We select a starting XV of players that stood out from the rest during the third round of the 2025 Six Nations.
Front rankers: Ellis Genge (England), Peato Mauvaka (France) and WillGriff John (Wales)
Genge had Zander Fagerson’s number at scrumtime in what was a key set piece battle in London, and also put in nine tackles on defence. John was rock solid in the scrum, putting Andrew Porter under all kinds of pressure, and also finished with 10-tackles. Mauvaka scored a try and hit 11 from 11 at the lineout, while also winning a turnover for the French.
Second row: Maro Itoje (England) and Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)
This partnership gets the nod for the third successive week. The captaincy responsibility is obviously doing Itoje a world of good, and he again led from the front for England with 13-tackles and three turnovers. Beirne made 15-tackles in a characteristically busy and bustling game in the engine room.
Back row: Jamie Ritchie (Scotland), Jac Morgan (Wales) and Taulupe Faletau (Wales)
Ritchie was a monster for the Scots, carrying for 11-metres, making a clean break, three turnovers and nine tackles. One try, 21-carry metres and 14-tackles for Dragons skipper Morgan while the great Faletau could easily have been Man of the Match on another day after carrying and defending like a demon all day long.
Halfbacks: Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland) and Fin Smith (England)
Gibson-Park continues to enhance his status as one of the best modern Ireland No 9s in another MOTM display against Wales in which he assisted a try, won a turnover and kicked superbly. 16-tackles for a flyhalf is a staggering stat, but it shows just what Smith is made of in that first receiver channel. Another stunning game from the man who just may sneak his way onto Andy Farrell’s plane to Australia in a few months’ time.
Honourable mention: Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos (both France)
Midfield: Yoram Moefana (France) and Huw Jones (Scotland)
Moefana carried for 70-metres, assisted a try and flung four offloads in the French midfield. Jones loves himself a try, and he duly dotted down on Saturday in an influential midfield showing that also included 36-metres in the carry and one clean break.
Back three: Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Theo Attissogbe (France) and Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)
Man of the Match in the Calcutta Cup clash, van der Merwe again saved his best game for England, racking up a try, 88-carry metres and two clean breaks and generally looking unstoppable in contact. Attissogbe dotted down once, made three clean breaks, 74-metres with ball in hand and 10-tackles on the right wing. Kinghorn was all class at the back and should be the leading fullback contender for the B&I Lions following a performance that saw him carry for 126-metres, assist a try and make three clean breaks.
Honourable mention: Leo Barre (France)
