Six Nations news: A combined 23-man rugby dream team

The pinnacle of Northern Hemisphere rugby is just around the corner.

France and Wales kick off the Six Nations under the Friday night lights in Paris on January 31, 8:15 pm UK time.

The opening weekend also features title outsiders Scotland host Italy, and England take on a daunting away challenge at the Aviva Stadium.

In this article, Sports News Blitz’s rugby union writer Luke Ebden crafts a combined 23-man squad, drawing from each of the six squads (but do all Six Nations feature?)...

Framework for picks

I have selected in each position (1-23), the best player, in my opinion, from the entire pool of Six Nations talent.

The distribution of players across nations provides a snapshot of which teams appear strongest heading into the tournament.

Players who are Injured, suspended and ineligible - such as Gael Fickou, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Jack Willis - are excluded from consideration.

While current form holds the most weight, historical performances and pedigree are also factored in.

When it comes to the bench, I haven’t simply gone for the second-best players in each position.

Rugby is a 23-man game, and the bench serves a distinct purpose.

Certain players like South African’s Kwagga Smith, even thrive as bench specialists.

This is why this is a 23-man squad, not just a Starting XV as you may see elsewhere.

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Starting XV

1. Andrew Porter

Andrew Porter has established himself as a seasoned international loose-head, with 72 caps.

He looks in line to be the Number 1 for the British and Irish Lions in the summer.

His all-round game is outstanding - Porter’s work rate around the park sets him apart, and his ball-carrying prowess is second to none, with 37 carries in last year’s Six Nations alone.

He is also an exceptional scrummager. This was especially evident last year in South Africa, where he more than held his weight against the best pack in World Rugby.

This was a very close call with Pierre Schoeman also a phenomenal loose-head prop. Danilo Fischetti of Italy and Cyril Baille of France are also worth a mention.

2. Dan Sheehan

Dan Sheehan is a top-tier hooker - arguably one of if not the best set-piece hookers in the world.

His lineout darts are always absolutely ace, and around the park he almost functions as a back-rower.

The Irish man is the epitome of the modern-day hooker.

Not all of the decisions in the article were close, but this one certainly was.

Peato Mauvaka is a world-class hooker, brilliant especially over the ball, and very unlucky not to be in my team.

3. Zander Fagerson

Zander Fagerson is a class act and certainly a level above the rest in the competition.

The Glasgow Warriors tight-head is criminally underrated in my opinion.

He is a great scrummager - the most important aspect of a tight-heads game - and offers a good amount around the park.

He is also an excellent defensive unit, with 57 tackles in last year's tournament.

Uini Atonio is still a very good tighthead, though I think Fagerson has now surpassed him.

I’m not sure if we’ll see the Tadhg Furlong of old again.

With it being a British and Irish Lions year though, you never know. However, on recent form, I have to give this one to the Scotsman.

4. Maro Itoje

Maro Itoje has been at the very top level for a long time now, and is finally fulfilling the role of England captain many tipped him to have many years ago.

The last 12 months have been a return to Itoje’s very best form.

He will need a big championship to give England any chance of winning.

Italy’s set-piece maestro Federico Ruzza, Scotland’s ever-present Grant Gilchrist, France’s Fantasy rugby hero Thibaud Flament, Welsh youngster Dafydd Jenkins and young Irish talent Joe McCarthy also deserve mentions here, all are high-class locks.

Still, Itoje is one of the best of his generation and a step above all of them.

5. Tadhg Beirne

Tadhg Beirne is the perfect second-row/flanker hybrid.

He’s a serious player, incredible offensively and defensively at set-piece time.

His work around the park, similar to Sheehan's, emulates that of a back-rower - his 25 ruck cleanouts last championship shows this.

For the first time in this article, there’s not really much competition here.

Scott Cummings’s injury for Scotland is unfortunate as he’d have had a shot at making this team.

Emmanuel Meafou is also a monstrous player, though he is very early on in his career. For me, Beirne was the clear winner here.

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6. Caelan Doris

But, he’s not a blindside flanker?

Ok - I’ve slightly cheated with this one by shunting Caelan Doris to the flank, where he has played a few times in the past.

However, Doris and my Number 8 choice were both undroppable.

Besides, no one else particularly jumped out to me at 6, now that Charles Ollivon is injured.

Matt Fagerson and Sebastian Negri are two names that come to mind, but neither of them really trouble the two in the team.

Doris is the Irish captain and forward talisman. He was in more attacking and defensive rucks than any Irishman last year.

He is also their main ball carrier, carrying more metres than any Irish forward.

The likely Lions captain had to be in my team somewhere.

7. Josh van der Flier

The former World Player of the Year is right back at the very top of his game.

For me, the best openside in the world, Josh van der Flier is just a menace at every breakdown - in attack and defence.

Francois Cros, Jac Morgan and Rory Darge are all good options, but Van der Flier is the clear one for me.

