Six Nations Player of The Tournament

Who should it be?

Finn Russell for putting up with 4 games of Laidlaw's crap service

but, nah, probably POC. Been outstanding

Tough one - hard to say that one person really shone throughout the piece, which is probably as it should be bearing in mind that 10 points worth of difference covered the top 3 in the final analysis. I think the answer must come from that same top 3, so I'd put O'Connell, Joseph and Warburton up as the three names to conjure with. Any of them would be a worthy nomination and winner.

O'Connell....our best forward, back and clean linebreaker over the five games...

Best leader by a mile or 1.6 km.

I think Stuart Hogg or George Ford. Hogg had his best 6N so far, despite Scotland losing every game he was a standout player in every match and did his job very well, so he would be my choice. Ford was very good for England and of the 6N fly halves I think he was the standout player.

Italy - Venditti, Parisse
Wales - 1/2p, Warburton
England - Ford, Robshaw
Scotland - Hogg, Hamilton
Ireland - Henshaw, SOB
France - Spedding, Dusautoir

Mike Ross for me.

Without him, Ireland wouldn't have won the tournament.

I would agree this should come from one of the top three teams.  I wouldn't consider any England player as a standout.  From Wales, it could be Halfpenny, but really could be any of the players who made those 1000 tackles v. Ireland.  Even for Ireland, it was hard to see one player standing out above his teammates.  Since the award must be given, I'd probably suggest O'Connell as captain of the winning team.

AWJ

Easy. Phil Vickery

POC would be a decent call.

1. poc
2. stuart hogg
3. warburton

(1) Poc.

( 2) Robshaw

Ben youngs?

No mention of Jonathan Joseph yet. Personally, I'd probably have said Sexton, but Joseph must be up there in contention.

I would say Joseph (who was top try scorer, incidentally), AW Jones or Paul O'Connell. Hard to separate them - they each loomed large in their own roles.

For his age, I would also add George Ford to any 'honourable mentions' list.

Poc

He won't win it, but Hogg has played every minute of every game and has been outstanding in each one.

Certainly deserves an honorary mention.

As for who gets it? George Ford I think. POC, AWJ and Warburton have also been excellent.

Needs to be someone who got a MotM doesn't it? Not sure who s eligible.

HammerofThunor wrote:Needs to be someone who got a MotM doesn't it? Not sure who s eligible.

That would make the following punters eligible:

George Ford (England)
Conor Murray (Ireland)
Camille Lopez (France)
Jonathan Joseph (England)
Jonathan Sexton (Ireland)
Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) x2
Luke McLean (Italy)
Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)
Sam Warburton (Wales)
Ben Youngs (England) x2
Thierry Dusautoir (France)
Seán O'Brien (Ireland)

Youngs and AWJ were each MoM twice, which you have to say gives them a good chance.

Also, if anyone is interested in broadening this discussion:
https://www.606v2.com/t58246-6-nations-team-of-the-tournament

POM on the blindside for Ireland was huge. Ford breathed new life into England and played with a maturity well beyond his years even with a misfiring back line.

They were the stand outs though Ben Youngs had the best individual game and I was really impressed with Webb, Henshaw, Bennett and the new Ireland loose head whose name escapes me.

Notch wrote:Who should it be?

"Whom".


( )

Paul O'Connell

There are flashier players, player who pick up the headlines more often through each successive game.

But for me, without any bias, he is it this year.  You simply see his presence when he is with those players, both on the field and off it.  He's the daddy, he reads them their bedtime stories, makes sure they eat their greens and makes sure the lights are off at ten.

I don't actually think I've seen him have a stronger impact with Ireland than this year, which says a lot considering he's on his downward procession to retirement.

George Carlin wrote:

Notch wrote:Who should it be?

"Whom".


( )

Shut it Love Actually!

I'd never pick Whom, to be fair, when all is said and done, everything being equal, to give the lad his due.

He can run but his passing is atrocious.

Jonathan Joseph probably.

Rugby's a team game and I've never cared for this singling out of players who need the players around them to operate.

Then cue the mindless speculation about the Sergio Parisse type players and if they only played for a decent team or the Leigh Halfpenny players and what would they be without their goal kicking.

I'm sorry. The weather is shoite, I have to work on a weekend and I'm out of Glenmoragie whisky. Just ban me for a year. It'll work out for the best for all of us.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Rugby's a team game and I've never cared for this singling out of players who need the players around them to operate.

