Best Six Nations XV
Since it's going on right now, let's try this. I'm just going back to the start of the Six Nations in 2000, and I've set a rule that there has to be at least one from every team - to be honest, that helped make a couple of trickier decisions. Also, subs really are integral to modern rugby, so I've included 8 subs too.
I'm not a massive rugby expert - I played it when I was young but, even then, I was a back and didn't fully understand forward play, and, of course, the game has moved on light years since then. Still, I've watched most of the Six Nations, within which I have various allegiances, so will probably be reasonably unbiased.
It's mainly been a four team tournament - France have won it the most, just ahead of England and Wales, Ireland are usually contenders, England just about have the best game-on-game record. Logic dictates there ought to be more France players in the team I choose, but, somehow, that didn't quite sit right, so there are lots of French on the bench, but not that many in the XV. France, particularly when it comes to their backs, have often had a more fluid selection policy, so often players haven't played quite as many matches.
Gethin Jenkins (loosehead prop)
Rafael Ibanez (hooker)
Adam Jones (tighthead)
Martin Johnson (lock)
Paul O'Connell (lock)
Martyn Williams (flanker)
Richard Hill (flanker)
Sergio Parisse (Number 8)
Mike Blair (scrum half)
Jonny Wilkinson (fly half 10)
Shane Williams (wing)
Will Greenwood (centre, 12)
Brian O'Driscoll (centre, 13)
Vincent Clerc (wing)
Rob Kearney (full back)
Bench
Imanol Harinordiquy
Keith Wood
Fabien Pelous
Thierry Dusautoir
Morgan Parra
Aurelion Rougerie
Leigh Halfpenny
Jason Robinson
These are some other players I considered:
M Bergamasco (openside flanker, 7)
Paterson (full back, wing)
S Jones (fly half)
Olivier Magne
Scott Murray (lock)
Yachvili (scrum half)
Warburton (openside, 7)
J Roberts (centre, 13)
G Thomas (Wing)
R O'Gara (fly half)
Castrogiovanni (tight headprop)
Bortolami (lock)
L Dallaglio (8)
Y Jauzion (centre)
A Wyn Jones (lock)
S Betsen (either flank)
J Sexton (fly half)
M Dawson (scrum half)
M Phillips (scrum half)
Cian Healy (loosehead)
I'm not a massive rugby expert - I played it when I was young but, even then, I was a back and didn't fully understand forward play, and, of course, the game has moved on light years since then. Still, I've watched most of the Six Nations, within which I have various allegiances, so will probably be reasonably unbiased.
It's mainly been a four team tournament - France have won it the most, just ahead of England and Wales, Ireland are usually contenders, England just about have the best game-on-game record. Logic dictates there ought to be more France players in the team I choose, but, somehow, that didn't quite sit right, so there are lots of French on the bench, but not that many in the XV. France, particularly when it comes to their backs, have often had a more fluid selection policy, so often players haven't played quite as many matches.
Gethin Jenkins (loosehead prop)
Rafael Ibanez (hooker)
Adam Jones (tighthead)
Martin Johnson (lock)
Paul O'Connell (lock)
Martyn Williams (flanker)
Richard Hill (flanker)
Sergio Parisse (Number 8)
Mike Blair (scrum half)
Jonny Wilkinson (fly half 10)
Shane Williams (wing)
Will Greenwood (centre, 12)
Brian O'Driscoll (centre, 13)
Vincent Clerc (wing)
Rob Kearney (full back)
Bench
Imanol Harinordiquy
Keith Wood
Fabien Pelous
Thierry Dusautoir
Morgan Parra
Aurelion Rougerie
Leigh Halfpenny
Jason Robinson
These are some other players I considered:
M Bergamasco (openside flanker, 7)
Paterson (full back, wing)
S Jones (fly half)
Olivier Magne
Scott Murray (lock)
Yachvili (scrum half)
Warburton (openside, 7)
J Roberts (centre, 13)
G Thomas (Wing)
R O'Gara (fly half)
Castrogiovanni (tight headprop)
Bortolami (lock)
L Dallaglio (8)
Y Jauzion (centre)
A Wyn Jones (lock)
S Betsen (either flank)
J Sexton (fly half)
M Dawson (scrum half)
M Phillips (scrum half)
Cian Healy (loosehead)
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