Top 10 Players of Round 1 of the 2019 Guinness Six Nations

That was the best opening weekend to a Six Nations. I want you to challenge me on that because I’ve tried and tried and just can’t think of a year with so many heart-in-mouth moments and such excitement and drama and with so many plot twists.

It has been an unbelievable weekend and I can’t wait for the next, but we’ve got a while until then, so here are ten players I thought stood out from the crowd this weekend, who we can all really look forward to watching in round two. 

Call him opportunistic, call him a poacher for tries, call him lucky. Whatever you call him, you can’t deny that his performance this weekend won the game for Wales. Man of the match North bagged a double after an horrific spill from Yoann Huget and an outrageous interception in the closing stages, and these two moments were the stand out highlights of the weekend. Time felt like it slowed watching the ball sail into North’s hands for his second score, and the roar of the few Welsh fans who survived the commuting hell was one of utter relief and joy. Warren Gatland said his side had forgotten how to lose after their match, and he really isn’t wrong, because North seriously dragged them from the abyss with his second half showing.

On the flip side to North’s stunning performance, credit must be given where it’s due, and Louis Picamoles really deserves a mention after Friday night. The number eight was everywhere, dominating the breakdown, crunching the Welsh with some massive hits, and even scored a superb try of his own. His performance proved exactly why he should never have been left out of the France squad, because a number eight who can tick all of the above is worth a hell of a lot to a national side. The battle of Billy Vunipola and Picamoles this weekend will be worth a very close watch; expect a head on bus collision between those two. 

Edinburgh’s biggest rising star had the game of his life this weekend. First of all, not only did he score Scotland’s first ever Six Nations hat-trick, but he scored his country’s first since Iwan Takulo in 1989. That is seriously impressive stuff, but the winger isn’t going to slow down any time soon. Second of all, his performance eased concerns around filling the gap the absence of Sean Maitland leaves. His defensive display did the job and it only gave Gregor Townsend a headache for when it comes to picking one of the two. Since making his debut in last years famous Calcutta Cup win, Kinghorn has blossomed into a regular member of Scotland’s highly competitive backline, and his added kicking ability only adds an extra blessing to the squad. His task next week might be monumental against Jacob Stockdale and Keith Earls, but he showed us how to do it last year. 

27 tackles. 27 reasons why Mark Wilson has become a pivotal part of the England back row. His work rate is remarkable, and this was the kind record setting beast that was required to face the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and CJ Stander. I appreciate Mako equalled that statistic, but Wilson has taken his call up and cherished it and made every opportunity count since bursting onto the scene in November. And with every run out he gets, he just gets better and better. His ability at the breakdown, and his ground coverage are only improving, and I can quite easily seeing this man have a key role in Japan in September. 

For a player who’s been pretty much out of the game for two months, Ross had the game of his life in Paris last weekend. Despite the shambolic Welsh performance, Moriarty proved to be a diamond in the rough for his team, and his return to the international scene was nothing shy of dominant. The prospect of him improving as the tournament goes on can only be exciting for Wales fans, as Moriarty provides a boost to arguably the strongest back rows in the tournament. Imagine if they still had Sam Warburton and Ellis Jenkins to team up with him.

The long awaited debut finally came last weekend and Johnson was outstanding for Scotland to say the least. His attacking partnership with Finn Russell was superb, he didn’t miss a single tackle, and made a key turnover to add to an already impressive defensive display. For centres, that’s a pretty strong way to debut, but with Scotland’s troubles at centre, it’s become apparent they need to find the right pairing quickly. But the pairing of Johnson and Huw Jones might just be the cure, as their first run out together in Scotland colours was outstanding. An in-form Jones is lethal, but put him with Johnson at the top of his game, and who knows how many tries this Scotland team could end up bagging?

Remember that earlier comment about North poaching tries? I know someone who loves a good game of one up. Slade rewrote the meaning of opportunistic, and who ever thought it would be a blunder from the World Player of the Year who would provide the opportunity. Slade never had that wonder of a break in an England shirt, as his 2015 run was amidst England’s darkest hour. But now he appears to be in the fabric as he shows greater potential than Jonathan Joseph and Alex Lozowski. If Jacques Brunel goes for Mathieu Bastareaud next weekend, that could well be his undoing, so here’s to seeing how Slade goes over the coming weeks. 

The Finn Russell we all know and love to watch has entered the building. Watching him at Racing 92, we’ve seen some sensational assists, such as the cross field kick to Simon Zebo in the Champions Cup last month. Last Saturday, lightning struck twice with Kinghorn the receiver in this situation. Russell’s vision for tries is out of this world, and his ability to seek out a score with little or no warning has made for some of the most exciting rugby in Scotland in years. However not every time has this magic worked it’s wonders, so let’s see how Ireland try and control the man pulling the strings next weekend. 

It was a tough day at the office for Ireland, losing their first home match in the Six Nations since 2013. However there was light at the end of the tunnel, and that light came in the form of an in-form Cian Healy. His scrummaging was causing Kyle Sinckler issues for England, and his try was equally as impressive, but for Ireland fans it’ll be tricky to pick out positives from the game after the crushing disappointment of losing their opener. But nevertheless, a defeat can’t deny the form Healy is currently in, and he will be one of the many who look to avenge their first round humbling. 

Some things in life are certain. Death, taxes, and Stuart Hogg running an astonishing line to score a wonder. Hogg looked back to his best last weekend and the full back was in fine form which will have fans north of the border rejoicing during such a vital year. The last season has been plagued with injuries and now that the hoodoo appears to be no more, and the scores are coming in and they’re coming in fast. One last record for the day came from the man himself who bagged the 500th Scotland try at Murrayfield, and equalled Tommy Seymour’s count of 19. There’s just no telling when this man will stop stealing the show.