From the Touchlines: Team of the tournament

The Six Nations drew to a close at the weekend with Wales deservingly crowned Grand Slam champions for the second time in four years after a stunning tournament.

With the dust now settled on the championship, we pick out our team of the tournament:
15 Lee Byrne (Wales)
14 Vincent Clerc (France)
13 Tom Shanklin (Wales)
12 Gavin Henson (Wales)
11 Shane Williams (Wales)
10 Ronan O'Gara (Ireland)
9 Mike Blair (Scotland)
1 Andrew Sheridan (England)
2 Dimitri Szarzewski (France)
3 Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy)
4 Lionel Nallet (France)
5 Nathan Hines (Scotland)
6 Jonathon Thomas (Wales)
7 Martyn Williams (Wales)
8 Sergio Parisse (Italy)

Anyway, we want to hear your team of the tournament and to find out what you made of ours so post your comments below...

Comments

[James]

See Freddie - they are mad as cheese,

[Berkshire Taff]

I expect the English fans to expect greater (than 1) selection - "they were second in the table after all". Reality is they were crap - Cipriani should not be in on the basis of one game. Stephen Jones was better than O'Gara - if I recall his fluffed penalty against Ireland was the first miss of the tournament. Ryan Jones should also have been in. Time will tell, and with youth on our side, when Wales Grand Slams again next year!!

[JohnnyClash]

You know nothing about rugby if you think Noon was better than Shanklin in the 6 Nations. Likewise, O'Gara in some of the teams? Madness when you look at the Welsh pair and even Cipriani. And O'Driscoll didn't do much in these games either.

[rich]

has to be good old stevie jones at 10, controlled the games brilliantly when he came on and did a great job when he started. you cant play patterson just on his kicking, the rest of his game is a much lower standard than jones and o'gara.
would rather see gough or alan wyn jones in for hines as his diciplin really let him down. id think about replacing sheridan with adam jones and moving castro to tight head, wasnt overly impressed with sheridan this tournament, wouldnt tell him to his face though
other than that a pretty good team, although a lot of position are so easily picked (shane and martin williams for example)
its annoying the hell out of me people picking cipriani, he started 1 game, he cant make the tournament xv on 1 start, jesus open your eyes, im not saying he's not a great young talent but he didnt do enough because of his lack of game time.
and some idiots put brian o'driscoll in his team??? what a spoon

[Colin]

I can understand where people want more Englishmen in the XV but it has to be picked on consistancy and England only had one good game

[Chris]

Only 3 players between France and Egland? Second and third in the tournament. Probably because France and Wales have simmilar strengths, I guess. Your suggested is not a bad team at all.

Agree Parisse forward of the tournament, Williams the back. But pick Patterson (at 10!) over O' Gara. He's the best kicker in the World and not a bad No.10 when called upon. There are no other stand out No10s (Cipriani only 1 game, O'Gara slightly jaded, Jones maybe)

My pick, as follows: -
15 Byrne, 14 Clerk, 13 Noon, 12 Henson, 11 Williams, 10 Patterson, 9 Reddon, 1 Sheridan, 2 Szarzewski, 3 Castrogiovanni, 4 Nallet, 5 Hines, 6 Croft, 7 Williams, 8 Parisse

[James]

Sorry, I've just read some more of the comments - all I can say is - run Freddie they are all mad

[James]

Totally agree with Freddie Dark. I'm English and Freddie is spot on.

[JonBoy]

danny cipriani makes my side. what a precocious talent...

[Hugh Watkins]

I'd rather go with this team to be honest - http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A33566736?s_fromedit=1&s_type=15&s_sport=rugby_union

[FREDDIE DARK]

WHO CARES? WALES WON THE GRAND SLAM SO THEY'RE TEAM OF TOURNAMENT!!!!!

[Jay, Braintree]

sorry but don't agree this is a good side. feel steve borthwick's more than deserving of a lock berth and how jamie noon's overlooked is beyond me. without sounding like I'm too english - I'm actually a Ireland fan - what about tom croft as well.

people have got too caught up in what wales have done.

[Hatty]

Bit late getting your team of the tournament up guys? But better late than never. Wouldn't change a lot there except maybe the half-backs - Reddan at nine and Jones at ten.

[Brian Higgins]

France weren't so bad they're only deserving of just two players in the XV were they? For me, the stand-out player in the forwards was Italy's Sergio Parisse. Ryan Jones might have captained Wales to the Grand Slam but he had nothing on Parisse who shone at every juncture. As for the backs, the undoubted star was Shane Williams, probably the player of the entire Six Nations in my book. A class, class act.

[Taff]

For me the stand-out player was well and truly Tom Shanklin. He's a no-fuss player who just gets on with the job but he's so so sharp. He's quick, elusive and paves the way for the likes of Shane Williams to look good. He's got to be a must to knock Brian O'Driscoll out of the Lions tour team for 2009, well, as long as Warren Gatland is in charge. Nice one Shanks.

[Tracey]

Front five would not be enough. One to 15 for me. amazign what the welsh pulled off.

[caery]

welsh front five. you could pick who you liked behind then!

[RugbySouthWest]

No Ryan Jones - that boy's a lege and would captain my tournament XV:
15 Byrne, 14 Cler, 13 O'Driscoll, 12 Shanklin, 11 Williams, 10 Hook, 9 Phillips, 1 Sheridan, 2 Best, 3 Castrogiovanni, 4 Borthwick, 5 Wyn Jones, 6 Croft, 7 Williams, 8 Jones

[WelshWizard]

Ronan O'Gara?! He'd be about fourth choice. I'd go with Cipriani even if he did only play one match at fly. Also might even throw some more Welshmen into the mix:
Byrne, Clerc, Noon, Henson, Williams, Cipriani, Reddan, Jenkins, Ghiraldini, Castrogiovanni, Gough, Wyn Jones, Thomas, Williams, Jones