Six Nations: The seven standout players from the 2023 edition so far

Colin Newboult
Six Nations seven standout players including Antoine Dupont Caelan Doris James Ryan seb negri duhan van der merwe

As the Six Nations takes a brief break, we have a look at some of the players that have shined brightest so far in the competition.

Ireland and Scotland, who have both won their opening two matches, unsurprisingly feature prominently, but most nations have at least one representative here.

Caelan Doris (Ireland)

Probably the best player in the Six Nations after the first two rounds, following superb displays against both Wales and France. He has been named in our Team of the Week on both occasions, with the performance against Les Bleus particularly sublime. On form, the Leinsterman is probably the best in the world in his position, even surpassing some of Ardie Savea’s efforts from last season, and he will look to maintain that level in the next part of the competition.

Doris is a big man, able to power through contact in the tighter exchanges, but the 24-year-old’s athleticism is also impressive, and he can roam in the wider channels. The number eight equally has a great skill-set, as evidenced by his stunning off-load for Garry Ringrose’s try, while his work without the ball enables Ireland to slow down the opposition in phase play. He is excellent in most facets and that is being shown by his efforts on the pitch.

Antoine Dupont (France)

Les Bleus have certainly had a dip in form since the start of the Autumn Nations Series, but they can be thankful to their star player for keeping them in contention. Dupont was utterly majestic in the opening half-hour of France’s victory over Italy, getting the ball out quickly and constantly changing the point of contact, but he was let down by his team-mates’ ill-discipline for the final 50 minutes as Italy ran them close.

Fast forward a week and those penalties were reduced, allowing Dupont to get his hands on the ball more often and cause problems for the Ireland defence. Although they eventually succumbed to a 32-19 defeat, the 2021 World Rugby Player of the Year did everything he could to win the game for the visitors. His touches in attack were superb while his try-saving tackle on Mack Hansen will be remembered for a long time.

Lewis Ludlam (England)

Ollie Chessum was in the running as well but, for sheer consistent excellence, the versatile back-row deserves his place in this list. Chessum, despite his influence on the game, made some key errors against Scotland, which is why Ludlam has been England’s best player so far in this Six Nations. He has been a ubiquitous presence, carrying, tackling and competing well at the breakdown, which in our eyes has made him undroppable.

Alongside Jack Willis, those two worked nicely in tandem against Italy, with Ludlam also being used well in the lineout by Steve Borthwick. Courtney Lawes and Tom Curry may well be back for the Red Rose’s next game against Wales, but Ludlam simply must play, even if it is at number eight in the place of Alex Dombrandt. Lawes and Curry have been key players for England over the years, but Ludlam has been their standout in this year’s competition.

Sebastian Negri (Italy)

There have been a few excellent performers for the Italians. Ange Capuozzo, as has been the case throughout the past 12 months, continues to excel at Test level, while Danilo Fischetti has been impressive at loosehead, but Negri has been their star performer. He is an imposing presence and has used his physical gifts to great effect in their first two matches, constantly gaining ground against France and England with his carrying game.

The 28-year-old is a monster with the ball in hand and has provided plenty of go-forward for the Azzurri in this Six Nations. With Italy’s previous struggles, he has often been fighting a losing battle but, thanks to their improvement, they are getting even more out of the flanker. Alongside talented youngster Lorenzo Cannone and captain Michele Lamaro, they have one of the best back-rows in the competition.

Finn Russell (Scotland)

It is fair to say that the fly-half had a mediocre first 40 minutes against both England and Wales, but has shone in the second half. Few, if any, players have the ability to do what the Scottish fly-half can do on the field. Russell was key in the final quarter against the Red Rose, with his decision-making and passing ability allowing them to attack from deep and put the hosts under significant pressure, while against the Welsh, he produced several magic moments, assisting three tries.

His game control was also far better in the second period of that clash and, as a result, Gregor Townsend’s men really started to find their rhythm. If he can continue in that vein of form then, whisper it quietly, Scotland could well be challengers for the title. Ireland are still massive favourites but, with the encounter against the Irish taking place at Murrayfield, Russell and co. may put themselves in real contention.

James Ryan (Ireland)

After breaking onto the scene in 2017 and shining in 2018, many expected the second-row to dominate for years to come, but it never quite transpired like that. His performances plateaued and, while he still played well for Ireland, there was little progression in his game. Until now. Ryan has simply gone up another level and is becoming the world-class lock most predicted five years ago following two superb displays in the Six Nations.

Ryan’s work ethic was never in question, but his impacts around the field are becoming far more significant. In the carry, the 26-year-old has been very effective, gaining plenty of ground in the tight and giving his side front foot ball, while in the lineout, he is making some superb reads. It is great to see this talented Leinster player making improvements, and we look forward to seeing how he progresses in the rest of the Six Nations.

Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)

The South African-born wing has always been difficult to stop, but he’s benefiting from a much more cohesive Scotland outfit, who have improved in a few areas. It has allowed the powerhouse to thrive and, as a result, he is just behind Caelan Doris in terms of his influence on the tournament so far. Van der Merwe scored one of the great solo tries against England and then followed that up by finishing off one of the outstanding team scores.

Despite not touching down against Wales, he was once again a huge threat with ball in hand and caused the visitors all sorts of problems. For the second game in a row, the 27-year-old ran for over 100 metres and set up Blair Kinghorn’s late try. If the Scots can keep laying that platform like they have done and give Russell the freedom to create then Van der Merwe is a massive weapon for them.

READ MORE: Five things to know about the tireless Irishman Caelan Doris

England Antoine Dupont Finn Russell

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