An exciting Six Nations has come to an end as Ireland become champions again after a thrilling win over Scotland on the final weekend.
Andy Farrell’s side may not have secured back-to-back grand slams but were once again too good for the rest. They set the tone with a victory over France on the opening night and retained their crown.
Their hopes of another clean sweep were derailed by England making big strides in this tournament, while France will also be pleased with their progress in the final two rounds after a difficult start to the championship.
But perhaps the side happiest with their campaign will be Italy, who secured two wins and a draw to comfortably avoid the wooden spoon, condemning Wales to bottom place with victory in Cardiff on Super Saturday.
Which players stood out in the five rounds? Here, The independent‘s rugby writers pick our Six Nations team of the tournament:
Loosehead prop: Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)
The only Scot in our selection, Schoeman, is very strong in almost every facet. He may lack the sheer dynamism of some other loose runners, but he is a very good frontline carrier with the ability to switch on the line, while his jackal work is sometimes overlooked.
Hooker: Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
It seems impossible to prevent Sheehan from influencing a match. His ability to scorch backs even in wide channels is eye-catching, but he also has the necessary nuts and bolts required for a top class whore.
Tighthead prop: Uini Atonio (France)
And to think that Atonio had hoped to retire before this campaign. Convinced by Fabien Galthie, the colossal prop was better than ever and, in addition to its destructive set work, offered a lot of punch as a carrier.
Lock: Maro Itoje (England)
Joe McCarthy disappeared after a strong start, while George Martin might have been in had he been fit for the first round, but Itoje’s performances were excellent during the England campaign. He may not always flash like some of his teammates, but the lock does so much of the invisible work required to make a side-click, and has also become a fine lineout caller.
Lock: Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)
On the Irish side of the big players, it is striking how often Beirne comes up with a timely turnover or a crucial pass. There is very little the lock can’t do on a rugby field.
Blindside flanker: Francois Cros (France)
Far from a vintage Six Nations for the tournament’s blind flankers, with Ollie Chessum good after a shift to the back row and Andy Christie a developing force, but neither had put in a strong performance to merit inclusion. However, Cros is the glue man for the French side and keeps his commitment high even during their first round battle.
Openside flanker: Michele Lamaro (Italy)
Lamaro was a fantastic captain in a great championship for Italy, returning to his hard-hitting approach and also showing development as an attacking force. Gonzalo Quesada is a good cook, with his captain’s calmness being an important ingredient. Josh van der Flier and Tommy Reffell brought him close.
Number eight: Ben Earl (England)
Earl had raised some criticism ahead of the tournament by suggesting he wanted to be considered one of the best in the world before the end of the year, but he quickly joined the conversation.
Scrum half: Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)
The metronome that set Ireland’s lively pace, Gibson-Park enjoyed an excellent tournament. His speed of passing and thinking at the base of the ruck is an underrated part of Ireland’s game, keeping the defensive line on the back foot with quick, efficient transfers into the next phase.
Fly-half: Jack Crowley (Ireland)
It wasn’t always perfect, but Ireland seems to have found Johnny Sexton’s successor. Crowley rose to the occasion superbly on the opening night in Marseille and put Ireland on their title course.
Left wing: James Lowe (Ireland)
A sublime finisher, Lowe remains vital for Ireland, with his cannon of a left boot providing a valuable clearing option. Duhan van der Merwe was not far away after scoring a winning hat-trick in the Calcutta Cup, but the Scotland wing blew hot and cold.
Inside centre: Bundee Aki (Ireland)
The best player in the world since the start of the World Cup? Aki picks up where he left off in France and looks more explosive than ever, both in and out of contact. His efforts in defense aren’t always mentioned, but he and Robbie Henshaw combined nicely, while the Connacht center also had a few bad lucks. He had to reach the highest level to make this team because of a coming of age tournament for Tommaso Menoncello, whose potential is extraordinary.
Outside center: Juan Ignacio Brex (Italy)
Brex, the lynchpin in Italy’s phase attack, has long been a key figure for Italy but has taken his game to another level in this tournament. There is no center who can time their withdrawal passes better while still providing real carrying capacity, and some adjustments to the defensive system have allowed him to be more effective than in the past, when Brex was often left exposed by shooting out of the line led the charge of Italy. line speed.
Right wing: Damian Penaud (France)
Mad as a box of frogs on the run, but somehow it always seems to work for Penaud, who is closing in on Serge Blanco’s try record and is a worthy successor to the flying Frenchman. Over the last two weekends he cut Wales and England to shreds.
Fullback: Cameron Winnett (Wales)
A tough tournament for Wales nevertheless left some green shoots of encouragement. The real find was Winnett, who allayed fears that he might not have the X-factor needed for a Test fullback by doing everything right. He, like many, will try to banish the performance against Italy to the deep recesses of his memory, but in a championship where no other 15 started all five games, Winnett is a worthy wearer of this jersey.