Six Nations 2024: A guide to the teams and top players at rugby union’s big tournament BBC Newsround

8 –  Aaron Wanwright – 7Wales’ best player last week continued his form here. Rangy runs, athletic grabs under high balls, he also offered a target at the line-out. Having just carried up-field a minuter before half-time, he got up, carried again, stepped, off-loaded and found Williams on his inside.

Ex-Crusaders star singles out the All Black whose stock rose during Rugby Championship

He is the only Fiji star to make the list and one of three tier two players to make the top 50. No England players have been selected in a top 20 list of the world’s best rugby players ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Similarly, the impact that experienced Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth provides to South Africa cannot be questioned, especially given his output at international level last year.

The ‘stark evidence’ which shows Rassie Erasmus’ Bok evolution as Springboks dominate Rugby Championship stats

Handrè Pollard is the definition of a clutch player – always there to depend on in the tough moments. Aaron Woods always wanted to be a rugby league player – but the talented media performer, unsurprisingly, would’ve been talking people’s ears off if he wasn’t one. For some of the boys playing in the national team, playing for the Flying Fijians is how food gets put on the table for their families and they can’t support their families if they don’t get paid. I wholeheartedly agree with Botia’s statement that FRU should not expect the best out of their players if they are not able to pay the players who decided to join them. He also noted that had FRU kept their promises, the players that represented their country would be more focused on the upcoming games rather than the payments that FRU had either failed or refused to give them.

USA climb World Rugby Women’s Rankings after win over Japan

• Ireland, who won the Six Nations last year, come into this year’s tournament with something to prove, having gone into last year’s World Cup with high expectations, only to lose out in the quarter-finals.
• A master tactician with a sublime passing and kicking game, Ford is an old-school game manager in the best sense of the word.
• Any match that is not a full international between two member countries does not count at all.
• The once-intimidating aura of the All Blacks seems to have faded.They are by no means in crisis like the Wallabies, but at the moment, they aren’t performing at a level that puts them among the elite.
• Smith shows an instinct for attack and courage to play beyond any of his rivals for the jersey, but he must also prove he can guide England through choppier waters.
• Farrell will be hoping that O’Mahony can fill the void left by behemoth Johnny Sexton, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Nothing too flashy, he continued to find his close-in runners and – mostly – his areas when box kicking. 15 – Cameron Winnett  – 8Didn’t merely catch high balls and hoof them back. He showed maturity and composure, looking up with the intent to impact the game.

Italy climb World Rugby Women’s Rankings powered by Capgemini

Having been among the world’s premier players for some time now, Maro Itoje enjoyed another fruitful season in 2021. The veteran lock was a shining light in England’s below-par Six Nations campaign to become a regular test starter for the British and Irish Lions on their tour of South Africa. Itoje then capped off his year with a string of standout showings as England swept the Wallabies, Springboks and Tonga in the Autumn Nations Series. Of equal importance to the Hurricanes is the performance of their star centre, Jordie Barrett. Head coach Warren Gatland has been forced to pick one of the youngest squads of his career following retirements, transfers and injuries to key players. Arguably only the second true utility player on this list alongside Levani Botia, former sevens specialty Smith is one of the best back row players in the world.

Australia drop down World Rugby Men’s Rankings

12 – Nick Tompkins  – 4Struggled to provide any strike force through midfield. Also guilty for giving the ball away after a 24 phase move when he recklessly chucked an off-load from the ground. Worse perhaps was the custard-soft penalty he gave away when Adams kicked from his own in-goal area to gift England three points. 13 – George North – 5.5Was mostly quiet but had the most penetrating run of any Welsh back looking to punch through England’s line. Needed to have more of those impacts with ball in hand, but his larger frame was a weapon on the counter ruck. One shove in particular on 67 minutes procured a turnover against a possible overlap.

Six Nations Fantasy: The top-ranked superstars for the 2024 championship

Like Reed, Scotland’s Six Nations squad features three other uncapped players. Most noteworthy is loosehead prop Alec Hepburn, who earned six caps for England in 2018. Additionally, Will Hurd and Harry Paterson will make their debuts.

Watch Newsround

While this has, at times, counted against him starting, his world-class ability has made him a British and Irish Lion, as well as a staple in the Irish match day 23. His performance against the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semifinal https://just-bet.org/mobile/ is up there with the best individual showings of all time. Rugby in countries like the US has a long way to go to catch up in spending. The sport continues to gain popularity and may eventually land players on the list.

