Why not all six spots, we say…
The shortlist for the 2023 Guinness Six Nations Player of the Championship has been revealed, with Ireland and France splitting the nominations.
Ireland, who claimed a Grand Slam on Saturday with a win over England, and second place France both got three nominations apiece. The six-man list is, as follows:
- Caelan Doris, Hugo Keenan & Mack Hansen (all Ireland)
- Damian Penaud, Thomas Ramos & Antoine Dupont (all France)
Antoine Dupont, who won the award last year, is nominated for a third time. From an Irish (nay selfish) perspective, the biggest omission would be Josh van der Flier, who carried on from his World Rugby Player of the Year win, for 2022, with another excellent campaign, during which he was drafted in to take lineout throws when Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher were injured against Scotland.
Voting for Six Nations ‘Best Player’ open now
The 2023 Nations Player of the Championship shortlist is based on nominations from international media, spanning each of the six nations competing in the championship.
It also factors in votes from fans for the players they want to see in the Team of the Championship, which closed voting on the Sunday following round five concluding.
Fans are now asked to vote for their chosen player, with voting open across Six Nations Rugby social and digital channels. Voting will be open from today (Monday), until 6pm (GMT) on Wednesday.
The winner of the Guinness Six Nations Player of The Championship will be announced on Friday, March 24, alongside the Team of The Championship. To vote, visit: Voting Page
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