Rugby
Six Nations: Key Players
From dominant forwards to superstar backs, these six players will be key to their respective countries’ campaigns in the Six Nations, which is set to kick off on Thursday night, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.
England: Maro Itoje
A towering and tireless talisman, Itoje is a giant of the game. After adding to his legacy by leading the British & Irish Lions to a 2-1 series win over the Wallabies in Australia last year, he’s aiming to take England to their first Six Nations crown since 2020.
The central figure in the Red Rose pack with his leadership and physical intensity, the legendary lock inspires teammates to go above and beyond. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk, as he did by playing every minute of England’s campaign last term.
France: Antoine Dupont
The man, the myth, the legend.
That’s perhaps the best way to describe Dupont, France’s superstar scrumhalf and general, whose excellence is inspiring increasingly loftier praise from experts and fans – mainly those based in the Northern Hemisphere – often to the point of being over-the-top.
Is he the greatest of all time as many of his admirers proclaim? No, but there’s no denying he’s among the top dogs, and with him being back from injury, it’s essentially doubled Les Bleus’ chances of retaining the title this year.
If he continues the red-hot form he’s shown for Toulouse, there’s every chance that he can become the first man to win the prestigious Player of the Championship award for a fourth time.
Ireland: Jamison Gibson-Park
The Irish should thank their lucky stars for their New Zealand import. They have three in Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Bundee Aki (who’ll miss the first three games due to suspension), but I’m specifically referring to Gibson-Park.
Johnny Sexton retired immediately following Ireland’s quarter-final exit at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and the Irish still haven’t settled on a first-choice flyhalf. As a result, Gibson-Park has been pulling the strings at scrumhalf.
He might be getting up there in age (he’s turning 34 later this month), but Ireland will need to keep him around for as long as possible as no No. 9 in the country comes close to him in terms of his game-driving ability and tactical nous.
Those strengths, which enable him to control the tempo of his team, make the experienced campaigner invaluable to Ireland’s cause.
Italy: Tommaso Menoncello
Simply put, Menoncello is Magnifico.
Not just one of the best centres, but also one of the best backline players in the world, Menoncello is a mercurial midfielder who’s a nightmare for the opposition on both sides of the ball.
The total package in terms of size, skill and smarts, he’s a tackle-breaking titan on attack and extracts turnovers on defence better than any other back.
The only Italian to earn the Player of the Championship award, which he did in 2024, he’s full of confidence and flair, and both the steak and the sizzle of the Azzurri backline.
Still only 23, the Toulouse-bound Benetton blue-chipper will be Italy’s primary weapon.
Scotland: Finn Russell
A visionary who’s not afraid to express himself, Russell is one of those players fans pay money to go and watch. He’s an attraction and an entertainer, a needle-mover and one of the defining figures of Scottish rugby over the last decade.
Driven by an attacking mindset, his play-making prowess and unpredictability give Scotland a cutting edge they’d never had before and probably never will again once his time has passed.
At 33, he’s still guilty of blowing hot and cold at times, but he has matured and is now able to play the percentages when needed. This, whilst retaining the wizardry with which he can break any game open.
Without him, Scotland are a shell of the side they are when he dons the No. 10 jersey.
Wales: Dewi Lake
Wales’s front row general, Dewi Lake, is at the heart of a nation rebuilding its fortunes. The Ospreys hooker has combined aggressive ball-carrying, robust defence, and accurate set-piece work since breaking into the Welsh side in 2022.
With Zac Morgan injured, Lake has been named as Wales’ skipper. His role goes beyond being an honour and a privilege, it comes with massive responsibility as it puts him at the very heart of Welsh rugby rebuilding its fortunes.
Even though he is leaving the Ospreys for Gloucester at the end of the season (you can’t blame him with the future of the Swansea club looking bleak), he’s a wise choice to captain the Dragons in this campaign.
The hooker has real mongrel, is solid in the set pieces, a physical presence at the breakdown and a player who can galvanise a team.