Team of the tournament

[General Melchett]

Guess an official Guinness 6N team will be released soon but interesting to see some pundits assemble their selections already. The BBC have done a Sexton v Russell poll (which I'm sure won't be recognised by our Irish brothers on here)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65009487

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Surprised to see Furlong picked in both teams given he only played 2 games. Seems like he's in there because he's Furlong rather than because he was actually the top tighthead. I'd have given it to Bealham.

My overall selection (I'm only picking players in the position they actually played most of their rugby; no moving them around to squeeze them in):
1. Fischetti - maybe a bit of tokenism here but he was legitimately excellent in that Italy team. He really is like having an extra openside on the pitch with his breakdown ability and he's a fantastic ball carrier too.
2. Sheehan
3. Bealham
4. Flament
5. Ryan
6. Jelonch - only played 3 games but he was outstanding in those games. Just such a physical player.
7. JVDF
8. Doris
9. Dupont
10. Sexton
11. Penaud - Lowe was great and DVDM scored an all-time-great individual try but you can't leave out Penaud.
12. Tuipulotu - this is quite a difficult position to pick. Aki, McCloskey, Moefana and Danty all played well when given game time but because of the rotation between them all it's difficult to give the spot to any one of them. Lawrence looked great in a poor England side but similarly lacks some game time and was a bit anonymous against France. I've gone with Tuipulotu because he really seemed to settle into international rugby this tournament, almost certainly helped by being paired with his Glasgow teammate. Didn't have too many highlight moments himself but he was instrumental in plenty of what Scotland did well.
13. Jones
14. Hansen
15. Keenan

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Baille, Sheehan, Fagerson*, Flament, Ryan, Ollivon, VdF, Doris, Dupont, Sexton, Lowe, Tuipoluto, Fickou**, Penaud, Keenan

Fischetti, Marchand, Bealham, R Gray, Willis, White, Ramos, Ringrose

*Weakest position in the comp
*Strongest

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I've never got the Fickou love (I see in the BBC link everyone picks him). He is a steady player but doesnt seem to pound it through the gain line, make line breaks or facilitate others. Huw is an absolute worldly to me and always has been since i first saw him score four tries in a game for the Stormers. Take VDM's leaping try against Italy. Swap out Huw for Fickou and I'd argue it simply never happens - Huw's pace and decisiveness to recover a semi broken play held 4 Italian defenders in terror, granting VDM space. France at centre is the single reason I can't put them in my top 2 for the RWC. I'd put Huw level with a fit Ringrose (who is really developing some power now) and only behind Am globally.

It's kind of amazing how good Italy looked offensively in almost every game when there isn't a single player of theirs I'd put anywhere near the conversation for any position other than Capuozzo (who missed the last two matches so cannot really be included).

 

[General Melchett]

I think much of the selection would depend on who the opposition was and what the end goal is. If it was a high stakes three test series against SA you'd probably play it safe and start Sexton in the first test with Russell on the bench and the likely option to start the second test if SA won the first.

If the goal was to entertain and maximise viewing figures in a Barbarians style match then it's Russell all day long. He's shown how well he links with the Racing backs and also Huipolotu. For me he'd electrify that backline with his passing range, offloading and crossfield kicking.