scrum\'s team of the tournament

billingham · Messaggio da **billingham** » 21 mar 2005, 12:20

Scrum\'s team of the tournament
 Jonathan McConnell makes scrum\'s selections for the team of the tournament
 
 It may not have been the best ever Six Nations - unless you are Welsh - but where the stars who did make a significant impact over the last month and a half.
 
 Full Back: Iain Balshaw seemed to spark the English three quarter line in front of him into life and gives Andy Robinson an interesting dilemma for the future of Jason Robinson but the man who gets the nod is Geordan Murphy . The Irish backs may have failed to live up to the pre-tournament hype but Murphy produced some quality individual moments
 
 Right Wing: A hat trick for Mark Cueto against Italy put the English man in the frame but overall Christophe Dominici who started on the left where he scored twice against Ireland before moving to the right against Italy was the experienced influence in a youthful French backline.
 
 Centre: Although snuffed out against the Welsh Brian O\'Driscoll has consistently looked the major threat of the Irish team and his superb turn of speed led to a great try against the French
 
 Centre: Direct running and superb support should see Tom Shanklin challenge for a place in the Lions starting line up this summer
 
 Left Wing: Several Welsh players have blossomed into true world class performers in recent weeks and Shane Williams is certainly one. Another near certainty for the Lions line up.
 
 Fly Half: Even if Jonny does not make it to New Zealand in the summer Clive Woodward shouldn\'t worry too much. Stephen Jones has flourished since his move to France and w has been top notch both with ball in hand and kicking throughout the tournament.
 
 Scrum Half: In January it was Cusiter v Stringer for the Lions but Dwayne Peel has come through and is now in pole position for the first test in New Zealand . Yet another Welsh success story and my Player of the Championship
 
 No.8: It is tempting to include Michael Owen for his direct style and ease at taking on the responsibility of captaincy mid season. But instead I plump for another man with a direct style who took over the captaincy. Even in the dark days of defeat by France and in Dublin Martin Corry was the stand out forward.
 
 Flanker: Not in the squad in January Martyn Williams will be thankful that Colin Charvis picked up an injury. The Cardiff flanker was the embodiment of Wales turn around in Paris and has played a significant part in the Grand Slam success.
 
 Flanker: No real stand out with Serge Betsen and Ryan Jones both producing fine displays however Joe Worsley edges it for some strong displays in a sometimes weakened pack.
 
 Second Row: Italian skipper Marco Bortolami led the defeat Italian side with aplomb throughout made some telling contributions in the loose and was immense at the lineout
 
 Second Row: The Welsh tight five produced a superb platform throughout the Tournament and Brett Cockbain was always to the fore with making plenty of ‘hard yards\'. Also did much to quell the Irish lineout threat on Saturday.
 
 Prop: Consistent performances in the tight throughout the tournament means that Sylvain Marconnet is a certainty for the team of the tournament.
 
 Hooker: With neither Steve Thompson nor Shane Byrne living up to expectations during the tournament both Mefin Davies and Gordon Bulloch did their Lions chances no harm. However my vote goes to Bulloch simply for the way that he continued to produce some quality performances amongst a beaten side.
 
 Prop : Gethin Jenkins\' charge down and try set Wales on their way on Saturday – but he has done so much more all season. Superbly fit he has scrummaged well and at times played like another back row forward in the loose

greg70 · Messaggio da **greg70** » 21 mar 2005, 12:29

Bravo Capitan Marco!

Tristissimo vedere che abbiamo influito sulla decisione sui 3/4 solo per quanto gli altri siano riusciti a segnarci... :-[

billingham · Messaggio da **billingham** » 21 mar 2005, 12:34

PLANET RUGBY
 
 6N team of the tournament
 Monday March 21 2005
 Nine Welshmen make the choice XV
 We gathered together in the office after the final day of action, had a beer, and ran down the list of names. The video came out after three minutes. After five minutes the first voices were raised in anger. After six minutes the first chair went flying, and the second beer was opened after eight.
 
 
 
 
 Martyn Williams: player of the tournament
 
 Constructive comments were at a premium as the passions involved in making team selection ran as high as the volume of the voices debating them, and all the time our resident Taff sat back speechless in his chair with a reverent smile on his face!
 
 We took a long time coming to conclusions, and the international make-up of the final team surprised even those who had composed it - not least because we couldn\'t find a single Englishman worthy of his place in the team!
 
