Round 2: Six Nations Team of the Week
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Another fascinating weekend of Six Nations rugby is in the books.
Wales won an 11th straight Test match by beating a resilient Italy 26-15 in Rome, whilst Ireland took full advantage of a sloppy Scotland at Murrayfield.
England then rounded off the weekend in emphatic style, hammering France 44-8, meaning themselves and Wales remain on course for the Grand Slam, ahead of their meeting in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon.
There were some excellent performances put in during Round Two , but who were the standout players at every position?
We’ve created our team of the weekend to find out.
1. Cian Healy - Ireland
Healy hardly put a foot wrong in defence or attack as Ireland got back to winning ways against Scotland.
2. Jamie George - England
George carried the ball well when required and was off target with just one of his lineout throws. Dylan Hartley’s place in the side will only be threatened even further if George continues in this form.
3. Samson Lee - Wales
There were a few excellent performances by tighthead props over the weekend but Samson Lee stood out. He dominated the Italian scrum and carried well when called upon.
4. Courtney Lawes - England
Maro Itoje’s injury was a huge blow for England last weekend but Courtney Lawes helped soften the impact with a dominant performance over France. He landed some massive hits in defence and had 10 carries in attack too.
5. James Ryan - Ireland
15 carries and 15 tackles shows how well Ryan performed in both offensively and defensively.
6. Aaron Wainwright - Wales
The youngster’s motor is incredible and he used to to great effect against Italy. He scored a great try and was a constant threat.
7. Braam Steyn - Italy
Braam Steyn may have been on the losing side but that was no reflection on his performance. He scored a great try and was excellent in all facets of the game.
8. Josh Navidi - Wales
Wales’ man of the match in their 11th straight win. He helped force turnovers and kept Wales on the attack against a spirited Italian side.
9. Conor Murray - Ireland
A much-improved performance from Murray after a disappointing day against England. His kicking was sharp and he was quick to pounce on Tommy Seymour’s error to score a crucial try.
10. Owen Farrell -England
The England skipper kicked incredibly well, causing France so many problems. Got a bit lucky with his try but he deserved a bit of good fortune.
11. Jonny May - England
A no-brainer! England’s hat-trick hero is the most in-form winger in world rugby. He’s an elite finisher who works as hard as anyone on the field.
12. Manu Tuilagi - England
Linked up well with Farrell, using his amazing athleticism to terrorise the French defence.
13. Henry Slade - England
There were a few eyebrows raised when Slade was named in the side last week but he’s put in two amazing displays. He’s becoming the ultimate playmaker and was involved in most of England’s best moments against France.
14. Jacob Stockdale - Ireland
Scored an excellent first half try and made some powerful runs as Ireland got their first win of the tournament.
15. Rob Kearney - Ireland
Showed Ireland exactly what they were missing last week with an excellent display. Added defensive solidity and joined the attack at the right times.