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Who’s running the hottest in the Six Nations

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Bordeaux and France No 10 Matthieu Jalibert is among the highest paid No 10s in world rugby (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

France have dominated the first fortnight of the Six Nations and they will continue the dream start to the 2026 tournament when hosting the improving Italy. Individually, the French players are also making the biggest statistical statements.

The French backs Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Theo Attissogbe and Matthee Jalibert are the most prominent in attack, with the two wingers three tries each second only to England winger Henry Arundell’s four.

No 10 Jalibert has scored two tries and made 32 carries, three more than his halfback partner Antoine Dupont, and four less than fullback Thomas Ramos’s 36. England’s No 8 Ben Earl has made the most carries (41).

Ramos, Bielle-Biarrey, Jalibert and Attissogbe are placed second to fifth in metres made, with Wales’s Louis Rees-Zammit topping the list with 238.

Jalibert, who was sensational for Bordeaux in the Investec Champions Cup Pool rounds, has been as good for France in the Six Nations.

No player has such a presence in so many facets of play.

Jalibert (10), Ramos (8) and Dupont (5) have made the most offloads, and Jalibert’s four try assists is the most.

Jalibert (10), along with Rees-Zammit, England’s Tommy Freeman and Scotland’s South African-born winger Kyle Steyn, has beaten the most defenders.

Jalibert (21) and Dupont (29) have combined for 50 kicks in play. England flyhalf George Ford leads the list with 34. Ford’s kick metres are the most, 1245, while Dupont (third with 827 metres) and Jalibert (sixth with 610 metres) total 1437 metres.

Jalibert (7) and Dupont (6), as a halfback duo, have no equal in the competition, combining for 13 kicks retained. Scotland’s Ben White, individually, is the leader with 10.

Jalibert (13) has bounced the most kicks, with Ford (11) in second place and Dupont third with 10.

Lineout steals have been minimal and Italy’s Manuel Zuliani and Michele Lamaro are the best with two each.

Defensively, Wales’s Aaron Wainwright (9) and Freeman (9) lead the dominant contact, with France’s Charles Ollivon and Earl (7) the next best.

Wainwright, with this dominance in contact, has the most post contact metres (55), followed by Freeman and Earl with 53 each.

FRANCE ON FIRE

The French attack has been on fire but defensively the French have been as good. Lenni Noguchi and Oscar Jegou, along with Italy’s Manuel Zuliani and Lorenzo Cannone and Steyn are grouped at the top with four each in the dominant tackle category.

(Lorenzo) Cannone, with 37, has the most successful tackles. Niccolo Cannone has 35 and Jegou 34.

Scotland’s Rory Darge (6) has won the most turnovers, with Zuliani second (5) and France’s Michael Guillard and Ireland’s Stuart McCloskey on four each. Winger Attissogbe has won three turnovers.

Wingers understandably dominate the attacking catch success with Ireland’s James Lowe, Arundell, Italy’s Louis Lynagh and Bielle-Biarrey all successful with two catches.

Ramos and Ford have scored the most points and they are the two most accurate sharpshooters, with Ramos tops with 85.7 percent and Ford striking at 81.8 percent.

EVERY PLAYER AND TEAM STAT FROM THE 2026 SIX NATIONS

 

 


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