Six Icons of the Six Nations

Jonny Wilkinson (England)

A prodigious pivot who piloted England to unprecedented heights when he slotted a stunning match-winning drop goal off his weaker right foot in extra time of the 2003 World Cup final against the Wallabies to see the Red Rose become the first Northern Hemisphere team to be crowned world champions, Wilkinson is also synonymous with Six Nations success.

England had turned into a dominant force with Wilkinson pulling the strings at flyhalf heading into that global showpiece in Australia.

A general extraordinaire and a sharpshooter supreme off the tee, whose legend extended to being a hard-hitting defender, Wilkinson steered England to three consecutive Six Nations titles from 2001 to 2003, the latter being a Grand Slam triumph, which set them up for global glory later that year.

One of the greatest No. 10s of all time, he holds the records for most points in a single game (35 against Italy) and a single season (89) in the Championship, and is third all-time on the top point-scorer list (546).

He would’ve unquestionably won Player of the Championship honours had the award existed before 2004.

Antoine Dupont (France)

The only current player on my list of Six Nations icons, Dupont – at 29 – is already among the greatest to ever play the game.

Few have the game management prowess of the Les Bleus halfback, whose rugby IQ and booming boot make him a diminutive giant of the global game. Oh, and he happens to have typical French flair to break games open when needed, on top of that.

2020 marked the dawn of the Dupont era in the Six Nations as he became the first Frenchman to win the Player of the Championship award. That year, he made 249 metres with ball in hand, 54 kicks for 1,543 metres, and 12 offloads (all Championship highs).

After being crowned World Player of the Year in 2021, he etched his name in stone in the Six Nations the following year by leading France to their first title since 2010, and scored a try against England to seal the Grand Slam en route to being named the leading player of the tournament.

In 2023, he was the ultimate workhorse, playing every single minute of France’s campaign – a rarity for a modern scrumhalf – and became just the second man in history to win the Player of the Championship award three times.

Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)

While many Springbok supporters will argue that the legendary Danie Gerber is the greatest outside centre in history, O’Driscoll is widely regarded as the best to ever don a No. 13 jersey.

A master on the field and gentleman off it, “BOD” is one of the sport’s greatest ambassadors. As a player, he had no weaknesses; he could cut up defences with unique elegance and grace, and remains the gold standard of what a backline defensive general is.

The Irish icon had one of the most legendary careers in Six Nations history, making the most appearances (65) by an Irishman and fourth-most all-time between 2000 and 2014. Fans witnessed the rise of a titan as O’Driscoll stood tall as the first man to clinch the Player of the Championship award on three occasions (2006, 2007 and 2009).

With him at the helm, Ireland ended a 61-year wait for a Grand Slam in 2009, and 2014 saw a fairy-tale ending to his illustrious career as he retired immediately after the Irish’s title triumph.

He remains the Championship’s all-time top-try-scorer with 26 dot downs.

Sergio Parisse (Italy)

The uncrowned champion of the Six Nations, Parisse never won the title or the Player of the Championship award (although he was nominated in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017) but left a lasting legacy as the Azzurri’s greatest-ever warrior.

No player in history has made more appearances in the Championship than Parisse, who featured in 69 matches from 2004 to 2019. That he started every one of those games and captained his country in most of them highlights the fact that he was the heart and soul of the Italian team.

Perhaps the most gifted all-round forward in Six Nations history, he carried the Azzurri on his back with a superhuman work rate and sprinkled magical moments in between.

He’s up there as one of the greatest eighthmen of all time and, in my opinion, is the best No. 8 in Six Nations history.

Stuart Hogg (Scotland)

The now disgraced Hogg is a controversial inclusion in this list given his heinous actions in his personal life, which saw him plead guilty to domestic abuse of his estranged wife over five years in November 2024.

Thus, rather than to glorify the former Scotland fullback like the other men in this piece, his inclusion is merely because of historical significance.

In 2016, he became the first Scottish player to win the Player of the Championship award, and followed it up by becoming the first player from any nation to win it two years in a row since O’Driscoll in 2017.

He is still the only Scotsman to win the award twice.

Shane Williams (Wales)

Before double World Cup-winning Springbok wing Cheslin Kolbe became the king of tiny wonders in the Test arena, there were pint-sized wizards like Wales’ Williams and England’s Jason Robinson.

A lightning rod of rugby electricity, Williams was quick as a flash and could step would-be tacklers in a phone booth. He was a central figure in Wales’ Grand Slam triumphs in 2005 and 2008, and won the Player of the Championship award after being the top try-scorer of the 2008 season with six touchdowns.

One of the game’s great entertainers, he was crowned World Player of the Year in 2007, and his 22 tries have him in fourth place on the all-time Six Nations list.