The Ospreys scrum half and Scarlets hooker, who won his 50th cap in Paris last weekend, both had outstanding tournaments and are in the public vote for a crown won only four times by Welsh players since it began in 2004.
The Player of the Tournament will be selected by a public vote. Voting is open until 12 noon on Tuesday ,21 March and full details can be found HERE.
Having won the RBS 6 Nations title for the second year running, England provide the most players with three –
Wasps skipper Joe Launchbury and Saracens duo Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell. Italian skipper Sergio Parisse, who will now switch his attention to leading Stade Francais Paris into a Challenge Cup quarter final against the Ospreys at the Principality Stadium on Sunday, 2 April, joins them.
Scotland have two of their Glasgow Warriors contingent nominated, including last year’s winner Stuart Hogg. He is joined by Finn Russell, who will now be planning to gain revenge over Farrell for Scotland’s Calcutta Cup defeat when their clubs meet in the Champions Cup at Allianz Park on Sunday, 2 April.
Ireland’s influential Munster duo of CJ Stander and Conor Murray have also made the list. ASM Clermont Auvergne outside half Camille Lopez, the Championship’s top points scorer, is joined by No 8 Louis Picamoles from France.
Lopez kicked the matchwinning conversion in last weekend’s win over Wales and will once again have a vital kicking duel with Leigh Halfpenny when RC Toulon head to Stade Marcel Michelin in the Champions Cup quarter-finals.
Players at every RBS 6 Nations match this year were awarded or deducted points based upon several different performance categories which cover all aspects of the game. These categories are proportionately weighted based on the different positions by an algorithm created by Accenture, Official Technology Partner of the RBS 6 Nations.
This year, Accenture has worked very closely with Accenture Analysis Team member, and former South Africa and Italy coach, Nick Mallett to draw up a shortlist of 12 players who have displayed specialist skills and outstanding ability throughout the whole Championship.
Previous Winners of Player of the Tournament
2016 Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
2015 Paul O’Connell (Ireland)
2014 Mike Brown (England)
2013 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
2012 Dan Lydiate (Wales)
2011 Andrea Masi (Italy)
2010 Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
2009 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
2008 Shane Williams (Wales)
2007 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
2006 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
2005 Martyn Williams (Wales)
2004 Gordon D’Arcy (Ireland)
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