Four England Players Make Official 2025 Six Nations Team Of The Tournament

Friday, 21 March 2025 at 06:51

byRugby Rucker

The 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations was one for the history books. Points, attendance, and viewership records were smashed, as closer games, more tries, and dramatic fixtures captivated fans worldwide.

Over 15,000 fans cast their votes to decide the Team of the Championship, highlighting the best players from an unforgettable tournament.

Here’s a breakdown of the top performers by country, with the full lineup at the end.

Ireland Dominates the Front Row

Andrew Porter (Loosehead Prop)
Porter was a relentless force, hitting 99 attacking rucks – 22 more than any other prop – and completing 52 tackles, one of just two props to surpass 50.

Dan Sheehan (Hooker)
Sheehan’s five tries took his Six Nations tally to 13, the highest by any forward in Championship history. His hat-trick against Italy was only the second by a forward, following CJ Stander in 2017.

England’s Defensive Backbone and Finishing Power

Maro Itoje (Lock)
Itoje was as disruptive as ever, winning five turnovers to equal Brian O’Driscoll’s all-time record of 53. His presence in the engine room was unmatched.

Tom Curry (Openside Flanker)
Curry delivered his usual masterclass in defence, securing six turnovers and making six dominant tackles – a feat matched only by his twin brother Ben.

Fin Smith (Fly-Half)
Smith led the tournament with an 88% kicking success rate (14/16) and directly assisted four tries, the most by any No.10.

Tommy Freeman (Wing)
Freeman joined elite company by scoring in every round of the Six Nations, matching the achievements of Philippe Bernat-Salles (2001) and Louis Bielle-Biarrey this year.

France’s Flair Lights Up the Backs

Mickaël Guillard (Lock)
Guillard proved a constant headache for defenders, drawing two or more tacklers on 85% of his carries – the only lock to surpass 80%.

Grégory Alldritt (No.8)
Alldritt’s engine was unmatched, averaging 15.6 carries and 15.6 defensive rucks per 80 minutes, the highest among all forwards playing over 240 minutes.

Antoine Dupont (Scrum-Half)
Dupont dazzled once again, with nine try involvements (two tries, seven assists), the joint-second most in a single Six Nations.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Wing)
Bielle-Biarrey made history with eight tries, breaking Jacob Stockdale’s 2018 record for most tries in a Championship (seven).

Wales’ Defensive Rock and History-Maker

Jac Morgan (Blindside Flanker)
Morgan was a tackling machine, recording 88 tackles to set a new record for Wales in a single Six Nations campaign.

Scotland’s Attacking Spark

Huw Jones (Centre)
Jones thrived in attack, scoring four tries, making 52 carries, and hitting 65 attacking rucks – all the highest numbers for a centre.

Blair Kinghorn (Full-Back)
Kinghorn shattered records, gaining 580 metres to surpass Mike Brown’s 2014 tally. He also led the Championship in line breaks (nine) and offloads (13).

Italy’s Midfield Warrior

Tommaso Menoncello (Centre)
Menoncello was a defensive juggernaut, securing six turnovers and making nine dominant tackles – the most by any back – while leading all centres in defenders beaten (20).

2025 Six Nations Team of the Championship

Andrew Porter (Ireland)
Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
Will Stuart (England)
Maro Itoje (England)
Mickaël Guillard (France)
Jac Morgan (Wales)
Tom Curry (England)
Grégory Alldritt (France)
Antoine Dupont (France)
Fin Smith (England)
Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France)
Tommaso Menoncello (Italy)
Huw Jones (Scotland)
Tommy Freeman (England)
Blair Kinghorn (Scotland

Five England players blacklisted by Steve Borthwick – one wants to quit for Six Nations rival

From a fullback who was once undroppable to a powerful winger who was compared to Jonah Lomu, here are five England stars who have fallen completely out of favour—one of whom could be lost to Wales for good.

Freddie Steward – The rock-solid fullback cast aside

It wasn’t long ago that Freddie Steward was considered a guaranteed starter for England. A defensive rock under the high ball and a reliable last line of defence, he played a crucial role in England’s World Cup campaign.

Yet, in a shocking turn of events, Borthwick has axed him in favour of Marcus Smith—a player who isn’t even a specialist fullback. This drastic move highlights just how far Steward has fallen in the pecking order. Nobody saw this coming.

Zach Mercer – From France’s best to England’s forgotten man

Zach Mercer’s return to the Premiership was met with serious hype. After being named Top 14 Player of the Year at Montpellier, it seemed inevitable that he would finally be given a proper shot in an England jersey.

A call-up to a World Cup training camp suggested Borthwick was keen to reintegrate him, but Mercer never added to his two caps. His stint at Gloucester has been frustrating, and with reports suggesting he’ll leave at the end of the season, his England career looks all but over.

Joe Cokanasiga – Eight years later, still on the fringes

This summer marks EIGHT years since Joe Cokanasiga was first called into an England squad. His blend of power and pace drew early comparisons to Jonah Lomu, and at just 19, he looked set for a long international career.

Yet, despite earning 14 caps, he has never been able to cement a regular starting role. A surprise recall before the 2023 World Cup ended in disappointment, as he was cut after an underwhelming warm-up match against Wales. Despite some strong performances for Bath this season, Borthwick remains unconvinced.

The England boss reportedly gave Cokanasiga areas to improve on, but with no recall in sight, his international future remains in doubt.

Ollie Hassell-Collins – Ignored by England, wanted by Wales

Hassell-Collins looked like a long-term England winger when Borthwick handed him his debut in 2023. However, after just two caps in last year’s Six Nations, he has completely vanished from England’s plans.

Not only was he ignored for the current Six Nations squad, but he was also left out of the England A side that faced Portugal. Instead, Warren Gatland has taken notice, with the Wales boss openly discussing Hassell-Collins’ eligibility to switch allegiances.

The Leicester Tigers winger himself has admitted he could be tempted to play for Wales. Speaking to

The Telegraph, he said: “I’ve got two caps for England, and obviously I’m English. But if I don’t see anything in the next few years then it’s definitely something that I would consider.”

Could England be about to lose him to their biggest Six Nations rival?

Tom Pearson – One cap and counting…

At 25, Pearson is still an exciting prospect, but he has only managed a single England cap to date. His physicality makes him a standout performer at club level, yet Borthwick clearly doesn’t see him as the answer to England’s back-row dilemma.

While other uncapped players have leapfrogged him into recent squads, Pearson remains on the outside looking in. With England’s back-row options constantly evolving, his wait for another chance could be a long one.

Can you name the entire British & Irish Lions squad from their tour of New Zealand in 2005?

The British & Irish Lions' tour of New Zealand in 2005 remains one of the most talked-about campaigns in rugby history.

Despite facing a formidable All Blacks side, the squad was packed with legendary talent representing England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

From unforgettable tries to moments of controversy, this tour had it all—and it’s time to see just how much you remember!

Can you recall every player who pulled on the famous red jersey during that iconic tour? Dive into this quiz to test your Lions knowledge and relive a piece of rugby history!

Nigel Owens has explained why France star was not red-carded for controversial incident

15 England Stars Make Our Lions Squad for Australia Tour