Team of the Week: Dragons & Roses
The Six Nations race will go down to the wire, but Wales got some early reward in rugby365's famous weekly selection.
Wales, following a 23-16 win over Ireland that threw the championship race wide open, got the lions' share of our Team of the Week – six Welshmen finding a place in our first-choice selection.
England, who squeezed through the door opened by Wales and moved to the top of the standings after beating Scotland 25-13, are next best with three starters.
Ireland, Scotland (two each) and France (one) make up the numbers.
There is further reward for the impressive England team, with five more players making our back-up squad – giving them eight players represented this week.
However, Wales – with four more bubbling under – just edge them into first place overall with 10.
Ireland also have four players in the back-up squad, while Scotland make up the numbers with one player bubbling under.
Just one player returns from Week Three's selection – centre Jonathan Davies (Wales).
Team of the Week – Six Nations, Round Four:
15 – Stuart Hogg (Scotland):
That rare gem the Scots tend to produce every few years. Yes, even better than Leigh Halfpenny and his trusty boot.
Bubbling under: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ireland):
Wasn't a great weekend for wings, but Bowe was the best of a bad bunch.
Bubbling under: George North (Wales)
13 – Jonathan Davies (Wales):
Was a tough choice in a congested midfield, with the decisive factor the additional ground he made with ball in hand.
Bubbling under: Jared Payne (Ireland)
12 – Jamie Roberts (Wales):
Not everybody's cup of tea – with his critics claiming he has lost pace and become too predictable. Still great value to Wales.
Bubbling under: Luther Burrell (England)
11 – Jack Nowell (England):
Fast developing into the next big thing in England.
Bubbling under: Simon Zebo (Ireland)
10 – George Ford (England):
A masterclass of match control.
Bubbling under: Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
9 – Rhys Webb (Wales):
One of those players who put his body on the line when Ireland laid siege to the Welsh tryline in the second half.
Bubbling under: Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland):
Proved his value to the Irish cause.
Bubbling under: Taulupe Faletau (Wales)
7 – Sam Warburton (Wales):
The man does not understand the meaning of fear or giving up.
Bubbling under: Chris Robshaw (England)
6 – Thierry Dusautoir (France):
One of the few Frenchman that will emerge from this season with his reputation intact.
Bubbling under: James Haskell (England)
5 – Jonny Gray (Scotland):
Already beginning to outshine his elder brother.
Bubbling under: Courtney Lawes (England)
4 – Luke Charteris (Wales):
Made an astonishing 31 tackles – most of them during that second-half period when Ireland laid siege to the Welsh line.
Bubbling under: Dave Attwood (England)
3 – Dan Cole (England):
Powerful showing in the set pieces, while doing some impressive work on defence.
Bubbling under: Aaron Jarvis (Wales)
2 – Scott Baldwin (Wales):
When your tackle count moves into the 20s and you have carried the ball a number of times you had a successful day at the office.
Bubbling under: Rory Best (Ireland)
1 – Eddy Ben Arous (France):
Made a mockery of Italy's famed scrumming power.
Bubbling under: Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
Our individual selections:
Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Jack Nowell, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 James Haskell, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Rory Best, 1 Eddy Ben Arous.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Duncan Fife, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Jack Nowell, 10 George Ford, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton, 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Jack Nowell, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sam Warburton, 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 2 Scott Baldwin, 1 Eddy Ben Arous.
Previous selections:
Team of the Week – Six Nations, Round Three: 15 Luke McLean (Italy), 14 George North (Wales), 13 Jonathan Davies (Wales), 12 Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), 11 Giovanbattista Venditti (Italy), 10 Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9 Conor Murray (Ireland), 8 Sergio Parisse (Italy), 7 Bernard le Roux (France), 6 James Haskell (England), 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), 4 Devin Toner (Ireland), 3 Mike Ross (Ireland), 2 Rory Best (Ireland), 1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales).
Team of the Week: Six Nations, Round Two: 15 Stuart Hogg (Scotland), 14 Yoann Huget (France), 13 Jonathan Joseph (England), 12 Alex Dunbar (Scotland), 11 Liam Williams (Wales), 10 Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9 Conor Murray (Ireland), 8 Billy Vunipola (England), 7 Sam Warburton (Wales), 6 Peter O'Mahony (Ireland), 5 Paul O'Connell (Ireland), 4 Richie Gray (Scotland), 3 Dan Cole (England), 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (Italy), 1 Joe Marler (England).
Team of the Week – Six Nations, Round One: 15 Stuart Hogg (Scotland), 14 Anthony Watson (England), 13 Jonathan Joseph (England), 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11 Teddy Thomas (France), 10 Ian Keatley (Ireland), 9 Conor Murray (Ireland), 8 Taulupe Faletau (Wales), 7 Chris Robshaw (England), 6 James Haskell (England), 5 Jonny Gray (Scotland), 4 David Atwood (England), 3 Dan Cole (England), 2 Rory Best (Ireland), 1 Joe Marler (England).
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