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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Simon Thomas

The best rugby players in the Six Nations, according to the evidence

We’ve now had three rounds of the Six Nations and the top performers are really starting to emerge.

So which players are standing out in terms of their match stats and who is leading the way in the Welsh ranks?

Well, it’s full-back Liam Williams that’s really catching the eye with his figures (he's also made some headlines for other reasons ).

He’s made the second-most carries (38) of any player in the Championship and lies fourth when it comes to both metres made (294) and offloads.

Second row Will Rowlands also continues to show up well with his all-round efforts.

Among the Welsh contingent, he’s second behind Williams for carries, third on tackles, fourth on metres made and joint top on turnovers.

Taine Basham remains a front-runner, with only French flanker Anthony Jelonch having made more tackles, while he’s third on carries and metres made for Wayne Pivac’s men.

In terms of the lineout, Ross Moriarty (11) has won the most ball for the reigning champions, while Alex Cuthbert’s display at Twickenham has seen him rocket up the attacking charts.

As for the tournament’s best performer, Alex Dombrandt is staking a major claim with his stats, but fellow No 8 Gregory Alldritt has to be the prime contender.

No-one has made more carries than the La Rochelle back rower, who is also high up for tackles, turnovers and offloads.

He’s some player and it’s next stop Cardiff for him, so Wales beware.

SIX NATIONS STATS

Total points

48 - Marcus Smith (England)

36 - Melvyn Jaminet (France)

25 - Finn Russell (Scotland)

19 - Dan Biggar (Wales)

18 - Joey Carberry (Ireland)

17 - Johnny Sexton (Ireland)

Tries

3 - Gabin Villiere (France)

3 - Damian Penaud (France)

2 - Andrew Conway (Ireland)

2 - Marcus Smith (England)

2 - Michael Lowry (Ireland)

2 - Jamie George (England)

2 - Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)

2- James Lowe (Ireland)

Try Assists

3 - Romain Ntamack (France)

2 - Max Malins (England)

2 - Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)

2 - Antoine Dupont (France)

2 - Johnny Sexton (Ireland)

2 - Joey Carberry (Ireland)

Penalty Goals

10 - Marcus Smith (England)

8 - Melvyn Jaminet (France)

7 - Finn Russell (Scotland)

4 - Dan Biggar (Wales)

Passes Made

242 - Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)

205 - Tomos Williams (Wales)

162 - Ali Price (Scotland)

141 - Antoine Dupont (France)

Carries

41 - Gregory Alldritt (France)

38 - Liam Williams (Wales)

35 - Alex Dombrandt (England)

33 - Stuart Hogg (Scotland)

32 - Freddie Steward (England)

31 - Garry Ringrose (Ireland)

31 - Will Rowlands (Wales)

Metres Made

367 - Freddie Steward (England)

326 - Stuart Hogg (Scotland)

303 - Mack Hansen (Ireland)

294 - Liam Williams (Wales)

289 - Max Malins (England)

260 - Garry Ringrose (Ireland)

241 - Alex Cuthbert (Wales)

Successful Tackles

67 - Anthony Jelonch (France)

60 - Taine Basham (Wales)

59 - Francois Cros (France)

58 - Ryan Elias (Wales)

58 - Michele Lamaro (Italy)

55 - Gregory Alldritt (France)

54 - Caelan Doris (Ireland)

Turnovers Won

6 - Alex Dombrandt (England)

5 - Maro Itoje (England)

3 - Rory Darge (Scotland)

3 - Gregory Alldritt (France)

3 - Giovanni Pettinelli (Italy)

3 - Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)

3 - Andrew Porter (Ireland)

3 - Gabin Villiere (France)

3 - Toa Halafihi (Italy)

3 - Anthony Jelonch (France)

Offloads

5 - Max Malins (England)

5 - Damian Penaud (France)

5 - Gregory Alldritt (France)

4 - Liam Williams (Wales)

4 - Monty Ioane (Italy)

4 - Mack Hansen (Ireland)

4 - Tomos Williams (Wales)

4 - Yoram Moefana (France)

4 - Dan Sheehan (Ireland)

Lineouts Won

19 - Federico Ruzza (Italy)

17 - Cameron Woki (France)

15 - Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)

14 - Maro Itoje (England)

12 - Nick Isiekwe (England)

11 - Ross Moriarty (Wales)

10 - Adam Beard (Wales)

10 - James Ryan (Ireland)

WALES STATS

Metres Made

294 - Liam Williams

241 - Alex Cuthbert

169 - Taine Basham

151 - Will Rowlands

150 - Josh Adams

118 - Jac Morgan

109 - Ryan Elias

107 - Nick Tompkins

104 - Ross Moriarty

Wales second row Will Rowlands is having an impressive Six Nations (Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Carries

38 - Liam Williams

31 - Will Rowlands

30 - Taine Basham

25 - Alex Cuthbert

22 - Ryan Elias

19 - Nick Tompkins

19 - Tomos Williams

19 - Ross Moriarty

16 - Josh Adams

Tackles

60 - Taine Basham

58 - Ryan Elias

50 - Will Rowlands

48 - Adam Beard

44 - Nick Tompkins

42 - Dan Biggar

41 - Wyn Jones

38 - Ross Moriarty

38 - Tomas Francis

Lineouts Won

11 - Ross Moriarty

10 - Adam Beard

4 - Will Rowlands

Turnovers Won

2 - Will Rowlands

2 - Dillon Lewis

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