Ireland in danger of dropping out of top 10 in World Rugby Women’s Rankings powered by Capgemini

• Wing Duhan van der Merwe is lethal with ball in hand and some space.
• Singled out as one to watch by Italy great Sergio Parisse, the uncapped Izekor is a colossus of a back row who stands 6’5” tall and weighs well over 17 stones.
• When preparing for the big games, the team wanted their minds to be focused on that game, rather than underlying pay disputes.
• With Owen Farrell opting to take a break from international duty and then signing for French side Racing 92, the time came for England to turn to someone new as their full-time captain.
• Woods, along with fellow retirees, will be celebrated on grand final day.
• The current line-up is missing many of the team’s biggest names, with Leigh Halfpenny, Dan Biggar, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric retiring in the last 12 months.
• He has won the Rugby World Cup twice, and in the 2023 campaign he was key in turning momentum in South Africa’s favour in their quarter-final against hosts France.

Taking to the international stage like a duck to water, Crowley already has featured in several significant test matches. Jack Crowley took full control of the backup position at the 2023 Rugby World Cup; the uber-talented Munster star already has shown all of the hallmarks required of a top-quality international. The competition will feature the same 10 teams from the 2023–24 season. Host Darcie McDonald is joined by former NRL winger Josh Mansour to bring you your daily dose of NRL conversation. The team give you context and depth beyond the headlines in this footy conversation that’s equal parts thoughtful, insightful and fun.

Top 10 offensive tackles

That didn’t change in 2021, a year of which he earned a World Rugby Player of the Year nomination, and one could argue Hooper can feel hard done by that he wasn’t the outright winner of the award. Antoine Dupont needs no introduction, and few would disagree that he is the best player in the world right now. Not only can he display his skills on a 15s stage, but he has also started his 7s career with a bang, scoring a try on his debut for France. So far in his career, he has won the Six Nations with France and three top 14 titles with Toulouse.

Previous captain Owen Farrell is unavailable, saying he wants to “prioritise his mental wellbeing”, so Jamie George takes over the role, leading the squad as the new captain. Ireland, who won the Six Nations last year, come into this year’s tournament with something to prove, having gone into last year’s World Cup with high expectations, only to lose out in the quarter-finals. France joined the tournament in 1910, with five teams competing for 90 years until Italy were invited to join the competition in 2000. The latest edition of the men’s Six Nations is fast approaching, with the 2024 championship starting the first weekend of February. He is up there as one of the best No 8s in world rugby and will be key to Les Bleus navigating the tournament without Antoine Dupont.

A force on both sides of the ball, the 23-year-old will be looking to transfer his impressive form for Benetton on to the Test arena. His significant size in the backrow opens up a whole world of possibilities at set piece for Los Pumas – in particular, his explosive power getting off the ground quickly for lineouts and kickoff receipts. Not since the great Joe Rokocoko has New Zealand Rugby had a winger who ties together immense physicality with guile to the level of Telea.

Hong Kong China men claim fifth consecutive Asia title

The Centenary Quaich named after a Gaelic drinking dish, the ‘Quaich’ has been presented to the winners of the Ireland against Scotland since 1989 and won by Ireland in 2023. The four home nations also compete for various trophies, including the the Millennium trophy which has been given to the winner of the Six Nations match between England and Ireland since 1988. The trophy itself looks a little bit like a Viking helmet with horns. The Triple Crown is given to the team that defeats all the other original home nations and only England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are able to win it. A match is split into two 40-minute halves – the aim of the game is to score more points than the other team through tries, conversions, penalty kicks and drop goals. Scotland’s last championship title was the 1999 Five Nations and their last two World Cup campaigns have ended at the pool stage.

But first they’ll get to experience some seminars this week which will help with this next phase of their lives. There’s no time to rest though because Woods is busy working in multiple media gigs with Triple M and Fox League — something he’s been doing for a few years now. Realistically, it would be foolish of Borthwick not to cap him, given both his form and the threat of him defecting north of the border. Like Ford, Smith is a sharpshooting kicker, both with his tactical and goal kicking, and like Ford, he is a great passer of the ball.

He’s the only other player on the list to earn over $1 million a year for his services. The former Scotland centre turned schools coach is taking a holistic approach to developing young players. Bestowed the crown of World Rugby Player of the Year in 2021, the recent renaissance of French rugby has largely centred around halfback Antoine Dupont. While France are currently blessed with a raft of talented youngsters who have thrust Les Bleus back to the peak of their powers, few wield the influence Dupont has on both his team and the matches he plays in. Being central to such a significant comeback after years of dormancy deserves recognition, hence why Dupont has claimed top spot in the RugbyPass Top 100. FloRugby broadcasts dozens of international rugby matches throughout the year, including the summer rugby internationals from July to September.

