Just one Ireland player makes Opta’s Six Nations team of the tournament

Every other country had more players than Ireland.

Sports publications all over the web have been releasing their Six Nations teams of the tournament and Ireland players have been few and far between after a disappointing third-place finish.

It was looking good for an unprecedented third title in a row, but a heavy loss to France and a dour win over Italy completely changed Ireland’s trajectory and the general consensus of the team.

And despite Wales and Italy suffering 68-14 land 73-24 losses, respectively, both countries have two players on Opta Sport’s Six Nations Team of the Championship, with Dafydd Jenkins and Jac Morgan for the Welsh, and Paolo Garbisi and Tommaso Menoncello for the Italians.

Opta’s team is compiled using their own in-depth data, with each player rated through their Opta Index, which ranks every player based off their ‘in-game’ actions.

Dan Sheehan is the only Irish representative after becoming the tournament’s top forward try scorer ever and completing a hat-trick against Italy.

France Louis Bielle-Biarrey – who broke the record for most tries in a tournament with eight, beating out Jacob Stockdale’s record – was their highest ranked player.

Rather surprisingly, it was fourth-placed Scotland who have the most players in the team with four.

OptaJonny’s Six Nations XV of the tournament:

1. Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)
2. Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
3. Zander Fagerson (Scotland)
4. Maro Itoje (England)
5. Dafydd Jenkins (Wales)
6. Jac Morgan (Wales)
7. Ben Earl (England)
8. Gregory Alldritt (France)
9. Antoine Dupont (France)
10. Paolo Garbisi (Italy)
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France)
12. Tommaso Menoncello (Italy)
13. Huw Jones (Scotland)
14. Tommy Freeman (England)
15. Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)

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