday's France vs Ireland who might come through.

Wales candidates for me.

Cuthbert and Halfpenny


Scotland
Rennie.

Interesting to see you opt for Cuthbert over the other Welsh selections. At home Cuthbert has not been an immediate hit in Wales, many people would rather have seen other players in ahead of him...!

What has he done that has impressed you so much Biltong?

I am a fan of his too.

Cuthbert was impressive against Scotland, but North was impressive against Ireland and England.

Cuthbert deserves his place, but is not Wales' best performer.

I know S Williams was a and is a big hero in Wales, but in my viw (maybe it is a south african thing) I like big strong fast winger, Cuthbert in the few matches he has played has shown all the qualities I like in a wing, he is very confident for such a young man, in my opinion he adds a lot to an already impressive Welsh back line, and in my personal view he outshone North in their match vs Scotland.

What I like most about him is the fact that he immediately looked like he belongs on the international stage.

He can finish and is strong on defence.

Sorry mate, I like to rag you, but I don't have statistics with me right now.

England-Farrell
Ireland-Kearney
Wales-Jonathon Davies
France-Morgan Parra
Italy-Sergio Parisse
Scotland-Denton

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Not sure how Halfpenny can get the pick at XV. Kearney has been better than ever, Hogg has been a class act too.

He has played more games than either (about to change) and has looked so vital at 15 or on the wing and with his kicking. He has also scored and set up tries, his positioning was superb last week and his defence is so solid. Kearney and Hogg have been great but for me 1/2p edges both

Dan Parks world class against England and made a good decision against Wales.

biltongbek wrote:I know S Williams was a and is a big hero in Wales, but in my viw (maybe it is a south african thing) I like big strong fast winger, Cuthbert in the few matches he has played has shown all the qualities I like in a wing, he is very confident for such a young man, in my opinion he adds a lot to an already impressive Welsh back line, and in my personal view he outshone North in their match vs Scotland.

What I like most about him is the fact that he immediately looked like he belongs on the international stage.

He can finish and is strong on defence.

Sorry mate, I like to rag you, but I don't have statistics with me right now.

Ha ha ha... No I completely agree with you. I really think he adds something we were lacking for previously. For all shane Williams creativity, we now have a different option and a good one at that.

Great to have five or six good back three players all vying for contention... Will only get better over the next few years as other players follow Cuthbert from the sevens squad in to the team. Two Owen Williams's who are flyers will be ones to keep your eye on next.

Fly half

Trust me Rennie is the one doing the Parisse, runing good lines, hitting gaps, breaking lines and offloading. Not a conventional 7 but doing a great job!

1/2p edges it for me too, purelay because of the match winner V Ireland, and match save rV England, quite simply for all their hard work, without 1/2p they would have lost both!!!

Plus Fofana has only played 1 good game, V Scotland, against Italy he was poor first half and ok 2nd.

Well right now Tommy Bowe must be up there.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:Well right now Tommy Bowe must be up there.

Or any of the Irish pack...!!!

They are doing some great work, they were good against wales and devastating against Italy

farrell!!!

Agreed. Stephen Ferris has been very influential in particular. Awesome rucking today.

Tommy Bowe was average for a lot of the first two games but he came up with 2 tries.

Tommy Bowe, can't fault his strike rate in the 6 Nations.

Halfpenny still for me. Solid at fullback and excellent place kicking. For all of Wales' giant threats, it's the smaller in stature Halfpenny I most fear as an opposing fan.

Tommy is scoring tries but defensively has not been his best.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Fly half

Trust me Rennie is the one doing the Parisse, runing good lines, hitting gaps, breaking lines and offloading. Not a conventional 7 but doing a great job!

1/2p edges it for me too, purelay because of the match winner V Ireland, and match save rV England, quite simply for all their hard work, without 1/2p they would have lost both!!!

I do trust you Bluesman but let me tell you a bit about the back row

Rennie is an open-side in the truest sense for us and Scotland he always has played off the scrum

Denton is mostly a 6 for us and an 8 for Scotland he nearly always plays 8 down the blindside route with the scrumhalf revolving, exactly like Parisse does for Italy

Watch Robert Barbieri against you next weekend then watch how Rennie operates................ I think you will then understand that Rennie does not play in the Parisse role

Trust me compardre however you can always come up to the 'burgh for the season then you can see how Rennie and Denton interlink

IronMike wrote:Tommy is scoring tries but defensively has not been his best.

His defence hasn't cost Ireland matches though and his tries have kept them in them

Rennie is much more of a playmaker than Denton, who hasn't really impressed me that much for Edinburgh, he carries like it's not natural to him and he's not a comfortable 8, he'll make a good 6, but is filling a role. Rennie, as Parrisse is much more comfrotable ball in hand, and is much more effective than Denton.

Therefore Rennie is more of a Parisse type than Denton, I know a lot of people can't comprehend players doing anything other than the job the number on their back says they must but it is just a number.

As far as 7 play goes, Rennis isn't conventional as he doesn't look like he enjoys the breakdown, but his lines of support are good, and hand excellent, but modern 7's sacrifice this element for breakdown nous, as the 8 can do this... just like Parisse!!!

AlynDavies wrote:Tommy Bowe, can't fault his strike rate in the 6 Nations.

Bowe was poor in the first two games. Yesterday was much better but he wouldn't be up there for me. His finishing is world class though.

Ferris and Kearney have been Irelands best players by a country mile.

Kearney.

Contenders:
Halfpenny, Gray, Rennie, Ryan Jones, Dusautoir, Fofana, Parise.