 But here it is, Planet Rugby\'s team of the RBS Six Nations:
 
 15: Julien Laharrague (France)
 Laharrague is one of France\'s many discoveries from this tournament. Fast, imposing, and secure, and he attacks in the finest tradition of French back-three players - from deep, and with every arrogance and confidence a French back three player traditionally possesses. Chris Paterson is shaded by a whisker for this position, had he been better supported he might have made fewer mistakes.
 
 14: Christophe Dominici (France)
 The veteran campaigner has gone through quite a renaissance during this tournament. Has tackled with a crunch that belies his diminutive frame, and has led countless French attacks and counter-attacks. Two superb tries against Ireland clinched him the spot in this team over his team-mate Aurelien Rougerie, and his opposite number that day Denis Hickie.
 
 13: Tom Shanklin (Wales)
 The gnashing of teeth at this selection will be enough to keep Colgate on a financially sound footing for some years to come. How, we hear you scream, can you leave out Brian O\'Driscoll? Easy. Both centres were in fine form and were streets ahead of the others through the tournament. Who won the showdown in Cardiff? Please view a video of the 56th minute of that match before you write in...
 
 12: Gavin Henson (Wales)
 There might have been others who were better, like Benôit Baby, Gordon D\'Arcy or even David Marty, but we never saw enough of them to know for sure. Gavin gets the nod though, and it is worth stressing gently that all those who detract from Welsh players\' potential to defend against big Islanders come June/July have not paid attention to the immense work that Henson got through in defence. His booming 52-metre penalty in the Ireland match underlined Henson\'s many potential uses.
 
 11: Shane Williams (Wales)
 Got quieter as the tournament went on, but after leaving the French looking at each other, shrugging and asking \'quoi?\' on several occasions in Paris, not to mention the Italians examining thin air and asking \'dove?\', Williams gets the nod. Josh Lewsey would have been worth this place as well, but in the head-to-head in Cardiff Williams was the victor.
 
 10: Stephen Jones (Wales)
 Jonny Wilkinson is no longer the cert for the Lions he was two years ago. There can rarely have been a more accomplished tournament performance from a fly-half. Jones never once looked like choking, even when he was not quite on his game, and always held his nerve to turn things around. Utterly outplayed Ronan O\'Gara, who got so frustrated he was taken off. And please note this, Sir Clive: Jones is capable of running things when the chips are down on his own, without the help of Mike Catt.
 
 9: Dwayne Peel (Wales)
 Seemed to win man-of-the-match honours with the regularity of whale migration, rainfall in an English summer, and profanity issuing forth from Wayne Rooney\'s mouth. We can\'t remember any bad decisions, any bad passes, or any bad runs that he made. A constant thorn in every opponent\'s side with his running and sniping and quick taps and, and, and ... New Zealand have homework to do.
 
 8: Michael Owen (Wales)
 Between Owen and Corry for the No.8 position, especially as both had the captaincy forced upon them half-way through the tournament. It took the edge more off Corry\'s game than Owen\'s. Corry\'s running from the scrums and rucks might have been a shade better, but the number of times Owen popped up in the middle of the park to attack and defend like an extra back gives Owen the edge - again with Kiwi-style rugby in mind.
 
 7: Martyn Williams (Wales)
 Not even a first-choice at the start of the tournament, Williams played out of his skin and ruled the loose in every single Welsh match. Two superb tries against France, countless turnovers and tackles, Williams gave one of the most complete displays of back row play from start to finish.
 
 6: Serge Betsen (France)
 This might have gone to Ryan Jones had he played enough, and Lewis Moody never let his team down, but the statistics speak for themselves. In the England match, Betsen made more than twice as many tackles as any other player on the field, and in every game he was on the top five list of tacklers. Leicester would do well to move heaven and earth to acquire him.
 
 5: Robert Sidoli (Wales)
 Paul O\'Connell and Malcolm O\'Kelly are everybody\'s choice for the Lions tour, and had Steve Thompson been capable of throwing straight for more than half a game at a time there could have been an English name in this slot. Sidoli gets the nod though, with his athletic abilities countering any jumping weakness he might have.
 
