Now the dust has settled on an enthralling Six Nations Championship, The Cardiffian presents the best XV of tournament (and yes it does include Sam Warburton). Also, vote on your player of the tournament in our poll at the bottom of the page.
Full back: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales) – reliable as ever with the boot, his ferocious tackling means Leigh (pictured) is still a force to be reckoned with and his unerring place-kicking secured a third successive defeat of France.
Wing: Yoann Huget (France) – the winger has attracted his fair share of controversy in the past but his ability to wriggle through a tackle meant he was a danger throughout the tournament.
Outside centre: Jonathan Joseph (England) – arguably the player of the tournament, Bath centre Joseph finished as top try scorer with four and England were lucky that Manu Tuilagi’s injury handed him a start.
Inside centre: Robbie Henshaw (Ireland) – Ireland’s flying centre was also their top tackler and his vital try against England was the deciding score of the tournament.
Wing: Jack Nowell (England) – brought in to replace Jonny May, the winger powered to three tries in three games and played magnificently in their gallant victory over France.
Fly half: George Ford (England) – another young Bath back brought in by coach Stuart Lancaster, the 22-year-old dictates play with his passing and sneaks in the team ahead of Ireland’s Jonny Sexton.
Scrum half: Rhys Webb (Wales) – Wales’s no 9 (pictured)had a fantastic tournament from start to finish, beginning with a try against England and finishing with a masterful performance in Rome.
Loosehead Prop: Joe Marler (England) – brilliant in the loose for England in the absence of Lions’ star Alex Corbisiero, he was the rock on which a solid English scrum was built.
Hooker: Scott Baldwin (Wales) – sensational since replacing Richard Hibbard in Paris when many were questioning Gatland’s decision but justified his selection with three faultless performances.
Tighthead Prop: Mike Ross (Ireland) – the Irish tighthead (pictured) enjoyed a solid tournament and his ferocious, powerful, scrummaging makes him one of the best.
Lock: Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) – how to describe this man? The greatest accolade you can give him is the fact he would get in every XV in world rugby without question.
Lock: Paul O’Connell (Ireland) – the grand old man of Irish rugby had another tournament to remember and was tremendous at the breakdown for the eventual champions.
Blindside flanker: Peter O’Mahony (Ireland) – the undisputed “find” of the last couple of years, the Munsterman is a street fighting flanker and could be a future Lions captain.
Openside flanker: Sam Warburton (Wales) – who else? The embodiment of Welsh determination against Italy and his calmness and serenity in the high-pressured moments make him a true champion.
No 8: Billy Vunipola (England) – a human battering ram of a man, it is scary to think he is just 22 years old and if he continues on the same trajectory, he could be the world’s best at no 8.
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