8. Gregory Alldritt

Shunting Caelan Doris to 6 allowed me to get the French Number 8, Gregory Alldritt, in.

The La Rochelle man has been a constant for France for a while now.

The stand-in captain last year had a subpar championship along with his side.

However, he has consistently proved why he is one of the best in his position in the world - and certainly France’s best forward.

He came back into form in November and has been playing well for his club side La Rochelle.

If France are to overcome their tricky fixture list and regain the Six Nations from Ireland, this man playing and leading well is essential.

A shout out to Jack Dempsey and Ben Earl too, who are both phenomenal rugby players.

9. Antoine Dupont

He. Is. The. Best. Player. In. The. World.

An absolute rugby freak, Antoine Dupont is the first name in my - and everybody’s - squad.

Gibson-Park is a very unlucky man, a world-class 9 who is overshadowed day in day out by one of the best players ever.

10. Finn Russell

Some may think this is a tricky pick, but there was only one man for me (and I’m a massive Quins fan!)

Finn Russell is a creative genius, and I absolutely love his expansive style - he kicked over 30 more times from hand than any other player last championship, showing his ability to spread the width and create little openings.

His goal-kicking has greatly improved over the last couple of years, and he has also developed into a leader - he goes into this tournament as co-captain.

Russell oozes class and quality in all aspects of the game and is the key conductor of a well-oiled Scottish side.

I don’t quite see what others do in Paolo Garbisi - I find him a bit erratic.

Crowley is a young and blooming 10, as is Prendergast behind him.

Ntamack is a very solid option, though he hasn’t played consistently for a while now.

As hard as it is, I’ve put my bias towards Marcus Smith aside, a phenomenal 10 who can create something from nothing.

Russell is just one step up, and surely the Lions 10.

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11. James Lowe

This was the hardest decision of the day for me.

James Lowe just edges out Bielle-Biarrey, though Duhan van der Merwe and even Monty Ioane also gave me a massive headache for a while.

All 4 are top quality.

However, Lowe is just central to everything Ireland does. He regularly comes off his wing looking for work, and his left boot is a valuable asset for Ireland.

On top of all of that, the winger scores bucketloads of tries, managing four last year in the Six Nations.

With the Lions on the horizon, Lowe will be eager to reach similar numbers again and tie down the Number 11 shirt.

12. Tommaso Menoncello

Last year’s Player of the Championship is a class act.

Tommaso Menoncello is a cracking centre, even occasionally playing on the wing.

He didn’t top any chart in particular in the data but was consistently high across all categories.

The Italian’s all-round performance won him the award.

In what was a breakthrough year for the young centre, he was phenomenal in all aspects of the game - thoroughly deserving his place in my team, as the only Italian representative.

Bundee Aki is unlucky - he was in the Team of the Tournament last year and has been nothing but class for a long time now.

Sione Tuipulotu might have challenged for this place if he were not injured.

13. Garry Ringrose

Garry Ringrose missed almost all of the tournament last year.

Despite this, he came roaring back in the latter half of 2024, playing an influential role in the famous win in South Africa - before dominating in November, particularly defensively.

Huw Jones and Juan Ignacio Brex are unfortunate to miss out here.

I’ll also mention Ollie Lawrence at this point as his real position is 13. He is a good player, but not above the others.

Gael Fickou would have caused me a serious headache if not for injury.

14. Damian Penaud

Damian Penaud - The best winger in the Northern Hemisphere, and a try-scoring machine. Another one of the first names in my team.

Penaud was a shining light last year for France in the Six Nations when his side were poor by comparison.

Penaud has 36 tries for France, only three away now from outright claiming the French record, which he will hope to do in this Championship.

Similar to Lowe, Penaud is hungry for the ball.

The Bordeaux winger often goes looking for work, which elevates him as a winger.

Mack Hansen and Darcy Graham are top players and the only real question marks I had in this position - though spare a thought for Tommy Freeman, who had a mixed breakthrough year - and the returning Josh Adams for Wales.

Kyle Steyn is a class act, and arguably Scotland’s best winger. However, his injury rules him out of this list.

But Penaud is something else.

15. Blair Kinghorn

Blair Kinghorn is probably my most contentious pick.

Thomas Ramos - as you’ll know if you read my Fantasy Rugby article - and Hugo Keenan are brilliant players.

Capuozzo for Italy is the flair 15, though has been in and out through injury. Freddie Steward even is brilliant in some aspects of being a 15.

But I’m going for Kinghorn. Why?

The Toulouse full-back is arguably Scotland’s best player, even ahead of Russell.

His versatility is a huge plus - he can play at 10 and even on the wing.

He has electric pace and a great rugby brain. Kinghorn’s also really taken on the mantra from Stuart Hogg in that Scotland 15 shirt.

