Rugby fans brand Six Nations best player shortlist 'a farce' as Maro Itoje and George Kruis are snubbed - Ruck

Rugby fans brand Six Nations best player shortlist ‘a farce’ as Maro Itoje and George Kruis are snubbed

  • England claimed a memorable Gland Slam after securing Six Nations win
  • Billy Vunipola, Jonathan Joseph and Jack Nowell have been rewarded
  • The trio are on the shortlist for Six Nations Player of the Tournament
  • Maro Itoje and George Kruis though were snubbed
There was no place on the shortlist for Welsh colossus Jamie Roberts, England’s lock duo Maro Itoje and George Kruis, Ireland’s dynamic CJ Stander or Scotland’s brilliant John Hardie.

The surprise omissions left many rugby fans and pundits confused on Sunday night, with Roberts, Itoje and Kruis in particular widely regarded to have been among this year’s standout performers.

England’s Kruis was just sensational in pretty much every match he played, putting himself at the head of the queue in terms of Lions second row selection.

The winner of the award will be decided by a public vote over the next 48 hours. Representatives from each of the competing countries have been named on the shortlist.

The shortlist, which has been compiled by a panel of Six Nations legends, including Gareth Thomas and Phil Vickery, is believed to rely heavily on statistical data provided by official statisticians Accenture.

The full shortlist

Gareth Davies (Wales)

Guilhem Guirado (France)

Stuart Hogg (Scotland)

Jonathan Joseph (England)

Conor Murray (Ireland)

George North (Wales)

Jack Nowell (England)

Sergio Parisse (Italy)

Jonathan Sexton (Ireland)

Duncan Taylor (Scotland)

Virimi Vakatawa (France)

Billy Vunipola (England)