The problem for Kearney is he's playing a game his team mates aren't in on.

Personal skills 100% - player of the tournament so far? I think you need to have a more effective link to the success of the team rather than be seen to do lovely individual work.

I'm not blaming Kearney...I blaming the idea that high catches at speed are enough in themselves to effect game outcomes. In this Irish side right now, the answer is no.

Ferris is impressing me yes.

Player of the tournament so far? In truth nobody is standing out enough yet. I'll say Phillips still....but it really is a tight championship on displays if not on the scoreboards.

Or, he looks better in such a pants backline. But that is an art in itself. the guy hasn't put a foot wrong. That's fine if you don't try anything, but he's leading a poor Irish backline by example. POC and Ferris are doing the same for the forwards. I would pick ROG now to be honest and play like Munster.

What I like about Halfpenny is that he is the "small" player in a huge Welsh backline, but he gives it his all and has outshone most of them.

IronMike wrote:What I like about Halfpenny is that he is the "small" player in a huge Welsh backline, but he gives it his all and has outshone most of them.

+1 And he punches above his height

Wesley Fofana is the find of the competition so far.

Glas a du wrote:Or, he looks better in such a pants backline. But that is an art in itself. the guy hasn't put a foot wrong. That's fine if you don't try anything, but he's leading a poor Irish backline by example. POC and Ferris are doing the same for the forwards. I would pick ROG now to be honest and play like Munster.

No, I don't think he is leading by example. He's doing his thing and the others let him at it. It's just a disorganised mess in my eyes, whereby he could electrify games and add immensely to real Irish chances if it was part of a package. But there is no package. There are players doing their own thing, sometimes joining the dots of their individual talents to pull something out of the bag, at other times, missing each other in the dark mist of non-existant game strategy.

Add something collective to Kearney and not only he but his accomplises would shine brighter. He's the real deal, so are others in his team. The plans to mesh the parts? Not there.

propdavid_london wrote:Wesley Fofana is the find of the competition so far.

I did say before the 6nations that he would be one to watch, he hasnt disappoitned.

aren't you clever !

Fofana and Denton are a close match for rookie of the tournament

Halfpenny for the player of the tournament so far as he seems the one leading this great welsh backline.

Rennie is a settling influence

Trying to work out what song that drummer is accompanying.............

It isn't a Metallica number, at least I'm certain of that

Glas a du wrote:Or, he looks better in such a pants backline. But that is an art in itself. the guy hasn't put a foot wrong. That's fine if you don't try anything, but he's leading a poor Irish backline by example. POC and Ferris are doing the same for the forwards. I would pick ROG now to be honest and play like Munster.

I know the “play like Munster” comment was probably tongue in cheek but I don’t agree. If we tried to play like Leinster and it didn’t work, then fair enough. But we’re not playing like any of our provincial teams, and if we do want to look to one of the provinces to mimic their style then why not pick the best. The answer is to play like Ireland. But even we can’t manage that these days…

Mickado - they're playing more like the Ospreys for the most part

Robshaw hasn't dome the flash stuff but his workrate has been immense, something of the Richard Hill about him. Fast forward a year and everyione will be talking about the huge effect he's had on the English game.

He plays more like Benny Hill than Richard Hill mate

Well he certainly slapped a few of the Wales team on the head, metaphorically speaking of course.

A World Cup and 3 Finals wrote:Well he certainly slapped a few of the Wales team on the head, metaphorically speaking of course.

That was after the game, fair play he took defeat well, nice fella and an encouraging performance

RubyGuby wrote:Halfpenny so far - Fofana to be the find of the 6 Nations

This ^. I think he's the best full back in the world at the moment. What a player.

Kearney is great with the high balls but he doesn't like defending much does he?

You don't watch much SH rugby do you Chunky? Plus going by the last games, Kearney had a higher work rate than Halfpenny did..

In fact Halfpenny made one tackle the entire game.

RubyGuby wrote:He plays more like Benny Hill than Richard Hill mate

That's a peach Ruby! Robshaw has been virtually anonymous from what iv'e seen. And if I hear another person say: well that's because he's so incredibly good that you don't notice him I think i'll eat my own head. If that's the case why do we see: Elsom, Burger, Kaino, McCaw, Ferris, Lydiate etc etc actually putting the work in. Obviously they aren't as good.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:You don't watch much SH rugby do you Chunky?

I do as it happens.

Plus going by the last games, Kearney had a higher work rate than Halfpenny did..

Maybe drinking games. Not rugby.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:In fact Halfpenny made one tackle the entire game.

It was quite an important one. And to be fair that's because that's exactly how many line breaks we made all game

Actually as I just pointed out, Halfpenny made one tackle against England.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Actually as I just pointed out, Halfpenny made one tackle against England.

But to be fair, unless he was massively out of position, I'm not sure how many more he could have made!

Chjw131 wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:He plays more like Benny Hill than Richard Hill mate

That's a peach Ruby! Robshaw has been virtually anonymous from what iv'e seen. And if I hear another person say: well that's because he's so incredibly good that you don't notice him I think i'll eat my own head. If that's the case why do we see: Elsom, Burger, Kaino, McCaw, Ferris, Lydiate etc etc actually putting the work in. Obviously they aren't as good.

Hows life in Lanner? passed through yesterday - currently in Falmouth - The guys done okish but he just doesn't seem international class to me and I think that back row will be finally found out this weekend away from Twickenham against decent opposition - I can see Dussatoir scoring a couple of trys