Six Nations Captains Select Their Players To Watch
Latest posts by Will Matthews (see all)
- Autumn Nations Series – All the action from Ireland vs Fiji & more - November 23, 2024
- Munster announce another member of their coaching ticket has departed - November 22, 2024
- Andy Farrell names his Ireland team to take on Fiji this weekend - November 21, 2024
Sky Sports News HQ’s Jamie Weir attended last week’s Six Nations launch in London and asked all six captains for their player to watch in this year’s championship.
Rory Best: Robbie Henshaw
Henshaw started all of Ireland’s matches in last year’s victorious Six Nations, scoring a try against England along the way.
“He’s come back from that injury and he’s looked really sharp in training,” said Best. “He’s still so young even though it seems he’s been around for a while, and he’s just getting better and better.”
Dylan Hartley: Paul Hill
Paul Hill has stepped up for Saints in the absence of the injured Kieran Brookes
“Paul Hill – simple, honest hard-working guy,” said Hartley. “Young for a tighthead, but potential. Could be huge.”
Sam Warburton: George North
Still, incredibly, only 23 years of age, he’s already amassed 55 caps for his country and a further three for the British and Irish Lions. A man-mountain for a winger, with speed and power in equal measure, North has been beating defences since making his Wales debut as a teenager.
“I’d always say George North because he’s got that X-Factor, he’s got that amazing ability with ball in hand,” said Warburton.
“Regardless of how he’s been playing recently, George North on the big stage can always turn it on”
Guilhem Guirado: Camille Chat
France’s new captain has taken the curious step of putting forward his understudy at hooker as his one to watch.
“He showed what he’s capable of in the championship at the start of the season,” said Guirado. “It’s good that there are young players like that who push us. It allows us to question ourselves and to work hard to show what we can do.”
Sergio Parisse: Jonathan Danty
Parisse nominates a Frenchman and Stade Francais teammate rather than an Italian as his one to watch.
“I think he’s really progressed a lot in the last three or four years,” said Parisse “He’s really young, really strong, really solid in defence but he’s progressed a lot in attack.
“Hopefully not in the first match against us in Paris – but hopefully for the rest of the Six Nations he puts in a good performance.”
Greig Laidlaw: Jonny Gray
Together with his older brother Richie, the pair form Scotland’s towering second row, dynamic in the loose and supreme at the lineout.
“Jonny Gray is somebody that I’m a big fan of,” said Scotland skipper Laidlaw.
“He goes about his work very smartly and for a big forward he’s comfortable on the ball. I’m pretty sure he’s going to come to the party.”
Source: Sky Sports
Who do you think are the players to watch at this years RBS Six Nations?