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Six Nations team of the week: The top performers as England respond and Wales claim successive wins

Five countries are represented after round two of the 2021 Six Nations; four England players included after six-try victory over Italy; Scotland and Wales also well represented after Murrayfield thriller; two players apiece from Ireland and France

England's Jonny May scores a try during the Six Nations rugby union international match between England and Italy at Twickenham Stadium in London, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)..

There were a host of impressive performers during round two of the Six Nations but who has made it into our team of the week?

England returned to winning ways against Italy while Wales once again came from behind to beat 14 men as they triumphed at Murrayfield.

Ireland began a Six Nations with back-to-back losses for the first time after coming up short against France, who sit top of the table after consecutive away wins.

15. Stuart Hogg (Scotland)

Stuart Hogg attacks for Scotland

He did not have it all his way in Edinburgh as his side fell to a 25-24 defeat, but the Scotland skipper scored twice for a good individual showing.

The Exeter full-back made 113 metres from his 11 carries, beating six defenders and making three clean breaks.

14. Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales)

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Louis Rees-Zammit scores for Wales

One of the easier decisions of the weekend, with Rees-Zammit already sparking conversations about being a Lions bolter after less than four months of Test rugby. The winger scored two tries against Scotland, the second of which proved to be the match-winner.

A word of course for the attacking threat of Anthony Watson, who scored two tries against Italy, and Darcy Graham who nearly matched the ball-carrying stats of his team-mate Hogg.

13. Garry Ringrose (Ireland)

14 February 2021; Garry Ringrose of Ireland is tackled by Cyril Baille of France during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and France at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Ireland are struggling for creativity at the moment but it is not for the lack of trying by Ringrose, who was their most dangerous attacker against France.

The Leinster centre made three line breaks, all through heavy traffic, and racked up 93 metres from 11 carries.

12. Gael Fickou (France)

Fickou marshalled the French defence superbly, making 10 tackles and missing none as they won in Dublin for the first time in a decade.

The 26-year-old did not have as many opportunities in attack as he would have liked but he made them count, creating the opening try when he nonchalantly collected Matthieu Jalibert's wayward pass and sucked in two Ireland defenders before offloading to his unmarked skipper Charles Ollivon.

11. Jonny May (England)

Though the legality of the try is being debated, there is no questioning the impressive nature of May's finish as he moved out to outright second in England's all-time tryscorer list with his 32nd score on Saturday.

The winger made 70 metres with ball in hand from his 12 carries and also made six tackles as Eddie Jones' side registered their first win of the 2021 Six Nations.

10. Finn Russell (Scotland)

russell

Russell was not able to deliver the win in Edinburgh but he was part of so much that was good about Scotland's attack.

His offloads and changes in attacking lanes are turning Scotland into one of the more entertaining teams to watch.

Russell also slotted all four of his kicks at goal in the Scottish capital, but it's his work with ball in hand that will make his battle with Matthieu Jalibert in Scotland's next Six Nations assignment in Paris a mouth-watering one.

9. Ali Price (Scotland)

Scotland scrum-half Ali Price (PA image)

Antoine Dupont again impressed in Dublin but he is edged out by Price, who did his Lions chances no harm with a fine display against Wales.

Price's pinpoint kick over the top played in Darcy Graham for the opening try and he kept the Wales defence guessing throughout, although his decision to kick the ball away late on will be a source of regret.

1. Wyn Jones (Wales)

The loosehead was effective at scrum time, but was brilliant in the loose. After shaking off the effects of Zander Fagerson's clearout, Jones scored a try to put Wales ahead late in the game before Rees-Zammit sealed it for the visitors.

He also made 14 tackles in Edinburgh - Taulupe Faletau was the only Welsh player to register more tackles in the game - as well as six carries to go with his efforts in the set-piece.

2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (England)

Luke Cowan-Dickie carries strongly for England

Cowan-Dickie was successful with all five of his lineout throws in what was his first Six Nations start, and made an impact in open play to go with it.

The Exeter forward carried 13 times - joint top for England on the day - beating four defenders in the process, and also put in five tackles.

3. Kyle Sinckler (England)

Kyle Sinckler produced a superb perfomance for England

According to the commentators, Sinckler looked a little bored ahead of a scrum late in the game at Twickenham, and that's probably because he was enjoying life in the loose more than the set-piece.

The tighthead prop matched his hooker with 13 carries on the day, and also made four tackles on Italian ball carriers.

The 27-year-old has now won 44 England caps since making his debut in 2016 and is fast becoming integral to Eddie Jones' team.

4. Iain Henderson (Ireland)

Iain Henderson

Henderson shone in his first game as Ireland captain and caused panic in the France defence with an early charge-down on Brice Dulin.

The Ulsterman excelled in the set-piece as Ireland dismantled France's lineout and was a fingertip away from a steal on the opposition five-metre line after expertly telegraphing a long throw.

Henderson worked his socks off in defence, making 10 tackles and a couple of excellent ball strips. Was not on the pitch for France's second try after a nasty clash of heads with Cian Healy.

5. Jonny Hill (England)

The Exeter Chief scored one try and created another as England returned to winning ways.

Hill burrowed over from close range for his first England try after Italy had taken a surprise early lead, and then threw a lovely pass for the first of Anthony Watson's two touchdowns.

6. Charles Ollivon (France)

Charles Ollivon of France scores the first try of the game

There were two outstanding displays by opensides this week so we are shifting the France skipper across to the No 6 shirt.

Ollivon steadied the French lineout after some early jitters, claiming seven throws, while he also shone in defence with a team-leading 19 tackles.

Was on the receiving end of some wondrous attacking play to score the opening try, which was no less than his performance deserved.

7. Hamish Watson (Scotland)

An exhausted Hamish Watson after the game

Flanker is going to be one of the most hotly-contested positions for the Lions tour, and Watson is doing a good job of putting his hand up for a spot.

He carried 10 times at Murrayfield, but it was his work off the ball that impressed.

The 29-year-old made 18 tackles and effected two turnovers as he continually made a nuisance of himself at the breakdown in a tough battle against his opposite number Justin Tipuric.

8. Taulupe Faletau (Wales)

Wales' Taulupe Faletau (right) is tackled by Scotland's Blade Thomson (left) and Fraser Brown during the Guinness Six Nations match at Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli.

The only person at Murrayfield to make more tackles than Watson was Faletau, who was responsible for 19 in total.

The No 8 also topped the Welsh charts for carries with 11; a workmanlike shift from the British and Irish Lion.

Running Faletau close was CJ Stander, who made 18 carries in Dublin, once again putting his hand up to do the tough carrying for Ireland.

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