Guinness Six Nations 2023 Rugby Coverage

FloRugby's Guinness Six Nations Team Of The Tournament

FloRugby's Guinness Six Nations Team Of The Tournament

Guinness Six Nations 2023 team of the tournament - FloRugby selects it's best performers to form an ultime XV from this season's championship.

Mar 22, 2023 by Philip Bendon
FloRugby's Guinness Six Nations Team Of The Tournament

And that’s a wrap! The 2023 Guinness Six Nations has come to a close, with Ireland coming away as deserved champions. Dominating from start to finish, the men in green reaffirmed their place as the world’s number-one team ahead of the Rugby World Cup. 

Whilst the Irish collective effort was head and shoulders above the rest, there were several impressive showings from stars of other nations. So without further ado, here is your FloRugby Team Of The Tournament. 

15. Hugo Keenan – Ireland 

The Leinster fullback is the complete package and has become one of the first names on the team sheet for Andy Farrell’s squad. Taking his game from being a rock-solid goalkeeper-style fullback to a silky smooth counter attacker, Keenan has cemented himself as one of the top three fullbacks in the world. Runner-up: Thomas Ramos- France. 


14. Damian Penaud – France 

Quite possibly the best wing in the game at the moment, the Clermont star ran rampant during his side’s 53 – 10 dismantling of England in round four. An old-school roaming winger, Penaud has an incredible knack for popping up on the shoulder of his teammates. Hitting just the right line to find a soft shoulder before using his pace to leave tacklers grasping at shadows. Runner-up: James Lowe – Ireland. 


13. Garry Ringrose – Ireland 

Cruelly Ringrose was unable to take the field for Ireland’s Grand Slam decider against England due to the concussion he suffered the week previous. Filling the boots left by the legendary Brian O’Driscoll, Ringrose highlighted his importance through his absence, with neither the Irish attack nor defence quite clicking without him. Ringrose again reminded onlookers that he is undoubtedly the finest outside centre in the Six Nations. Runner-up: Huw Jones- Scotland. 


12. Sione Tuipulotu 

Simply a revelation since moving to Scotland, the Australian-born centre has filled a position of need for the Scots with aplomb. Immensely physical whilst possessing a box of tricks in the skills department. His partnership with Huw Jones offers head coach Gregor Townsend the best Scottish midfield combination in the professional era. Runner-Up: Joe Hawkins- Wales.


11. Mack Hansen – Ireland 

A unique character on and off the pitch, another Australian-born star cracks our backline. Unconventional in his style of play, Hansen’s rise from Wallabies afterthought to Grand Slam champion has been meteoric. Lethal in the counterattack, a menace at the breakdown and sublime finisher, Ireland has another world class player on their hands. Runner-up: Duhan van der Merwe- Scotland. 


10. Jonathan Sexton – Ireland 

Now 37 years old, Sexton is, without a shadow of a doubt, Rugby’s answer to Tom Brady. Unequivocally a hall-of-fame player, the Six Nations record points scorer once again proved that he remains one of the elite operators in the game. Truly cerebral in his ability to think multiple phases ahead, Sexton remains the cog that keeps the Irish machine rolling. Keep Sexton fit; it is difficult to see anyone stopping the Irish at the World Cup. Runner-up: Finn Russell – Scotland. 


9. Antoine Dupont – France 

The former World Player Of The Year carries equal importance for his team as Sexton does for Ireland. So far and away the best player in the French squad, Dupont is quite possibly the most naturally gifted player since the great Dan Carter. Never far from the action, everything he touches turns to gold as he at times proves to be simply unplayable for opposition defences. Runner-Up: Conor Murray – Ireland. 


8. Caelen Doris – Ireland 

Sit back and enjoy would be the advice for Irish rugby fans as we are witnessing the early days of what will be a world-class career.  In just his fourth season of international Rugby, the 24-year-old number eight is already far and away the best player in his position in the world. Sure, an argument can be made that New Zealand’s Ardie Savea or France’s Gregory Alldritt are both world-class, but as far out-and-out number eight play goes, Doris is the best we have seen since prime Kieran Read and Duane Vermeulen. Runner-up: Lorenzo Cannone – Italy. 


7. Josh van der Flier – Ireland 

The reigning World Player Of The Year is quite possibly the most under-the-radar world-class player in the game. Perhaps it is his ability to make everything look so easy or simply that he is playing in a squad jam-packed with classy operators. Whatever it is, van der Flier has become a key player for Ireland over the past three seasons and has more impact moments throughout a game than Happy Gilmour has meltdowns. Runner-up: Charles Ollivon.


6. Michele Lamaro – Italy 

Moving the Italian captain from his favoured openside role, Lamaro has become a titanic figure for the Azzurri. Taking over from the great Sergio Parisse, Lamaro is a modern-day gladiator who commands instant respect from his teammates and opponents. Clearly irked by the tag of ‘plucky losers’, Lamaro appears hell-bent on dragging this talented Italian team from being almost rans to contenders over the coming years. Runner-up: Peter O’Mahony 


5. James Ryan

Having come onto the international scene with a bang before going on a ridiculous undefeated run for both club and country, Ryan had regressed somewhat over the past two seasons. Yet, as the saying goes, form is temporary, whilst class is permanent. Immense in Ireland’s series win over New Zealand in 2022, Ryan carried this form into this season’s Championship. Adding a physical edge to his game, Ryan has become a titanic figure in the Irish defence whilst adding some deft touches in attack. At set piece time, the Leinster lock has benefitted from working with Irish forwards coach Paul O’Connell. Tipped as the next Irish captain when Sexton retires post-World Cup, Ryan looks set for another ten years in the Irish engine room. Runner-up: Grand Gilchrist 


4. Thibaud Flament 

A remarkable rugby story, the former Loughborough university fifth-team flyhalf has blossomed into one of the most dynamic second rows in the world. Running like a crazed giraffe Flament is one of many dynamic French forwards capable of breaking the gain line before popping a well-timed offload. At 6’8” and 260lbs, Flament’s is a significant contributor to the power of the dominant French scrum and maul. Runner-up: Tadhg Beirne – Ireland


3. Finlay Bealham 

Very few Tightheads stood out this Championship, yet Bealham’s performances in the absence of Tadhg Furlong through the opening three rounds were nothing short of sublime. Putting to rest the worry surrounding Ireland’s seeming lack of depth at the position, Bealham now offers Ireland a viable option to the world-class Furlong. During his three starts, Bealham didn’t give an inch in the scrum and was dynamic as a ball-carrying option. Having both men fit and healthy for the World Cup significantly boosts Ireland’s chances of making a deep run. Runner-up: Zander Fagerson - Scotland 


2. Dan Sheehan 

Dare we say yet another world-class Irish forward, Sheehan’s dynamism is a level above any we have seen at the Hooker position for quite some time. Indeed the South African duo of Malcolm Marx and Bongi Mbonambi will have something to say about the current rankings of International Hookers (as well his teammate Ronan Kelleher). But there is a genuine case to be made: based on what the 24-year-old has shown over the past two seasons, he could be the best in the world for at least the next five years. Runner-up: Ronan Kelleher - Ireland 


1. Andrew Porter 

The enforcer of the Irish pack rounds out our all-Irish front row, having started all five of Ireland’s games this Championship. Immovable at scrum time with more than enough dynamic ability in the loose, Porter is now on a par with Tadhg Furlong in terms of importance to the Irish front row. His fitness for a man of his stature is remarkable, as he regularly played for over 70 minutes in each of Ireland’s fixtures. Runner-up: Ellis Genge – England 


Written by Philip Bendon