Player of the tournament
Maro Itoje (England). Played every minute of every England game and, in his first championship as skipper, helped guide his side to four consecutive wins. The more responsibility he is handed the better he seems to perform. An attribute which will not have escaped the notice of Andy Farrell, the British & Irish Lions head coach. Robert Kitson
Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France). France’s flyer equalled the all-time try-scoring record with eight across the tournament, matching a feat last achieved in 1925. The Bordeaux wing is a sensational player, who has a lot more to his game than just scoring tries. There is no doubt we can rank him in the world class bracket. Ugo Monye
Bielle-Biarrey. You would need an extraordinary reason not to pick a guy who scored eight tries in five matches, matching a record last managed 100 years ago, and that’s before you consider his extraordinary speed, insatiable workrate, and his ferocious tackling. Not sure I saw him make a mistake all tournament. Andy Bull
Bielle-Biarrey. With a turn of pace that terrifies opponents he brings a splash of the box office to this French side. His all-round game is rapidly improving but there is no better sight in the sport than a lightning fast wing in full flight and there are none quicker than the championship’s top try-scorer. Gerard Meagher
Blair Kinghorn (Scotland). All right, more of a personal favourite than necessarily “the best” – how do you measure that anyway?. Scotland were too long in thrall to the obvious talents of Stuart Hogg. This guy is sheer class and far more reliable. Should kick the goals too. It’s good enough for Toulouse – and they have Thomas Ramos … Michael Aylwin
Bielle-Biarrey. An outrageous talent who personifies the reasons we keep watching. He will be 24 when the 2027 Rugby World Cup comes around: was he ready in 2023? A certain rawness was exposed by the Springboks in that momentous quarter-final; his development should be complete when Les Bleus depart for Australia. Luke McLaughlin
Match of the tournament
England v France. For sheer madness – were France trying to set a new record for missed try-scoring opportunities? – this game was first among equals, despite the greasy conditions. And just when everyone thought old England were done, up popped Elliot Daly to score that dramatic match-winning try. England’s self-esteem was transformed in that instant. RK
Ireland v France. It was peak Test match rugby, living up to its pre-match billing. Ireland had conceded five tries at home in a Six Nations match just once before, back in 2001, but France’s defence in the first quarter was awesome and their accuracy in the third quarter was just stunning. UM
England v Scotland. France reached a rare peak in that 20-minute stretch of their second half of their game against Ireland, but the Calcutta Cup match pipped it for me, just because of the close finish. Any game that comes down to the very last kick is a good one. AB
England v France. It just pips France’s awesome victory over Ireland for its grandstand finish and for thrills and spills, of which there were plenty. It was always going to take something bordering on the absurd for England to spring an upset and ultimately ensure this championship-winning French side is the greatest to miss out on the grand slam. GM
England v France. Torn between this and France’s win over Ireland. Both notable for France’s ability to play rugby on a different plane to everyone else. The demolition in Dublin was extraordinary. But so was the carelessness in London. And the way England took advantage to snatch a win at the death supplied that extra dimension of drama. MA
Ireland v France. A nod to Scotland v Wales, when Matt Sherratt’s side almost pulled off what would have been a ludicrous comeback. But Ireland v France takes it: the thumping final score means it may be forgotten what a close contest it was until the French replacements ground Ireland into fine dust. LM
Favourite moment
The attacking interplay displayed by France, particularly against Italy. Yes, France’s title was built on power and denting the gainline but they also possess players with a touch-typist’s dexterity when it comes to offloading the ball. The support play, the angles, the understanding of space … no one does it better. RK
Jamie George winning his 100th cap for England against Italy. The former captain is one of the nicest guys in rugby and with England cruising at Twickenham and the sun beating down, it was a brilliant day and a result befitting of the man. UM
Somewhere in among Antoine Dupont’s superb 20-minute stretch against Ireland was this one moment when, stumbling over the touchline, tacklers closing in, he flicked a perfect reverse-pass fast out the back of his hand and 20 yards infield, picking out Romain Ntamack without looking. It was a little moment of absolute magic. AB
When news filtered through that the Six Nations will be staying on free-to-air TV. The unions could do with the cash injection a deal with a subscriber would bring but a move behind a paywall would be little short of terminal for the sport, given how far the tournament goes behind rugby’s traditional reach for seven weeks of the year. GM
Ross Vintcent’s try for Italy against England. For a moment the neutral dared to dream. Ange Capuozzo’s counterattack on the half-hour against England was typical brilliance, and then Vintcent ran like the back he could be past more England defenders to the line. Game squared up. Could it be? Alas, no. MA
Elliot Daly’s winning try v France. Chris Hoy delivering the match ball at Murrayfield before Scotland v Ireland was emotional, but for sheer dramatic effect combined with profound and long-lasting repercussions, Daly’s late clincher against France was unbeatable. Steve Borthwick badly needed that result and his players delivered a textbook attacking play under intense pressure. LM
