Ben Morgan: Owned the Paris pitch
Now that the dust has settled across Europe, Planet Rugby thought it was only right to hand out some praise to the stars of Six Nations, Round 4.
England's win over France in Paris on Sunday was the highlight of the fourth round. The visitors outscored the French by three tries to one as they became the first team to win at the Stade de France in the Six Nations since their compatriots prevailed in 2008.
On Saturday, Ireland extended Scotland's winless streak with a 32-14 victory in Dublin. Defeat for Scotland was their sixth in a row and left them facing yet another wooden spoon decider away to fellow strugglers Italy in Rome next weekend, after the Azzurri went down 24-3 to Wales.
So which players stood head and shoulders above the rest?
15 Ben Foden (England): Exorcised the ghost of last year's World Cup defeat to France with a world-class performance in the number 15 jersey for England. Foden also returned to try-scoring form after rounding off Ben Morgan's storming run.
14 Alex Cuthbert (Wales): A strong-running display against the Italians that deservedly reaped the reward of a late try for Wales. Picked up the man of the match award that was the icing on the cake for the Cardiff Blues speedster.
13 Manu Tuilagi (England): Plenty of power and a turn of pace made him a constant threat at the Stade de France, with his opening try setting the tone for the rest of the match. Arguably one of his most impressive afternoons in an England jersey.
12 Wesley Fofana (France): The pick of France's backs. What a dream Six Nations debut the Clemont star is having... four tries from four outings for the French - enough said.
11 Chris Ashton (England): We were pretty stumped on this one. Ashton gets the nod after relatively quite performances from everyone else in the left wing position. Always in the thick of it, Ashton's tackle on half-way did set up Tuilagi's try which ultimately was a game-changing moment for England.
10 Owen Farrell (England): Another authoritative display from England's young gun on Sunday, typified by some excellent place-kicking. At 20 years old, Owen Farrell has already drawn comparisons with Jonny Wilkinson, and if the prodigiously talented fly-half continues to produce his best form in an England shirt, he could be the man to ensure Stuart Lancaster gets the job.
9 Mike Phillips (Wales): A workaholic display by the Wales scrum-half, who was relentless behind his forwards' heels to set up numerous attacks. Worthy mentions for England's Lee Dickson and Eoin Reddan of Ireland, who are both a tad unlucky to be missing out following top notch outings for their respective teams.
8 Ben Morgan (England): A titanic performance against France by the Gloucester-bound number eight, who roamed the Paris pitch at times as if he owned it. It was a tough call between Morgan and opposite number Imanol Harinordoquy, who played at full throttle from start to finish for Les Bleus.
7 Peter O'Mahony (Ireland): With Sean O'Brien set for a return to Ireland's line-up this weekend, O'Mahony can count himself desperately unlucky if he misses out on a starting spot at Twickenham. The 22-year-old marked his full debut with a purposeful showing, proving he's one to watch for the future.
6 Tom Croft (England): Arguably his best outing at international level since his starring role for the 2009 British and Irish Lions, Croft beats off stiff competition from Ireland's Stephen Ferris and Wales flank Dan Lydiate. Croft scored the decisive try in the closing stages against France to cap the kind of commanding all-round display he has been striving for with England for three years.
5 Donnacha Ryan (Ireland): A man-of-the-match display from Ireland's tall timber after being given the ardous task of filling in for the injured Paul O'Connell. However, he didn't disappoint. Ryan put in a tireless performance - dominating the line-out by winning Ireland clean ball and disrupting the Scots' set-piece. He was everywhere...
4 Richie Gray (Scotland): Scotland may have produced their poorest performance of the tournament in Dublin, but Gray was able to leave the field with his head held high. Without a doubt Scotland's most dangerous attacking player, Gray was rewarded with a try for his efforts. If he wasn't before, the second-rower must now be a certain Lion in 2013.
3 Dan Cole (England): Replaced at half-time when England last visited Paris, but he was a tower of strength this time around in the set-pieces and open play. Also made a telling contribution in defence, with one tackle saving a potential try.
2 Rory Best (Ireland): Wearing the skipper arm band in O'Connell's absence, Best acquitted himself well in the emphatic Irish victory over Scotland. Ireland's stand-in captain courageous led from the front, and helped lay the foundation of the home side's win with his spectacular try early on.
1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales): Another player handed the captaincy reigns with regular leader Sam Warburton sidelined with injury. Was a rock at scrum-time against the Azzurri, and a constant menace in the loose.
Comments
stag says...
When in doubt, pick Ashton. What a load of rubbish. PR bcoming less credible by the day.
Posted 15:54 14th March 2012
pierredelot1 says...
