Team of the tournament

[Digby]

I've been pondering this for some of the morning, and it's not an easy XV to fill. Some players have made excellent cases, Itoje, Roberts, Guirado, Billy V, but fleshing out the XV isn't easy, and thank god for Italian 9s otherwise it really is a challenge. I also nearly started this thread as a Lions XV, but it's an easier team to complete having the Continentals available, and I remembered I'm supposed to only refer to the Lions as absurd jamboree.

[Renniks]

Guirado has been outstanding in that french side (and brilliant for my fantasy rugby side too)

[Digby]

1 ?
2 Guirado
3 ?
4 Itoje
5 Kruis
6 Stander
7 Warburton
8 Vunipola
9 Gori
10 Biggar
11?
12 Roberts
13 Joseph
14 ?
15 Hogg

Not proving an easy team to pick. There are some positions which might have been filled a few times, Robshaw, Garcia, Campagnaro, Taylor, Faletau have all gone well at times. For the sake of picking this team I'm hoping some props and wingers back up some more positive work this weekend.

[Banquo]

1 ?
2 Guirado
3 ?
4 Itoje
5 Kruis
6 Stander
7 Warburton
8 Vunipola
9 Gori
10 Biggar
11?
12 Roberts
13 Joseph
14 ?
15 Hogg

Not proving an easy team to pick. There are some positions which might have been filled a few times, Robshaw, Garcia, Campagnaro, Taylor, Faletau have all gone well at times. For the sake of picking this team I'm hoping some props and wingers back up some more positive work this weekend.

Hardie has also gone well. I'd probably go with Watson on improvement in general play alone.

[Digby]

Hardie has also gone well. I'd probably go with Watson on improvement in general play alone.

I was trying to think what Hardie had done in the England game and not much sprang to mind, which mayn't be down to Hardie. And I wondered about Watson, but it just doesn't feel enough to warrant team of tournament

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Jack McGrath's been excellent for us. I realise there is a resistance to the idea that an Irish prop can be good, but he's been very good.

[Mellsblue]

Jack McGrath's been excellent for us. I realise there is a resistance to the idea that an Irish prop can be good, but he's been very good.

I'd agree and I'd have Nel at TH.

I think Watson has been top drawer.

[Spiffy]

McGarth Guirado Nel
Itoje J. Gray
Stander Billy Hardie
Gori Sexton
North Taylor Campagnaro Watson
Hogg

This is assuming Taylor can play 12 (I think he has in the past). The find of the season - big, fast and smart.
Centres probably hardest to pick:
Roberts : powerful but one dimensional; Joseph : good; Davies : OK but less than usual standard; Henshaw : good all rounder.

Don't think the best team is clear cut. You could pick a completely different one that would probably be just as good

[Tigersman]

No Manu @12 no care

[I R Geech]

Tommy Seymour has to get in, he's been mint.

[fivepointer]

Guirado has been my player of the tournament so far.

Billy's been good but ahead of Parisse?

[Dacre]

According to Andy Nicol, Hogg is the player of the tournament so far

[Banquo]

Guirado has been my player of the tournament so far.

Billy's been good but ahead of Parisse?

Parisse's attempted drop goal v France is a red card

[Oakboy]

If I was to attempt to write a specification for a number 8 I'd start with Parisse as a template. Carrying and tackling obviously count but so do pace, handling and height. He's arguably the best player in the 6N.

[Digby]

Jack McGrath's been excellent for us. I realise there is a resistance to the idea that an Irish prop can be good, but he's been very good.

I'd actually written down McGrath's name, but then absent of having seen the Italy match removed it in case he'd been less than impressive.

[Digby]

This is assuming Taylor can play 12 (I think he has in the past). The find of the season - big, fast and smart.
Centres probably hardest to pick:
Roberts : powerful but one dimensional; Joseph : good; Davies : OK but less than usual standard; Henshaw : good all rounder.