 4 Malcolm O\'Kelly (Ireland)
 Ireland\'s most capped player is the foil to Sidoli, and this is a Lions combination worth considering. O\'Kelly is superb at the line-out and in the tight, but is slower around the park. A combination of his solidity and Sidoli\'s agility provides for an excellent second row. Ben Kay and Danny Grewcock both have cases for inclusion, but England\'s line-out was often shaky, and neither was really given the chance to prove themselves.
 
 3: Nicolas Mas (France)
 \"He\'s a big lump,\" said Graham Rowntree about the Perpignan steam-roller, but Mas more than took Rowntree on in \'Le Crunch\' at Twickenham, before destroying Gethin Jenkins in Paris, Reggie Corrigan in Dublin, and Andrea Lo Cicero in Rome. The number of times he popped up in the loose to take balls on at pace underlined the irony in Rowntree\'s words.
 
 2: Shane Byrne (Ireland)
 Performed all hooker duties admirably. Found his line-out jumpers, hooked his put-ins, and was invariably buried at the bottom of every ruck and maul. Steve Thompson was good in the loose, but would not have hit a hippo from half a metre with his throwing on occasions. Mefin Davies was industrious, but never had Byrne\'s assurance or Thompson\'s presence in broken play.
 
 1: Adam Jones (Wales)
 Yes, we know he is a tighthead - but we just had to have him in side - he is a player to be under-estimated at your peril. He scummaged and rucked with elephantine strength and technique, and always came out on top of his opposite number - except for Mas obviously! So many wrote off the Welsh tight five before this tournament as being too lightweight and lacking stamina, but Jones was a transformed man form the huffer and puffer of six months ago. Youth is on his side, and he should be off to New Zealand soon enough.

TommyHowlett · Messaggio da **TommyHowlett** » 21 mar 2005, 14:49

Accettabili entrambe. Ma discorderei leggermente da quella di PR: troppi gallesi, anche se hanno dominato il torneo; ad esempio non avrei inserito nel XV Sidoli e A. Jones (ancorchè ottimi giocatori), e per quanto riguarda Henson, sicura star del futuro immediato, vedrei meglio al suo posto BOD, il cui impatto sul torneo è stato a mio avviso di maggior spessore. Per quanto riguarda gli italiani stendiamo un velo pietoso sui 3/4 che non sono neanche da prendere in considerazione, non tanto per le loro indiscusse qualità individuali (Masi, Nitoglia), quanto per quello che hanno combinato nel torneo, buona la mischia anche se nessuno tranne forse Bortolami, può permettersi quest\'anno di entrare nei suddetti XV, visto il valore degli altri (M. Williams su tutti).

billingham · Messaggio da **billingham** » 21 mar 2005, 17:35

esce anche la squadra ideale dei giornalisti Reuters:
 
 SONDAGGIO: IL GALLESE MARTYN WILLIAMS MIGLIOR GIOCATORE DEL TORNEO
 
 Oggi un sondaggio organizzato dal sito web della Bbc ha indicato il terza linea del Galles Martyn Williams miglior giocatore del torneo, davanti all\'irlandese al capitano dell\'Irlanda Brian O\' Driscoll ed all\'ala gallese Shane Williams terzo.
 
 A fine torneo, ecco intanto la formazione ideale del Sei Nazioni in base ai giudizi espressi dai giornalisti Reuters che hanno seguito gli incontri del Sei Nazioni.
 
 15-Josh Lewsey (Inghilterra); 14-Christophe Dominici (Francia), 13-Brian O\'Driscoll (Irlanda), 12-Tom Shanklin (Galles), 11-Shane Williams (Galles); 10-Stephen Jones (Galles), 9-Dimitri Yachvili (Francia); 8-Martin Corry (Inghilterra), 7-Martyn Williams (Galles), 6-Serge Betsen (Francia), 5-Malcolm O\'Kelly, (Irlanda), 4-Fabien Pelous (Francia, capitano), 3-Sylvain Marconnet (Francia), 2-Sebastien Bruno (Francia), 1-Gethin Jenkins (Galles)
 
 In panchina: 16-Shane Byrne (Irlanda), 17-Andrea Lo Cicero (Italia), 18-Paul O\'Connell (Irlanda), 19-Michael Owen (Galles), 20-Dwayne Peel (Galles), 21-Ronan O\'Gara (Irlanda), 22-Rhys Williams (Galles)
 
 Allenatore: Mike Ruddock (Galles).