There is no doubt that this article is written in order to stir up opinion. Putting Foden in ahead of Kearney is an outrage and frankly Ashton has still not managed to get his form back so doesn't really deserve a mention. Papachinzo is obviously on some form of medication, the Szarzeski fan club has probably one member. Servat is still the best two in the northern hemisphere by a country mile, but not getting first up, as everyone knows this is probably his last season. Croft only holds his place if the coach plays the game in a system to suit him, which England did on Sunday. Having said that you can't argue with Grey and Ryan, both are top class and Ryan has to be a shoe in from now on. Best No 8 week in week out is Parisi, but not his best last week. The guys probably getting fed up of being on the losing side.
Posted 14:36 14th March 2012
Douglas1984 says...
Lions:
15: Halfpenny
14: Ashton
13: Tuilagi
12: Farrell
11: North
10: Sexton
9: Phillips
8: Morgan
7: Warburton (c)
6: Ferris
5: O' Connell
4: Gray
3: Cole
2: Ford
1: Jenkins
Subs: Healy, Best, Lawes, O' Brien, Youngs, Bowe, Davies
Posted 13:57 14th March 2012
Houston_11 says...
I have to say that it seems a lot of the time on these weekly teams, people get picked for scoring tries or setting them up. In this I refer to Croft (scoring) and Morgan (setting up).
Croft had a solid game but nowhere near the performance Ferris put in.
Morgan had a decent game but I thought Harinordoquy completely outshown him.
I would also have Tommy Bowe in the team ahead of Ashton, who for me, doesn't even deserve his place in the England squad. I would have Sharples starting ahead of him with Strettle. And with one being injured I'd put Foden on the wing and put Mike Brown at full-back.
Posted 13:43 14th March 2012
kenttaff says...
ashton??? i am dumbfounded
Posted 13:06 14th March 2012
Artherfish says...
Just one comment to make. Although part of a poor scotish display i have to say Richie Gray diservs his place, thought he was fantastic on saturday. I'd im no scott. On this form would be in my mix for the Lions.
Posted 10:53 14th March 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Maggot - know how you feel but we are re-building with alot of new and young players who are still to prove themselves whereas other teams have much more established players who have put in good performances at top level for a number of years. The likes of Cole, Foden, Tuilagi, Farrell, Lawes, Corbisiero and Morgan are all pretty young but give them time and I think they'll be showing up regularly in these lists.
For now though, and this is only my own opinion, Kearney is better than Foden, Ferris is better than Croft and Bowe is better than Ashton.
Kiwirooster - are you really a kiwi ? Your knowledge of French rugby is impressive.
Posted 10:03 14th March 2012
APV1 says...
@ gareth1984 - two issues. 1. Croft was fantastic this week and getting back to his Lion's form. He's been underachieving in the tournament up until the French match, but to call him over-rated shows a lack of memory on your part. 2. POC - what is everyone's obsession with him? He is awesome and a great player, but he's not the be all and end all.
@ norm - I'll accept opinions about the skills and abilities of any player, as we are all subjective. But to critisise TC's work-rate is just wrong. One of the reasons he was included in the PR team was his work-rate, all over the park, in the loose and set piece this weekend. To suggest that he didn't graft is just nonsense. Unless you've mis-used the word "graft", which most use to describe hard work, rather than ability or skill...
And, I do think we all need to get away from telling each other who WILL be picked, as we're often going to be proved wrong. Perhaps we should all suggest who WE WOULD pick. There'll be less egg on our faces...
Posted 10:01 14th March 2012
whatisthis says...
Lions 1. Healy, 2. Ford, 3. Cole, 4. Gary, 5. O Connell (C), 6. Ferris, 7. War burton, 8. Faletau, 9. Blair, 10. Sexton, 11. North, 12. Farrell, 13. Tuilagi, 14. Bowe, 15. Kearney.......16. Best, 17. Jenkins, 18. Jones, 19. Charteris, 20. Croft, 21. Phillips, 22. Hogg.... Farrell to take kicks. Sexton is a good playmaker and defender but his overall game can suffer with a few missed shots at goal....and I know this line-up is a bit green friendly:-) 7 Irish, 4 scots, 7 welsh and 4 englishmen in the 22
Posted 00:58 14th March 2012
lostprofit says...
I would choose Foden over Kearney. Kearney is excellent under the high ball, no one better. But he was utterly at fault for Gray's try and he has no imagination in attach, he just runs into people.
Ashton... Errr, guys anyone else would have been better >.<
O'Mahony? Good full debut but its a mistake to think he was better than Ferris who was utterly immense and is probably the in form 6 in the NH. Hands down. A huge candidate for the lions, I think.
Imagine a back three of Ferris Warburton and Morgan (on this form, and far better than Faletau)
Tha gives me goosebumps of excitement :)
Posted 00:22 14th March 2012
kyran says...