Taylor could play 12, but he's not been as good as Roberts for me, and Garcia too I'd be picking ahead of Taylor, probably Henshaw too

[Banquo]

If I was to attempt to write a specification for a number 8 I'd start with Parisse as a template. Carrying and tackling obviously count but so do pace, handling and height. He's arguably the best player in the 6N.

He's been up there for that award for years in fairness; I've not watched Italy much but he is as prominent as ever. Its a bit like the side at u11 level with the biggest and best kid, he tends to try and do so much himself...including the drop goals. Actually, for once, the Italians looked to be building a decent backline, but early promise has dissipated again.

[bruce]

Guirado has been my player of the tournament so far.

Billy's been good but ahead of Parisse?

Agree with this. Has been outstanding in a pretty guff side.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Guirado has been my player of the tournament so far.

Billy's been good but ahead of Parisse?

Agree with this. Has been outstanding in a pretty guff side.

He really hasn't. He's an enormously talented player and probably great for Stade but as a player (rather than captain) he's often a bit of a liability for Italy. If anyone else passed to the deck or wasted promising situations as often as he did they'd be castigated for it rather than the blame being apportioned to the team mates for not reading it.

Oh and he was utterly invisible againt us. i don't think he's even been Italy's best player.

EDIT I was talking about Parisse not Guirado who has been excellent.

[TheNomad]

Mine's very similar to Digby's, as yet undecided about the Props, I just know for sure that I wouldn't pick England's. EDIT: For the moment I'll put in the suggestions above to (a) make me look like I know more than I do and (b) make it look nicer

1 Jack McGrath
2 Guirado
3 Nel
4 Itoje
5 Kruis
6 Stander
7 Warburton
8 Vunipola

9 Gori
10 Sexton
11North
12 Roberts
13 Joseph
14 Watson
15 Hogg

[kk67]

McGarth Guirado Nel
Itoje J. Gray
Stander Billy Hardie
Gori Sexton
North Taylor Campagnaro Watson
Hogg

This is assuming Taylor can play 12 (I think he has in the past). The find of the season - big, fast and smart.
Centres probably hardest to pick:
Roberts : powerful but one dimensional; Joseph : good; Davies : OK but less than usual standard; Henshaw : good all rounder.

Don't think the best team is clear cut. You could pick a completely different one that would probably be just as good

Hmmmmm,...dunno. Your lot look pretty nasty.

[p/d]

Guirado has been my player of the tournament so far.

Billy's been good but ahead of Parisse?

Agree with this. Has been outstanding in a pretty guff side.

He really hasn't. He's an enormously talented player and probably great for Stade but as a player (rather than captain) he's often a bit of a liability for Italy. If anyone else passed to the deck or wasted promising situations as often as he did they'd be castigated for it rather than the blame being apportioned to the team mates for not reading it.

Oh and he was utterly invisible againt us. i don't think he's even been Italy's best player.

EDIT I was talking about Parisse not Guirado who has been excellent.

This.

[Mikey Brown]

It's just really nice to have Dickinson, Nel, Gray, Hardie, Taylor (Scotland's 5th or 6th choice centre going in to the tournament,) Seymour and Hogg seriously talked about as potentially the best of the bunch, regardless of the overall vintage this year.

Dickinson in particular is a real unsung hero. His main selling point when he first appeared was being quick, which says it all really. But he's now part of a very dominant front row that have taken a few sides (Italy and France included) apart.

Euge's point on Parisse is also quite funny. I've lost count of the times I've heard commentators use the phrase "I think that's the first mistake Parisse has ever made."

[Galfon]

1 Jack McGrath 2 Guirado 3 Nel
4 Itoje 5 Kruis
6 Stander 7 Warburton-->Hardie 8 Vunipola
9 Gori 10 Sexton-->Biggar
11North 12 Roberts 13 Joseph 14 Watson
15 Hogg

2 adjustments (--> ) for me.
Whoever performs best from Guirado, Billy V & Hogg to be pott...think it will be Hogg.