Our Men’s U18 Six Nations Festival Team of the Third Round really reflects what was a quite astonishing third round of action.
France and Ireland dominate the side, and little wonder after a pair of performances that grabbed the headlines on the final day of action on Easter Sunday, Ireland beating Italy by an impressive 40-14 margin to kick the final day off and France absolutely storming to a 66-21 victory over Wales that saw them seal the U18 Six Nations Festival title in the process.
England had beaten Scotland in a tight 18-15 game earlier on, so France knew that the title was all but their with a victory as they had a superior points difference and also, in our unofficial table, a superior points tally if they claimed the bonus point against Wales.
They have been the pick of the bunch in this competition, and when we come to do our team of the tournament later in the week, they will likely dominate that.
It has been a strong one on many front though, England finished unbeaten but were challenged hard against Italy and Scotland, Ireland bounced back from a close defeat to France – indeed they were the only side that got close to them – with back to back impressive victories against Wales and Italy. Scotland meanwhile beat Italy and could have edged England with a little more precision, and gave a pretty decent account of themselves against this stunning French side.
Even Italy, without a win, were right in the game against England, while Wales had some fantastic moments through the week, falling foul in reality of the toughest fixture list of the lot – France, England, and Ireland.
To Matchday 3 though and our team of the round. It was a tough one to narrow down, so many positions had players pushing hard and, as in all three rounds, so many players having a fantastic game only for someone in the same shirt from a different side to raise the bar even further. Some players will rightly be enormously disappointed not to make the team after outstanding displays.
As ever though, it’s a game of opinions, so with that in mind and with so many good performances in mind, do share on Twitter and Instagram which players would have made your XV – and which will make your XV of the tournament!
U18 Six Nations Festival XV of Round 3
15 Ben O’Connor (Ireland)
O’Connor was a key player in Ireland’s brilliant victory over Italy, scoring and assisting with real style and looking rock solid in the backfield. He had to be good, England’s Ioan Jones was outstanding against Scotland, while France brought in Tetlow, their third full back in three games, who looked to the manor born. That O’Connor comes in ahead of those two says everything.
14 Gabin Rocher (France)
Rocher made our team of round 1 and a hat-trick in round 3 sees him back in the team again. It was not just a hat-trick though, it was a performance full of pace, vigour, and real excitement from the Grenoble youngster.
13 Sam Berman (Ireland)
It was Berman’s Leinster colleague and school rival Luke Kritzinger that claimed a spot in the centres last time out, but this round it is Berman, the St Michael’s College man that comes in after a performance of real authority against Italy, outshining the likes of Louie Hennessey and Conor Cross, no mean feat given their performances for Wales and England.
12 Finlay Thomson (Scotland)
With Murdoch Lock on the bench after starting the last two games and Luke Townsend unavailable, Thomson’s role at 12 in this Scotland side suddenly changed to include a lot more responsibility. Namely he was the man in charge of kicking to touch, and boy did he do that well, finding the corners absolutely beautifully and helping to set up the field position from which Scotland’s maul was able to create carnage against England, taking them to with inches of victory.
11 Hoani Bosmorin (France)
A stunning try in Round 2 saw Bosmorin make the team of the previous round, and a hat-trick here in round 3 sees him make the side for the second time running. Edging out Ireland’s Hugo McLaughlin for the same accolade, McLaughlin ‘only’ scored two. It was a cracking display from Bosmorin, and in him and Rocher France have a couple of star wingers in the future.
10 Hugo Reus (France)
Reus made the team of round 1, in round 2 his teammate Tom Raffy took the 10 shirt and a place in the team of the round, and now in round 3 Reus is back in the XV of the round after another epic performance. France might be well stocked at 10 with the likes of Ntamck, Jalibert, and Carbonel, to name just three, but in Reus and Raffy there are two more thrilling talents on the way.
9 Lucas Zamora (France)
Zamora kept France buzzing throughout the game against Wales, balancing the blend of his ultra-powerful forward pack inside him and the fizzing backline outside of him very nicely. His opposite number Orson James was lively too, scoring twice, while Ben Douglas again shone for England and Murdoch Lock was on song off the bench for Scotland.
1 Tom Stewart (Ireland)
Loosehead was a competitive position across all three games, and England Ethan Clarke and Scotland’s Jerry Blyth-Lafferty both came close to making this one. In the end though the lively Tom Stewart of Leinster got the nod, a second St Michael’s College man in the side after a fantastic performance, particularly in the loose, against Italy.
2 Barnabé Massa (France)
Another position with loads of contenders, but Massa’s work with the ball in hand against Wales was genuinely astonishing. It is almost a cliché to say a hooker played like a back row forward, but so often it is true, and in this case it was very much the case, and outstanding performance. Scotland’s Elliot Young was also very impressive.
3 Zaccharie Affane (France)
After two nearlys, France finally have a man at tighthead in our XV of the round and what a fitting way to do so because Zaccharie Affane was truly excellent. The Grenoble man was a beast in the scrum, but it was in the loose where we really saw the full repertoire of what this young star has to offer. A superb display.
4 Evan O’Connell (Ireland)
O’Connell was a dominant figure against Italy, in the first half he was, in fact, near unstoppable. A colossus at the lineout, stealing ball at the breakdown, thumping into tackles, but also showing a breath-taking turn of pace in one forty metre break. One of the individual displays of the tournament from any player, and a performance that inked O’Connell into this XV before the other two games had even begun.
5 Luke Coulston (England)
It was Coulston’s second row partner Harvey Cuckson that grabbed the headlines last time out, but against Scotland it was Coulston, alongside new partner Paddy Pearce, who was the shining light in the engine room. A performance of real quality from the Gosforth Academy man.
6 Finn Carnduff (England)
One of the hardest calls of the lot, England Finn Cardnuff and Scotland’s Liam McConnell both skippered the sides against one another and both were absolutely outstanding – as they have been all Festival. In the end we plumped for Carnduff, McConnell’s yellow card for a deliberate knock on just counting against him. Both were brilliant, and in getting the nod Carnduff makes the XV for the second round running. These two will both be on your screens at the very highest game at some point, surely.
7 Andy Timo (France)
Another tight one, England’s Tristan Woodman made it three top class performances out of three when England played Scotland, but by the time France had played Wales Timo had grabbed the shirt in this side with both hands with an absolutely magnificent display. The Massy man was everywhere, even scoring a try from a 25 metre quick tap penalty. Brilliant all tournament, this was the icing on the cake from the Frenchman.
8 Brian Gleeson (Ireland)
It was a quietish round for number 8s, but not in Gleeson’s case as he gave a top performance against Italy. Almost a classic blindside type of performance rather than number 8 in that it was all hard work and dirty work at that. He did it wonderfully though, and in doing so went a long way to helping his side to victory against an Italian side that has looked good through this competition. Scotland’s Tom Currie was again brilliant before succumbing to injury late in the first half against England.
