The shortlist for the top man in the Six Nations this year has been released and we have to say it’s very odd.
The Six Nations may not have been vintage this year but we still saw some fine rugby and some players emerge with lots and lots of credit. Players like Owen Farrell, Wesley Fofana, Richie Gray, Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe and Stephen Ferris have all had excellent tournaments so you would expect them to be on the shortlist, if not among the favourites, to win the player on the year.
None of those players are nominated. In fact, England, despite still having an outside chance of winning the thing still, have no nominees at all. The reason? Well, the players who make the shortlist are those who pick up the man of the match awards.
So Ireland get two representatives, Jonny Sexton being the top man according to the broadcasters for the Italy game and Donnacha Ryan, who has started just one game, is on the list for his man of the match award last week.
The lads were great in those games, but the overall excellence, throughout the tournament, of a Ferris or a Kearney now goes unrewarded.
Italy and Scotland face off in the wooden spoon game this weekend and they have three nominees between them, David Denton, Ross Rennie and Sergio Parisse.
The full list, which is below, will now be voted on by the general public to choose the player of the tournament. No issue with that, but some of the best players this spring are not options at all. That is very odd and should be addressed.
Sam Warburton (Wales)
Dan Lydiate (Wales)
Alex Cuthbert (Wales)
Mike Phillips (Wales)
Julien Malzieu (France)
Yoann Maestri (France)
Imanol Harinordoquy (France)
David Denton (Scotland)
Ross Rennie (Scotland)
Sergio Parisse (Italy)
Jonathan Sexton (Ireland)
Donnacha Ryan (Ireland)
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
