Stuart Barnes reflects on an incredible Six Nations finale and picks his team of the tournament

Stuart Barnes reflects on an incredible Six Nations finale and picks his team of the tournament...

A confession, I am still feeling exhausted after Saturday’s stirring events. And I was only in the Twickenham press box. A day of high drama as European rugby showed itself capable of playing rugby the positive way. 

In that press box a few colleagues thought the day some sort of riposte to Steve Hansen’s accusation that rugby was getting pretty boring.

In the defence of the All Blacks coach, what he saw the weekend he was in Europe (France v Wales and Ireland v England) was hardly the feast of ambitious attacking rugby served up Saturday. It didn’t prove Hansen wrong though. Had the tournament been like this instead of the mediocre fare it indeed had been he wouldn’t have said as he did, now would he?

The weekend reminded me of that magical match between South Africa and New Zealand in 2013 when the Springboks needed a bonus-point win at Ellis Park against New Zealand to win the Rugby Championship. The game opened up and one of the great games of the professional era unfolded in front of our dazzled eyes.

It felt like that at Twickenham. Ninety points, 11 tries and where were all those Northern Hemisphere critics of so called 'basketball’ rugby? It turned out that when the Old World indulged itself we rather enjoyed ourselves.

More significantly I suspect that the need for tries may have forced a few of these teams into places they were in no great hurry to visit. Wales, Ireland and England had to stop thinking conservatively about the threat posed by markedly inferior teams and ended up belting those teams by margins usually associated with New Zealand on their autumn tours.

From the ashes of defeat at Twickenham (France) can re-emerge as at least credible outsiders for the World Cup.

There was power, ambition and pace from the three winning sides and France, who despite leaking a half century of points, rediscovered that certain style that had been buried under Philippe Saint-Andre. From the ashes of defeat at Twickenham they can re-emerge as at least credible outsiders for the World Cup.

Ireland appear favourites for the French group and if France do finish second they will probably face New Zealand, a country they have a great World Cup record against in Europe. By full time on Saturday, even as Ireland were being rightly applauded for their successful defence of the title, minds were moving inexorably towards the autumn.

World Cup contenders

Mark Ireland, England and Wales as legitimate contenders for the World Cup; mark the England, Australia and Wales pool as the most exciting in the history of the game. As a denouement it was a great day, as Europe’s last big international day before September it was the perfect advertisement for the game. If there were tickets left for many World Cup games before Saturday there will not be now.

As for the teams, Ireland unleashed Sean O’Brien and Joe Schmidt showed the world he is of course more than a pure percentage coach. Ireland will be better again come the World Cup and with a quarter final against Argentina should Ireland top their pool, the winners of England, Wales or Australia’s pool are highly likely to be their semi-final barrier to a first final.

What Europe would give for a semi-final between England/Wales and Ireland, with South Africa and New Zealand fighting out the other semi (although it would be typical of Australia to finish runners up and shock the Springboks at quarter final stage)?

Wales have to banish the mental demons. They have a terrible record against the Wallabies and whatever Warren Gatland says, the knowledge that you know you can beat your opponent - whereas they do not - counts in a tight game, and who thinks this match will be anything but tight? If Wales can bury those demons they are a threat. They have some great players and the core of a team that really should have made the final four years ago.

England have home advantage which is worth plenty as long as they can handle the pressure. They have strength in depth and the growing genius of George Ford at fly-half. His combination at half-back with Ben Youngs has elevated England’s attacking intent in the last few matches.

Alas for Italy and Scotland, for all the kind and encouraging words spoken and written, both sides lack penetration and sufficient strength to be anything but a nuisance when the more powerful countries turn their full power on them. Italy can scrum but that can only last so long and take them so far, while Scotland lack the ballast to live with teams like Ireland.

Scotland’s clash with Samoa at pool stage looks like the quarter-final eliminator for the right to face the winners of the England/Wales/Australia pool. Italy look destined again for early elimination at the hands of Ireland and France.

Team of the tournament

Finally a team of the tournament over which this rugby community can argue: Joe Marler, Guilhem Guirado, Dan Cole,  Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O’Connell (special mention for Courtney Lawes who only played two games. He is my idea of a World Cup superstar), Peter O’Mahony, Sam Warburton (special mention for Blair Cowan, outstanding on the back foot), Taulupe Faletau (special mention for Big Billy Vunipola who grew enormously as the tournament developed).

Ben Youngs (overtook the outstanding Conor Murray and Rhys Webb with two terrific late efforts) and a split at 10 because I cannot divide the majestic cold calculation of Johnny Sexton in the early weeks from the sweet skills and control of George Ford in the final weeks.

In the three-quarters Alex Dunbar wins a vote for Scotland ahead of Robbie Henshaw, The Scot is smart and strong who was operating on the back foot until injury truncated his tournament. Jonathan Joseph shades Jonathan Davies, Yoann Huget holds off George North’s late hat-trick challenge (the quality of the opposition counted against the super Saint) while Liam Williams' lovely skills pip the ever improving and industrious Jack Nowell.

Leigh Halfpenny is my full-back. Best wishes to him after his injury in Rome but for any kids watching, his tackling technique was terrible, tacklers too often lead with the head and not the appropriate shoulder. The injury was entirely avoidable. Stuart Hogg was the contrasting swashbuckling contender. Irishmen might vote for him as man of the tournament after his late dropped ball over the Irish try line, Englishmen probably will not.

Let me know your thoughts on the team, the tournament, the World Cup and the weeks ahead. It is Llanelli next week for me and a game the Scarlets need to win against an improving Edinburgh team in the scrap for the last European qualifier from the Guinness PRO12. I don’t know about you but I feel right up for rugby again after Saturday...

Stuart Barnes' team of the tournament: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Johnny Sexton/George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Joe Marler, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 5 Paul O’Connell, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 7 Sam Warburton, 8 Taulupe Faletau.

Stuart