Although he only played five tests this year, the class and quality of the Les Bleus star catapults him high up the rankings in an indication of his influence in the French set-up. A core member of South Africa’s 2019 World Cup-winning side, Lukhanyo Am continued to blossom into one of the game’s most dependable midfielders this year. Rock-solid on defence and supremely adept with ball in hand, Am has become a staple of the Springboks backline and has formed a tired and trusted midfield combination with Damian de Allende. With the World Cup just a year away, Am is set to play a crucial role in South Africa’s chances of retaining the Webb Ellis Cup. The top spot should come as little surprise after Antoine Dupont led Toulouse to both Investec Champions Cup and Top 14 title.

Stephen A. Smith Entitled to His Share

• The voting body is made up of a select group of ex-players only we don’t know which ones anymore because their names aren’t made public anymore, which was supposed to increase the integrity of the votes somehow.
• A core member of South Africa’s 2019 World Cup-winning side, Lukhanyo Am continued to blossom into one of the game’s most dependable midfielders this year.
• The team with the most points at the end of the tournament wins the championship.
• One of the most important rules of the sport is that the ball can only be passed backwards.
• A surprising amount of people were happy when the Irish team beat the All Blacks as it was good for the game.
• Meanwhile, Hugo Keenan is the highest-ranked full-back, claiming 10th place overall; he is joined in the top 10 along with back-rower Caelan Doris (5th).
• But a distinct lack of quality, as well as enough heft, meant they couldn’t get the better of England’s rush defence.

Leinster and La Rochelle once again met in the Champions Cup final, with the Irish side dominating the first half before La Rochelle staged a big comeback to retain their title once again. As we get ready to bid farewell to 2023 and welcome in 2024 – it’s safe to say it’s been quite the year in rugby. His leadership has brought about some of Italy’s best performances in their history and 2024 could be the year they take it to the next level. There are not many 31-year-olds who would be referred to as a rising star, but when you are the man who has to fill the shoes of Dupont, it really is the opportunity of a lifetime. As captain of La Rochelle, Gregory Alldritt is no stranger to being the leader of his side.

The Doddie Weir Cup was established in 2018 and is presented to the winner of the game between Scotland and Wales. The cup is named after the former Scotland international lock Doddie Weir who died from motor neuron disease and was created to raise awareness of the illness. Scotland’s star player, Finn Russell (pictured) has been named co-captain alongside Rory Darge for the tournament, with Scotland getting under way against Wales in Cardiff on 3 February. England who got to the semi-finals – the furthest of any of the Six Nations sides – at last autumn’s World Cup, are without several key players for this year’s championship. Dyer has a chance to make the position his own and show Wales fans that the loss of LRZ has given them a chance to see Dyer shine.

A dynamic ball carrier without a ridiculous work ethic, Porter has elevated himself to the status of world-class since making his debut in 2017. In January, the wealthy French club Racing 92 made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Russell had been making about $800,000 a year from Saracens, his home club since he was a teenager. For possibly the first time ever, New Zealand don’t head into the Rugby World Cup as favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, and that is reflected in the Telegraph’s picks. Sexton’s actions to Peyper was misconduct, and for the exact same reason Ioane’s actions to Irish supporters are citable as misconduct. Sexton was banned for abusing/disrespecting Peyper in what was the identical version of this for the Chamions League competition.

Two front rowers have been putting themselves about too, in prop Pierre Schoeman (36) and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi (34). Here is the full list of the highest-paid rugby players of 2024, compiled using data from Yahoo News, GQ Australia, and The Scotsman. The best players can earn lofty wages in the most popular rugby leagues worldwide. Owen Farrell, fly-half of Racing 92, tops the list as the highest-paid rugby player in the world for 2024.

When I look at Goosen for example, he was overplayed badly back in his younger days and IMHO never really reached the heights he should have done. It’s a question every rugby fan has an answer for, but rarely are any two answers the same. Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live. In the last minute before the final try, teammate Kristi Kirshe said she just had to “stay in it.” It took until the very last play to secure their win, when Alex Sedrick stiff-armed her way past Australia’s defense and ended up converting her own kick — and she’s not a kicker.

His wonderful performance against Argentina at the World Cup will go down in English Rugby history as one of the best individual performances in a white shirt. This is not meant to disparage Farrell’s contribution to English rugby, but his presence no doubt has hampered Ford. A master tactician with a sublime passing and kicking game, Ford is an old-school game manager in the best sense of the word. With his long-term teammate and friend now unavailable and seemingly on his way to the Top 14, Ford could prove to be both the first-choice fly-half and English captain this year. Despite featuring against Italy and France in the tournament, Williams did not crack the Welsh World Cup squad.

The wing is truly prolific personified and a dangerous threat whether he crosses for a try or sets one up. Les Bleus are likely to win most of their games and Penaud is a shoo-in for top try scorer making him a very strong pick. Physically, the 26-year-old is a powerful defender and strong ball carrier, who, at the time of writing, looks to be the ultimate bench option given his versatility.