Then cue the mindless speculation about the Sergio Parisse type players and if they only played for a decent team or the Leigh Halfpenny players and what would they be without their goal kicking.

I'm sorry. The weather is shoite, I have to work on a weekend and I'm out of Glenmoragie whisky. Just ban me for a year. It'll work out for the best for all of us.

No no.  You're absolutely right, Kia.  And absolutely wrong at the same time!  

That's the conundrum.  Try telling me McCaw didn't create a lot of the ABs supremacy in the last however many years he's been on the go.  If you told me he wasn't important, you'd be lying.  If you told me ABs would have found someone else just as good?  You'd be telling the truth

But still - it's nice to indulge the idea that one man kinda did a bit more than his jobsworth through a series of games.

McCaw's importance is what he adds to the team but without the team he is nothing. He is an inspirational leader but the point of being an inspirational leader is that you inspire people around you to lift their game.

You can single out a player like POC for the type of player he is and the type of leader he is but then you could say the very same thing about Thierry Dusatoir or Sam Warburton. However, if you're going to single out the former you have to recognise the contribution the players around them make and give them free license to operate.

You can't have a team of individuals. We all saw the rucking shambles France were in their opening games when they don't play to any collective will and just kick the ball aimlessly away.

Richie McCaw can't operate without a Jerome Kaino or a Kieran Read providing him balance and Aaron Smith can't combine with Cruden or Barrett if the pack isn't protecting him or providing him with quick ruck ball.

If we want to indulge the idea that one man influenced a game's outcome, we can make a series of pointless threads on the worthiness of the referee.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:

If we want to indulge the idea that one man influenced a game's outcome, we can make a series of pointless threads on the worthiness of the referee.

Hmmmm.....................
That's been sorted.

I'm only really qualified to comment on England and id say that there are only 3 candidates..

Chris Robshaw- Did he miss a tackle all tournament?
Ben Youngs - 2 motm displays and got better as the tournament went on
Jonathan Joseph - Midfield flair that we've been missing for years.

George Ford really grew into the role but isn't quite guaranteed the 10 shirt yet, Unlike others I really appreciate Farrell and I genuinely think Slade is going to be first choice 10 before long.

Courtney Lawes showed us what he's capable of against Scotland and France and offers so much more than just big hits now.

Jack Nowell - only played 3 games, Scored 3 tries and made more metres than any other wing in the tournament, possibly lacks a bit of pace but is probably our best back in heavy traffic.

I think for England it has to be Joseph or Ford, for Wales, AWJ and Sam, Ireland POC and Henshaw, France, i have no clue, Italy, even less, Scotland, Hogg.

Wales - that diddy NZ referee and George Clancy

I thought George ford was very good. I didn't watch England microscopically like I did with my own team, but from what I saw he seemed to add much more zip and menace to the England team. Looks like my sort of fly half: he seems to have pace, he can make a break as well as distribute, and to use a Jiffy quote he 'keeps defences honest'! He can kick points well too I think?

What's the thoughts on Farrell now? Has he been kicked to the curb?

POC by a mile

Griff wrote:I thought George ford was very good. I didn't watch England microscopically like I did with my own team, but from what I saw he seemed to add much more zip and menace to the England team. Looks like my sort of fly half: he seems to have pace, he can make a break as well as distribute, and to use a Jiffy quote he 'keeps defences honest'! He can kick points well too I think?

What's the thoughts on Farrell now? Has he been kicked to the curb?

Griff

I think Ford's performance yesterday probably cemented him in to being the first choice 10 even when Farrell is fit and on form. His ability to create and take chances ball in hand is better than any England 10 I can remember. Still some things to work on with his kicking from hand (one France try came because of a kick straight to touch, and his high balls are frequently a bit too long), and his goal kicking is a work in progress - he is a notch below Farrell, who himself is a level below the real star kickers like 1/2p. Farrell is still a decent bench option as he can cover 12 in a 2nd playmaker way.

