"Remember the Name" Top 5 Breakout Stars of the 2023 Six Nations

New faces emerged throughout the competition, and shone for their sides in 'Rugby's Greatest Championship'. Here are the top five breakout stars of the 2023 Six Nations.

England lock Ollie Chessum had a fantastic showing in the 2023 Six Nations, comfortably in the top five performers for his country, in each match he played in. An unfortunate ankle injury in training ruled Chessum out of the competition's finale against Ireland, with the Leicester Tigers man set to undergo surgery today.

Chessum has thrived under Steve Borthwick's appointment as England Head Coach, as the former Tigers boss new all about the talented 22-year-old. Chessum was on the England fringes during the final months of the Eddie Jones era, and made his debut in England’s 33-0 whitewash of Italy in last years’ Six Nations.

However now, Chessum has established his name as a certifiable England starter, and built a world-class second row partnership with Maro Itoje. This duo looks like Borthwick's preferred option for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which Chessum should be able to make if his injury rehab goes according to schedule. Chessum plays with test-match confidence wise beyond his years, and better resembles a seasoned veteran than relative newcomer.

A workhorse in defence, making 32 tackles in 142 minutes. He has dropped down the statistics charts after missing the Ireland match, but his tireless work rate won over the England fans in the previous four rounds. He even scored his first international try in this years' competition, crossing over against Italy, a year after his England debut.

An honourable mention must go to Ollie Lawrence, as the centre stepped up with exciting performances throughout the competition. Already favoured by many over veteran powerhouse Manu Tuilagi, Lawrence has youth on his side and will be an England mainstay once the Sale Shark calls time on his international career.

Rio Dyer was flung into the deep end for his Wales debut, yet was certainly able to keep his head above the water. Marking the occasion with a try against the All Blacks in last year's Autumn Internationals, Dyer has kept moving forward since. The enigmatic young winger scored twice in the 2023 Six Nations, crossing over against France and contributing a key score in Wales' redemption victory over Italy.

After just eight minutes of play, Dyer showcased his pace and chased after a chipped ball into the back field. The ball bounced favourably for the winger, who reacted faster than the Italian defenders, and cruised in to score. This try built an early lead for Wales, which established early breathing room for an eventual victory and to avoid the wooden spoon.

Wales endured a tough Six Nations competition, yet Dyer can be personally proud of his accomplishments on the international stage. Two tries sees Dyer the joint top try scorer with Liam Williams, and presents how Wales struggled to find go-forward in the championships, but nonetheless Dyer stepped up when called upon by Warren Gatland.

In a squad full of decorated Welsh veterans all entering the twilight of their careers, Gatland must ensure the next generation is in good hands. Dyer is one such talent, as the Newport Dragon is just 23-years-old, and will surely be a shining late in the Welsh attack as he grows into his prime.

Despite having already broken onto the international stage with Australia, the 2023 Six Nations saw the Northern Hemisphere learn the name Jack Dempsey. The number eight left the New South Wales Waratahs in 2021, and quickly found a new home at Glasgow Warriors. Dempsey was eligible to play for Scotland through his Grandfather, and Gregor Townsend waisted no time in recruiting the 28-year-old once he arrived at Scotstoun Stadium.

Making just shy of 200m with the ball in hand, Dempsey began a Scotland fan favourite with bruising carriers and exciting line-breaks. Breaking the tackle attempts on eight occasions in the competition, the Glasgow Warriors man made his presence felt in each match he featured in.

The back rower also impressed defensively, proving his ability as an all-rounder for Scotland. 55 tackles over 241 minutes played saw Dempsey make his mark on the defensive side of the ball. Dempsey makes the grade as Scotland's breakout talent, as even after making 14 caps for Australia and featuring at the 2019 Rugby World Cup for the Wallabies, he was able to adapt to Gregor Townsend's squad in no time at all.

Scotland continue to move from strength-to-strength, and have progressed on from being 'dark horses' into Six Nations front-runners. Yet again retaining the Calcutta Cup over England at Twickenham, Scotland secured imposing wins over Wales and Italy, and took the titans of France and Ireland to their limits. Scotland have a tough pool for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, as they face South Africa, and a re-match with Ireland, however Gregor Townsend's men have proven their ability and are not a side to overlook in France.

The Lyon winger was not a one-match wonder in the Six Nations, as he put on a show for Les Bleus almost every time he got the ball. The latest edition to an increasingly dangerous France team, Dumortier's presence will boost French hopes for a Rugby World Cup triumph on home soil.

At just 22-years-old, Dumortier is excelling at break-neck speeds. Making just one cap for France before the 2023 Six Nations, the electric winger plays with fearless abandon and an 'I'll do it myself' mentality. He marked his first ever Six Nations appearance with a try against Italy, in what turned out to be a key score as the Azzurri fought back valiantly.

Dumortier's showcase try was against Scotland, as the winger intercepted Finn Russell's wayward pass, and put on the afterburners along the left wing. The broadcasting camera struggled to keep up with Dumortier's pace, as he shot out like a rocket, in what also proved to be a crucial score against Scotland, with Gregor Townsend's men forging a second half comeback.

The perfect addition to the France back-three, saw Dumortier link up with Damien Penaud and Thomas Ramos to run riot at Twickenham. England fans will long remember the 2023 meeting with France, as they received their heaviest ever defeat at home, with Dumortier pivotal to England's collapse.

Italy continue to narrow the gap on the other five competing nations, and Kieran Crowley builds his new and improved Azzuri. Italy were unable to record a win in the 2023 Six Nations, and where disappointed by the defeat to Wales in the penultimate round of the championship. However, impressive performances saw Italy take France to the very limit, with Fabien Galthie's side lucky to avaoid an upset for the ages.

Other strong performances saw Paolo Garbisi, Ange Capuozzo and Michele Lamaro all staring for their country, with the latest edition of Tommaso Menoncello making headlines of his own. The 20-year-old centre is the latest star in the young Italian squad, who will be a certifiable threat in the next five years. Menoncello made 224m with the ball in hand, as the young centre was not afraid to express himself on the pitch.

The Benetton star has been making waves in the United Rugby Championship, and captured the attention of the international audience at the 2023 Six Nations. The centre is tough to stop when he gets his tail up, and broke the tackle attempts of seven defenders. Able to step his opponent or use his deceptive power to crash through the contact, Menoncello is a young talent that is only going to improve with experience.

Defensively sound as well, Menoncello made 28 tackles in his 297 minutes of game time throughout the competition. Italy have another gem on their hands to add to their collection, with the set hoping to shine bright and prove their strengths at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.