Every Men's Six Nations Player of the Championship Winner RANKED (2004-2025)

Ireland centre Gordon D'Arcy holds the unique attribute of being the first recipient of the award, which has since witnessed a total of 17 different winners up to the 2025 Guinness Men's Six Nations. In this article, we scour through the history of the Six Nations Player of the Championship award, as we rank the best of the best, and determine who truly is the greatest man in the history of the competition.

There was simply no getting past Dan Lydiate back in 2012, as the back row was awarded the Player of the Championship accolade following a mesmeric impact upon the defensive foot. Lydiate chopped down everything that moved as Wales paved their way to the Grand Slam, in what was an unforgettable season at the peak of the Warren Gatland era.

Next up we have the former Ireland flyer that has found a new lease on post-rugby life across the nation's TV screens. However, before Bowe was a staple of Irish sports broadcast, he collected the Player of the Championship award for a scintillating campaign back in 2010. Bowe's crowning moment of the campaign saw him cross for two tries against England, for a famous Irish win that ended the Grand Slam hopes of his opponents, as France went on to collect the silverware.

By no means the only Welshman named Williams that will appear on this list, Martyn Williams enters the fray after collecting the individual accolade at the end of the 2005 Six Nations. Wales were heralded as Grand Slam winners that year, with Williams a driving force along the touchlines to guide his team to glory. Williams' legend is etched in Welsh folklore after he bagged two tries against France, to help Wales complete a stunning comeback win in Paris, on their way to the title.

There will only ever be one 'first', with Gordon D'Arcy taking the prize after it was first introduced back in 2004. D'Arcy went from frustrations at Leinster and contemplating an end to his career, to excelling in the centres alongside a certain Ireland legend that we will come on to later. D'Arcy got a rejuvenated bounce to his career after a breathtaking Six Nations campaign, with the newly minted trophy dutifully bestowed for his efforts, as Ireland claimed the Triple Crown.

One of the most polarizing figures of his generation, former England fullback Mike Brown was at his prime in the mid 2010s, as a hot-stepping Harlequin that always beat his first man. Beloved by England fans and revered by his opponents for a fearsome temper, Brown was brilliant in the 2014 Six Nations, as Eddie Jones' side clinched the Triple Crown. Brown ended the tournament as the top try scorer to boot, as he crossed the whitewash for a quartet of tries in five matches.

From one tremendous try scorer to a record breaker across the whitewash, Ireland fans could well be set to witness a resurgence of Jacob Stockdale in the coming weeks akin to his brilliance back in 2018. The Ulster wing has been in tremendous form for the high-flying province, with the Belfast side back up and battling amidst the upper echelons of the United Rugby Championship. Back in 2018, Stockdale received the award for scoring seven tries in the tournament, in a phenomenal feat that would stand until 2025.

What a delight it truly is to watch 'The Mish' at his very best. Arguably the best forward in the world back in 2021, the former Scotland captain was simply unbeatable in the contact area throughout the Six Nations. Beloved by the fans for his tireless work rate, Watson completed a staggering 67 tackles in the competition, without missing a single one. Such a feat has never been replicated to such numbers, with Watson's tremendous tackling rightfully seeing him take home the award, and become the first Scotland forward to do so in the process.

It seems surprising that a player of Leigh Halfpenny's longevity and class did not pick up the Six Nations Player of the Championship more than once. The Wales legend's moment in the spotlight arrived at the end of the 2013 campaign, as Wales were crowned kings of the northern hemisphere for the 26th time. Halfpenny was the side's resident sharpshooter, as he slotted a stunning total of 74 points through the sticks, to finish the competition as the top points scorer as well.

We move on to one of the most significant moments of the 2025 rugby calendar, as French flyer Louis Bielle-Biarrey set a new try-scoring record within a single Six Nations campaign. Breaking the long-standing record previously held by Jacob Stockdale, Bielle-Biarrey crossed for eight tries in last year's Championship, as France triumphed for the silverware once again. This of course also handed LBB the top try scorer award, as the scrum-capped sensation danced along the touchlines time and again.