It will be one of POC, Murray or Sexton. I'd probably say Sexton will get it as he was the most 'talked about' player by the pundits. However I would go for POC or AWJ myself

ScarletSpiderman wrote:It will be one of POC, Murray or Sexton.  I'd probably say Sexton will get it as he was the most 'talked about' player by the pundits.  However I would go for POC or AWJ myself

Not true actually SS. Only three Irish players make the team of the tournament in the the British press - POC, POM and Murray. Sexton I think was only half fit. The Welsh half backs were pretty good as well. It will be interesting to see if he features in the Irish media's team of the tournament

I thought George Ford had a great tournament. He is going to be some player.

dummy_half wrote:

Griff wrote:I thought George ford was very good. I didn't watch England microscopically like I did with my own team, but from what I saw he seemed to add much more zip and menace to the England team. Looks like my sort of fly half: he seems to have pace, he can make a break as well as distribute, and to use a Jiffy quote he 'keeps defences honest'! He can kick points well too I think?

What's the thoughts on Farrell now? Has he been kicked to the curb?

Griff

I think Ford's performance yesterday probably cemented him in to being the first choice 10 even when Farrell is fit and on form. His ability to create and take chances ball in hand is better than any England 10 I can remember. Still some things to work on with his kicking from hand (one France try came because of a kick straight to touch, and his high balls are frequently a bit too long), and his goal kicking is a work in progress - he is a notch below Farrell, who himself is a level below the real star kickers like 1/2p. Farrell is still a decent bench option as he can cover 12 in a 2nd playmaker way.

His kicking from hand is the best we've had in England in a long time. He makes mistakes (everyone does, including Sexton and Carter). He has two weaknesses (other than experience) that I can tell. His goal kicking isn't as good as most 1st class kickers, in range and consistency. The other side is that he doesn't drive people back in the tackle (but he's solid and puts down much bigger players, Farrell, who is praised for his defence misses a lot more, but put big ones in). Without a shadow of a doubt these weaknesses are more than cancelled out by his positives.

Sin é wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:It will be one of POC, Murray or Sexton.  I'd probably say Sexton will get it as he was the most 'talked about' player by the pundits.  However I would go for POC or AWJ myself

Not true actually SS. Only three Irish players make the team of the tournament in the the British press - POC, POM and Murray. Sexton I think was only half fit. The Welsh half backs were pretty good as well. It will be interesting to see if he features in the Irish media's team of the tournament

I thought George Ford had a great tournament. He is going to be some player.

Funny they seemed to constantly point out he is he 'complete' player every chance they got IMO, but I haven't seen all the papers/pundits team of the tournament, so I will take your word on it.

ME-109 wrote:O'Connell....our best forward, back and clean linebreaker over the five games...

Best leader by a mile or 1.6 km.

Totally agree. O'Connell has been awesome, maybe playing the best rugby of his career.

Joseph has probably been the standout attacking player but O'Connell has been the player who has influenced the competition most imo.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Sin é wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:It will be one of POC, Murray or Sexton.  I'd probably say Sexton will get it as he was the most 'talked about' player by the pundits.  However I would go for POC or AWJ myself

Not true actually SS. Only three Irish players make the team of the tournament in the the British press - POC, POM and Murray. Sexton I think was only half fit. The Welsh half backs were pretty good as well. It will be interesting to see if he features in the Irish media's team of the tournament

I thought George Ford had a great tournament. He is going to be some player.

Funny they seemed to constantly point out he is he 'complete' player every chance they got IMO, but I haven't seen all the papers/pundits team of the tournament, so I will take your word on it.

Think Sin just wants to point out that Ireland's best players (in his opinion) are all Munster men.

Connor Murray

Leave it to Ruby to go left of Centre!

The wily old coot.

Sometimes people miss the obvious Fly - Murray has been a class above. POC and AWJ had very good tournaments but Murray brings Intelligence and clinical execution to the game not just brawn.

Well he took a few games (ahem! - 4 ) before actually pulling his socks up and getting the ball out at light speed ...............
Had he practiced it in earlier games we might not have all had our wonderful day of Valium tablets!

I'll conform to the norm and say POC too. A great presence as always but also a running and try scoring threat which is not something I've seen much from him! Kudos POC.

Easy, ALUN-WYN Jones or Alun-Wyn JONES but definitely not Alun Wyn-Jones

PenfroPete wrote:Easy, ALUN-WYN Jones or Alun-Wyn JONES but definitely not Alun Wyn-Jones

They put on a good show for you in Rome Penfro! Enjoy the rest of your holiday