2026 Six Nations Team of the Tournament: One England Player Picked

Now that the excitement has begun to settle, it’s time to look back at the standout players who shaped this year’s championship and earned their place in the Team of the Tournament.

Who better to start with than the tournament winner himself? Even without that unforgettable moment in Paris, Ramos was outstanding for France throughout the championship. His goal-kicking was almost flawless, and his playmaking from fullback made him an incredible asset to the team.

He even shifted to fly-half against Italy without missing a step, showing his versatility. Performances like that make him more than deserving of his place in this team.

Nine tries in five games is an extraordinary return at any level, let alone in the Six Nations. Scoring four in the final match alone, the 22-year-old proved to be exactly the type of lethal finisher a team like France needs on the wing.

His pace makes him incredibly difficult to contain, and he has contributed in other areas as well, ranking among the top players for metres gained and showing real strength under the high ball.

Italy will be very pleased with their campaign, even though they stumbled in the final round against Wales. Victories over Scotland and England, including their first-ever win against the latter, highlight what was a highly successful tournament.

At the heart of that success was centre Tommaso Menoncello. Although he mostly featured at inside centre, he takes the outside centre spot here given the strength of options at 12.

A powerful presence with the ball in hand, he ranked among the top five in several carrying statistics and also finished fourth for total jackals, underlining his defensive impact as well as his attacking threat.

McCloskey has been at the heart of everything Ireland have done in this tournament. While they will be devastated to have lost the title in the final minute, there are still plenty of positives to take from a campaign that gathered momentum as it progressed.

With six try assists, the joint most in the tournament, along with the third-highest number of carries, the second-most defenders beaten, and the fifth-most offloads, his influence is clear. It’s no surprise he earns a place in this team. What a player.

It is very hard to leave Theo Attissogbe out of this team, however Scotland's Steyn narrowly edges it, largely due to his performance against France.

Any doubts about him starting over Duhan van der Merwe have been silenced after a few talismanic displays, where he showed some great carrying and aerial work, making him an ideal winger for any side. Three tries is not a bad haul at all, especially when considering his work elsewhere.

There was naturally plenty of competition at fly-half, with the main contenders being Finn Russell and France’s Matthieu Jalibert. Leaving Jalibert out may feel a little harsh, but France’s attacking system arguably makes it easier for a fly-half to flourish in that role.

Russell, meanwhile, guided Scotland to one of their most positive Six Nations campaigns in a long time, perhaps ever, producing moments of brilliant playmaking along the way. He was central to much of their attacking success, and because of the influence he had on his side, he earns his place in the team.

It would have been easy to include Antoine Dupont here, as he was once again hugely influential, but by his own high standards he was perhaps a little quieter than usual. While Dupont’s kicking game stood out, Gibson-Park offered slightly more around the field, particularly in the match against England.

It may be a harsh call on the Frenchman, but in this case JGP just edges it.

One of the most likeable players in the entire tournament, he was a standout performer for Wales and was rewarded with a victory over Italy on the final day. Scoring three tries, including that brilliant effort against Ireland, is an impressive return for a prop.

Wales’ scrum also functioned very effectively throughout the campaign, and as a key figure in the front row, he played a central role in that success.

Focusing on a hooker’s core responsibility, the lineout, Nicotera stands out, finishing with the joint-most successful lineout throws alongside Jamie George. Compared to George, however, he contributed a bit more around the field and played a bigger role in a front-row unit that performed very well throughout the tournament.

Although he missed the final round through injury, Ferrari can be proud of the impact he made across the tournament.

He was excellent at the scrum and consistently performed his role to a very high standard, matching or bettering every prop he faced. Had he been available against Wales, Italy’s result might well have been different.

Strong in the air and recording the second-highest number of successful tackles in the tournament, Jenkins played a key role in securing Wales’ set-piece and contributed a lot of vital, often unnoticed work across the field.

While this year’s Six Nations didn’t feature many standout lock performances, Jenkins clearly distinguished himself in his position.

Flament’s two lineout steals put him level at the top of this stat, but his inclusion also reflects the strength of France’s forward pack as a whole, who delivered consistently solid performances even if they didn’t always grab the headlines.

There seems to be nothing Beirne can’t do. Whether playing in the second row or at blindside flanker, the Ireland standout is crucial to Andy Farrell’s side.

He matched Flament for lineout steals, led the tournament in jackals and turnovers won, and was among the top tacklers. His relentless work rate provided a solid platform for the rest of his team to build on.

Interestingly, aside from lineout steals, the stats where Beirne excelled were the same areas in which Darge led the tournament, all crucial for a strong back row. With a higher tackle success rate, his 74 tackles are even more impressive.

He delivered a strong performance for Scotland and put in a huge amount of hard work throughout the campaign.

One of the few England players who can look back on the Six Nations with pride, Earl’s performances are even more impressive given the struggles of the team around him at times.

His ball-carrying was exceptional, consistently taking contact and gaining significant metres to drive his team forward. He also contributed heavily off the ball, proving why he’s regarded as one of the world’s top back-rowers.