You could pick any out of four of five options here really, but I’m going for Kinghorn.

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Replacements

These players are regular substitutes, who have massive roles to play for their respective countries.

They have enormous impacts on games and often allow their teams to get over the line.

I’ve gone with a 6:2 split, rather than a traditional 5:3.

All six nations have an out-and-out 10, who will play 80 minutes - or should anyway (take note Steve Borthwick!).

Therefore, a backup 10 is wasted on most teams, and having an extra forward is much more beneficial.

16. Julian Marchand

Mauvaka’s fellow Toulouse hooker is my first pick for the bench.

Interestingly, the roles of these two are actually reversed at club level, with Marchand starting and Mauvaka finishing.

Just how it used to be for France.

However, the defensive prowess of Marchand makes him an ideal finisher, a role he does brilliantly for France.

His set-piece is also really solid, allowing him to get his side through the final few minutes - and that’s why he gets my Number 16 shirt.

17. Cian Healy

I’ve gone for the experience here.

Ireland’s most capped player, Cian Healy, has been an ever-present for Ireland for years now.

Even at 37 years of age, he is still going toe-to-toe with the best tight-heads in the business.

He doesn’t get too many minutes these days due to Porter’s excellence, but when he does he is solid and consistent.

I might have been a bit harsh here (and I’m certainly having second thoughts whilst writing) on the only other competition, Jean-Baptiste Gros, but I’m sticking with my gut and Healy.

18. Finlay Bealham

This was the easiest pick I’ve had all day.

Finlay Bealham is a mile above all the other bench tight-heads and is good enough to start for at least half of the other teams in the tournament.

He has become accustomed to the bench behind Furlong, though, and has been immense from it for some time.

I will add a mention for Asher Opoku-Fordjour here, who is a young up-and-coming explosive English prop.

I think he’ll have a major role to play from the bench - tight or loose head - for England this tournament.

19. Romain Taofifenua

Romain Taofifenua - the first name I thought of when I decided to expand this article from 15 to 23.

He’s that good.

Taofifenua is a monstrous lock and has created a monumental impact off the bench game after game for France for some time.

His ability over the ball is insane - go back to 2023 and he got the joint-most breakdown steals.

He only played four games - all from the bench.

James Ryan would also make for a solid pick, but no one was coming close to the Frenchman.

20. Ryan Baird

Ryan Baird is another name that quickly came to mind.

Baird is a class act, and I’m taking him as a versatile second and back row, though the latter is more likely.

He’s another one of those players who is always on the bench.

The Irishman is an ever-present there and comes on and wins his collisions, makes his tackles, and gets his team over the line.

I can’t fault him. He has to make my 23.

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21. Chandler Cunningham-South

Yes I know, Chandler Cunningham-South started a lot last year, but bear with me.

At club level, he is often deployed from the bench by Quins. This is because he barely plays a full 80.

Bringing a 6’4”, 120kg man mountain off the bench is quite a scary feat.

Given the return of Ollie Chessum and the addition of Ted Hill to the squad, I predict Borthwick may utilise Cunningham-South’s bench explosiveness, especially against the stronger opposition.

Cunningham-South was unopposed for the Number 21 jersey in my team

22. George Horne

I really highly rate George Horne as a 9. He should arguably be starting for Scotland but has been confined to the bench for now.

He brings so much pace and creativity from the bench and really helps to keep the pace of Scotland’s attack up in the closing stages of a game.

He’ll be a big player for Scotland this year.

Maxime Lucu was probably the closest to troubling Horne for the position, but never really that close - though the Bordeaux captain is a great player.

23. Robbie Henshaw

Finally, we come to Robbie Henshaw - a world-class centre who would start for almost every other Northern Hemisphere nation, and he even has the versatility to cover the wing.

Henshaw is practically interchangeable with the main Irish centres - there is no drop-off in quality when he comes on.

Yoram Moefana is another great option, though he looks set to start for France this championship.

A reasonably straightforward selection to end.

Concluding thoughts

The Starting XV features seven Irishmen, three Frenchmen, three Scots, an Englishman and an Italian.

The bench has four Irishmen, two Frenchmen and an Englishman.

This aligns with my prediction that Ireland will complete the three-peat, winning their third title on the bounce.

Their starting XV is so good in so many areas.

But their bench depth is what will win them the title for me - their ability to outlast the opposition with their high-class subs is frightening.

It also shows the concerning state Welsh rugby find themselves in at the moment.

Five years ago, a similar article would have been Welsh-dominated.

The closest person to my team was Jac Morgan, who will need a big tournament to stop Wales from claiming a second consecutive Wooden Spoon.

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Luke Ebden

Luke Ebden is Sports News Blitz’s rugby union writer, and also loves darts - although he’s not a fan of Luke Littler.

Luke is at Loughborough University and follows England rugby, while also being a fan of Liverpool and Fantasy Football.

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