Next up is Italian midfielder Tommaso Menoncello, who's inspired performances could not be overlooked throughout the past couple of seasons. Menoncello was bestowed with the Player of the Championship award in 2024, after commanding the Azzuri to a win over Wales and a famous draw against France. At 21-years-old, Menoncello became the youngest ever winner of the award before then finishing second in the rankings the following year, as the aforementioned Louis Bielle-Biarrey took top spot.

Up next is a fellow countryman, as the versatile Italian back was a devastating threat for the Azzurri anywhere in the back-line. Masi bossed his way to the 2011 Six Nations Player of the Championship award, with the highlight of his campaign being his last-minute winning try, that secured his nations' victory over France. This marked the first time Italy defeated France in the tournament, with Masi's efforts going down in folklore. Masi was also shortlisted for the award back in 2013, in which he was runner-up.

Coming in at sixth on the list is the all-time most-capped international men's rugby player, as Wales & Lions legend Alun Wyn Jones has enjoyed his fair share of Six Nations successes. Across a blistering career of 170 Test matches, Wyn Jones took home the Player of the Championship award as Wales won a phenomenal Grand Slam once again. The Ospreys stalwart was also short-listed for the award some four years prior in 2015, following his role in Wales' 4-1 campaign and eventual 3rd place finish.

The final Welsh entrant on this decorated list of Six Nations all-stars, Shane Williams took home the trophy after being named as the tournament's top player back in 2008. Williams was regarded amongst the world's best back in the late 2000s, with his six tournament tries living up to his billing. Wales were a powerhouse of the northern hemisphere back in '08, as they claimed the Grand Slam with Williams a pivotal player in the triumph. Williams was later awarded the World Rugby Player of the Year award for his efforts, which only elevated his stock on the global scale. Williams was also shortlisted twice for the award, as he finished runner up in 2005 and 2010.

One of the all-time greats to ever wear an Ireland jersey, Paul O'Connell finally added the Player of the Championship award into his decorated trophy cabinet after finishing runner-up on four previous occasions. O'Connell took home the silver medal from the 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009 campaigns, with his long awaited recognition as the tournament's best performer coming alongside Ireland's magnificent title retention. O'Connell is a three-time winner of the tournament, and the former Ireland captain is now bestowing his knowledge upon the next generation of Emerald Island stars.

Taking the bronze medal upon our all-time rankings is Stuart Hogg, who is also the first multi-time winner to appear on our list. Hogg holds a real claim to the honour of being the Greatest Scottish Player of All Time, with the former Exeter Chiefs man boasting an extensive array of individual awards. Whilst Hogg was never able to get his hands upon the Six Nations title - a feat that no Scotland player has been able to achieve as of yet - his efforts in 2016 and 2017 saw him become the first Scotland player to win the award, before becoming the first men's player ever to collect back-to-back accolades.

We pivot to a man who will be chomping at the bit to get back into Six Nations action, after his pursuit of Olympic gold curtailed his involvement throughout the 2024 campaign. Dupont returned in 2025, yet a devastating ruptured cruciate ligament injury was then sustained against Ireland.

Whilst it is unlikely to see Dupont back in action for the 2026 tournament, there is no understating just how impressive the French magician has been throughout previous Six Nations campaigns. The Stade Toulousain talisman picked up the Player of the Championship awards in 2020, 2022 and 2023 in a time period that has respectively been recognised as the 'Dupont Era'. The scrum half was also shortlisted for the award in 2021, in what would he brought about an unprecedented four-peat.

We wrap up our list with arguably the greatest individual performer in the history of the Six Nations, since the competition expanded to include Italy at the turn of the new millennium. Ireland and Leinster legend Brian O'Driscoll is the first three-time winner of the Six Nations Player of the Championship award, as he enjoyed some unplayable form at the peak of his powers throughout the 2000s.

O'Driscoll's individual accomplishments do not end there, as he goes a few better than his three-peat counterpart Antoine Dupont with several more appearances on the shortlist. BOD took the runners-up medal from the 2005, 2013 and 2014 Six Nations campaign, to establish a legacy across the top of the Six Nations, as O'Driscoll set the bar for almost a decade.