Kearney/ Stuart Hogg
Alex Cuthbert
Manu Tuilagi
Wesley Fofana
North
Farrel
Parra/ Lee Dickson
G Jenkins
Ford
A Jones
Jim Hamilton
Gray
Tom Croft
Chris Robshaw
Sergio Parisse/ David Denton
Posted 23:17 13th March 2012
RobinMasters says...
What is Ashton doing in this "dream" team? Let him dive for fantastic tries against Georgia or Romania, this is the 6N.
Harinordoquy was huge, but I understand the French don't get much credit here when they win, so let's not expect them to be on when they lose (and Morgan was outstanding, too).
Cole? What was so special about him?
Farrell or Sexton? Both huge.
Phillips : miles above anybody.
As for Tuilagi, somebody take those pills from him, or he's gonna burst...
Posted 22:35 13th March 2012
maggot says...
Would it make people a lot more happy if England were just not in the 6nations?
Posted 22:12 13th March 2012
gareth1984 says...
I think Dan Lydiate constantly gets over looked every week his tackle count is in the top 3 of the game is always involved in either a supporting role or carrying or defensively. Lions next year for the backrow will be hotly contested between ferris-Lydiate, Heaslip-Faletau and Warburton and Rennie. Sorry but Croft is massively overrated!!!!!!
My Lions xv
15. Rob Kearney
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Scott Williams
12. Manu Tualagi
11. Leigh Halfpenny
10. Owen Farrell
9. Mike Phillips
8. Jamie Heaslip
7. Sam Warburton
6. Dan Lydiate
5. POC
4. Ritchie Grey
3. Adam Jones
2. Rory Rest
1. Gethin Jenkins
Posted 20:40 13th March 2012
yelloj321 says...
Healy should be there or at least mentioned
Posted 20:05 13th March 2012
pembs says...
Halfpenny adds more to a team than any other full back
Posted 18:43 13th March 2012
Danatthecorner says...
@papachinzo
Really? I can only imagine you didn't see the games as, Szarzewski missed about 4 line outs and threw the ball away stupidly for Englands first try. In fact Servat was better in 20 minutes he was on than Szarzewski was for an hour. Canale over Fofana who was dangerous all day? Healy and Ross and no Jenkins? Rougerie drifted off Croft for the third try as well. You have an odd selection there, look forward to hearing why you have picked each player.
Posted 18:38 13th March 2012
Danatthecorner says...
@APV1
I agree with your post by and large except the penalty bit. He didn't give a penalty away for being gobby. The verbal incident was when Ashton was having verbals with one of the French players and the touch judge heard him and told the ref who then threatened to penalise him. A complete non-event, only made significant by the fact that everyone still is in a rush to bury Ashton for anything he does/doesn't do. The penalty was for shoving Rougerie.
How can people seriously say Croft wasn't better than Ferris this week when he clearly was? He was all over the French line out with 3 steals, great in defence stopping Fofana twice in full flow and did his shift in the tight (which is rare for him) as well as scoring the winning try, which was quality. All this, head to head against the world player of the year, away in France where they haven't lost since 2008. What more does he have to do in a one off game for some people to admit he has played well?
If you can't bring themselves round to say a player has played well regardless of his nationality then frankly you are watching the wrong sport. It's not a matter of who is better overall its about being adult enough to admit truthfully who played better this week.
Posted 18:21 13th March 2012
NHsaints says...
@thewalker you complete and utter plonker. Don't comment on what you haven't seen and check your facts before you spout insults and make yourself look like an English bashing idiot (I can stand the England/Ashton bashing but the idiocy...?). Dan Cole was fantastic (should have gotten MOM) and played well over 60 minutes (maybe even 70), he pushed back the french scrum on numerous occasions, got a try saving tackle in, played like a backrow in the breakdown and made all his first up tackles and runs. As for some of the other selections I can see the flaws, Ashton was average at best (although would have scored off dickson's break if beauxis hadn't blocked his support line), Morgan although excellent wasn't the outstanding player that imanol continues to be for france (he will be given time though) and the Foden-Kearney rivalry could have gone either way this week...if only there was a way of fitting them both into the team? As they're both fantastic players with Kearney better under a high ball and at chasing up kicks with Foden providing the best last ditch defence as a fullback in the world and his excellent counter runs slowly returning,
Posted 18:00 13th March 2012
papachinzo says...
hmm, mine would have been:
15.Kearney 14.Cuthbert 13.Rougerie 12.Canale 11.Trimble 10.Sexton 9.Botes 8.Harinordoquy 7.Tipuric 6.Ferris 5.Ryan 4.Gray 3.Ross 2.Szarzewski 1.Healy
Posted 17:41 13th March 2012