Biggest surprise
The 20-year-old Henry Pollock not only making his senior England debut but marking it with two tries against Wales in Cardiff. Though, in truth, we probably should have guessed the Northampton flanker would make some kind of high-profile splash. He clearly has the confidence to match his obvious potential. RK
The scoreline on Saturday in Cardiff. I expected England to prevail but I’m not sure anyone quite saw such a dominant victory coming with Steve Borthwick’s side racking up 10 tries and inflicting a record defeat on Wales at the Principality stadium. UM
The way Ireland were blown away in the second half of that match against France in Dublin, from the position of being five points up with 35 minutes to play against a French team who had Antoine Dupont off injured and a flanker, Oscar Jégou, playing in the centre. I would have backed the Irish to win nine times out of 10. AB
after newsletter promotion
That England’s all-conquering under-20s side were defeated by Wales on the final weekend of the championship. The junior world champions lost their heads last Friday night in Cardiff against a fired up Welsh side. Borthwick will hope it is merely an aberration with high hopes of a number of the side graduating in the not-too-distant future. GM
Wales. Most of us felt they would lose all five matches, but the sheer scale of those defeats by France and England turned the blood cold. Minus 119 is by far the worst points difference Wales have shipped. Italy have regularly busted minus 100. Scotland were in the minus 90s in 2004 and 2014. No one else has got close. This is bad. MA
Michele Lamaro’s leadership has been a powerful force behind Italy’s improvement so it felt strange to see him on the bench against Ireland. Gonzalo Quesada’s decision may seemingly have been justified by Lamaro’s foolish yellow card in Rome, but the Azzurri must hope their young captain rediscovers his best form. LM
Wizard set for Oz – who pressed Lions case?
Three previously little-considered Englishmen finished the championship with reputations greatly enhanced. Fin Smith, Will Stuart and Ben Curry have all had to be patient but are now reaping the rewards of their perseverance. All could yet end up as Test Lions in Australia. RK
Maro Itoje was a shoo-in for the squad and probably the Test side before the championship but following his promotion with England he has performed in a manner which now makes him the front-runner for the captaincy. UM
James Lowe must be the single most annoying man to play against in the entire tournament – he seems to be ever-present at every breakdown, or always on the ball. He smashes his tackles, nails his kicks and always seems to be needling the opposition, or wheedling the referee. A man you absolutely want on your team. AB
The Curry brothers. Tom Curry feels a certainty for the Test side now but it is easy to forget that, with question marks over his durability before the Six Nations, there were considerable doubts as to whether he would even make the squad. Those have been emphatically answered and such is the form of Ben, man of the match against Wales, that he is in with a strong shout too. GM
Tommy Freeman. Another personal favourite – what is it about these tall, classy outside backs? Amid all the hullabaloo surrounding Bielle-Biarrey, it has almost been missed that Freeman also scored a try in every round – a rare feat indeed. He can play anywhere beyond 10. Could probably play 10 too. Makes for a perfect tourist. MA
Blair Murray. The concluding date against England went badly but Wales acquitted themselves much better against Ireland and Scotland after Warren Gatland’s departure and a fresh pair of eyes in Sherratt. Blair Murray started at full-back in the final three rounds, and the 23-year-old Scarlets full-back could yet be a Lions bolter. LM
In 2026, I would like to see …
Wales winning again. No one likes to see such a proud rugby nation struggling. And Antoine Dupont back fully fit and firing after his serious injury. PS: if someone could also revisit the TMO protocols, introduce accurate forward pass technology and outlaw wet paint on-pitch advertisements, that would also be much appreciated. RK
Something done to speed up the pre-match ceremonies at a number of matches. The meeting and greeting before Ireland v France took seven minutes which does not make for great TV and can have a slowing impact on the buildup to matches. UM
A simplification of the increasingly Byzantine system of red cards, yellow cards, penalties, and, particularly, post-match suspensions. Rugby’s complicated enough without feeling like you need to pull out a book of the laws midway through a game to understand whether someone’s going to be sent off or not. AB
Hotel prices in host cities capped to ensure they can’t charge absurd fees for travelling supporters. On the pitch, as Gregor Townsend pointed out on Saturday, the 20-minute yellow card and the bunker review system have taken decision-making out of referees’ hands. It was inevitable that it would take an act so blatantly worthy of a red card to shine a light on it and the hope must be that the authorities act. GM
Less of a two-speed, maybe even three-speed, championship. We talk about Wales, but Italy, for all their improvement, are still susceptible to the kind of dismantling a professional sport is not meant to see. Then there is Scotland. For all their brilliance, fourth again. If only the niggle didn’t persist that this is the future. Resources will out … MA
A moratorium on law changes until after the 2027 World Cup. The constant fettling is no help to anyone. That said, could anyone seriously argue Garry Ringrose’s 20-minute Cardiff red card was a fair punishment after a dominant Bundee Aki was introduced? Back to the drawing board we go … LM