Seven players to watch during the opening round of the Six Nations including Ireland’s rookie playmaker
Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins, Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley and England number eight Ben Earl.
Ahead of the opening round of the Six Nations, which has plenty of thrilling action lined up, we pick out seven players to watch during this weekend’s action.
The first match of the tournament comes from Marseille where France host Ireland on Friday. On Saturday, the action gets underway in Rome between Italy and England before Wales and Scotland do battle in Cardiff later that day.
Jack Crowley (Ireland)
2024 is a massive year for the Irishman who has the task of filling the boots of the country’s all-time points scorer Johnny Sexton, who retired after last year’s World Cup.
Crowley will know that all eyes will be on him to see if he can live up to the hype and expectations. The fly-half was not always this high in the pecking order but the way in which he guided Munster to the United Rugby Championship title last season shot him up the list. A winning drop-goal late in a semi-final against Leinster will have that effect.
To his credit, he always looks really composed and has the golden opportunity to cement himself as the incumbent and what a game to try to do that against title rivals Les Bleus in Marseille on Friday.
Peato Mauvaka (France)
Another player to keep an eye on in Marseille is Mauvaka, who has made the most of the opportunities which have comes his way in recent years and is now one of the first names on France head coach Fabien Galthie’s team-sheet.
This is due to a string of outstanding performances for Top 14 heavyweights Toulouse over the past year. The 27-year-old is the prototype of the modern-day hooker as he is blessed with great speed, explosive power as a ball carrier and is renowned for putting in some big hits on defence.
Coming into 2023, he was behind Julien Marchand in the pecking order for Toulouse and France but an injury to his team-mate ahead of the World Cup gave Mauvaka his chance and he has taken it with both hands and is now the first choice number two for club and country.
😲 The footwork from France hooker Peato Mauvaka…👏pic.twitter.com/pkbygaD6q5
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) August 23, 2023
Bundee Aki (Ireland)
Arguably the player of the tournament at the World Cup where he found the most exhilarating form with ball in hand. Aki was busting open defences almost at will and was critical to Ireland’s campaign.
His bruising running gives Ireland plenty to work with in the middle of the park as he can be expected to make metres on almost every carry particularly those in the first phase off the back of a line-out or scrum.
Part of his role will be giving a solid option to Crowley the entire game. It will be a gruelling clash of the titans between Aki and France’s Jonathan Danty in the midfield – a match-up that could influence the result.
Dafydd Jenkins (Wales)
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named an inexperienced squad for the Six Nations and there will plenty of pressure on Jenkins‘ shoulders as he becomes his country’s youngest captain in 56 years when they host Scotland in the final match of the round at the Principality Stadium.
Despite only being 22, Jenkins is no stranger to the leadership role as he first captained Exeter Chiefs at club level at the tender age of 19, which makes him the youngest player ever to skipper a Premiership side.
A solid lineout operator and willing ball carrier, Jenkins will have to hit the ground running and lead by example as Wales look to get their campaign off to a positive start.
Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)
The gargantuan wing will be desperate to make a telling impact after an underwhelming World Cup campaign by his standards.
However, the Six Nations is where he earns his money whether he is running in it on his own from 60 metres out or beating defenders with ease. Every team that faces Scotland will plan to shut the wing down.
His form could be the difference between Scotland having an average campaign or breaking through their ceiling. Van der Merwe will be a try threat throughout on Saturday.
Paolo Garbisi (Italy)
Italy head into Saturday’s clash with England as overwhelming underdogs but if they are to upset the apple cart, don’t be surprised if Garbisi’s playmaking skills had plenty to do with that.
Like all his team-mates, Garbisi will be keen to make an impact in a bid to impress new Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada and what better way to do it than a strong attacking performance against England on home soil.
Paolo Garbisi, like a hot knife through butter 🧈 #GuinnessSixNations @Federugby pic.twitter.com/bBgW59Sjed
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 25, 2022
The 24-year-old is a brilliant attacker, blessed with great vision and can change the course of a match with a moment of magic.
This weekend he forms a half-back partnership with his younger brother, Alessandro, and if the Azzurri forwards can provide them with quality possession, they could be the catalyst for a shock result.
Ben Earl (England)
If England are to challenge for honours in this year’s Championship, Earl will be at forefront of that onslaught as he showed at last year’s World Cup in France that he is amongst the best number eights in the game at the moment.
The Saracens star made his mark at the global showpiece with several outstanding performances which has cemented his place in England’s run-on side. Earl is usually in the thick of the action on both sides of the ball, with his ball carrying prowess giving his team valuable momentum while he also has a high workrate on defence.
The 26-year-old knows that a strong performance is expected from him against the Azzurri and once he builds up a head of steam on attack, his team-mates should follow his lead.
