The esteemed nominees for the Six Nations Player of the Championship award have been announced, and among them is England’s talented number eight, Ben Earl. Aged 26, Earl has been acknowledged for his exceptional performance in the tournament, particularly for his impactful try-scoring displays during England’s victories over Wales and Ireland.
Joining Ben Earl as nominees for this prestigious award are Bundee Aki from Ireland, Duhan van der Merwe from Scotland, and Tommaso Menoncello from Italy. The public vote to determine the winner will close at 23:00 GMT on Sunday, 24 March, so be sure to cast your vote for your preferred player.
Each nominee has achieved remarkable feats that have led to their recognition for this esteemed award. Aki, for example, made the most metres in contact during the tournament and played a pivotal role in Ireland’s title defence. Similarly, Van der Merwe’s exceptional achievement of scoring five tries saw him finish as joint-top try scorer alongside Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan. Menoncello, on the other hand, left a lasting impression with his commanding performances in both attack and defence, contributing to Italy’s two wins and a draw, their best Six Nations return to date.
Earl’s outstanding performance in the tournament, where he made an impressive 73 carries – more than any other player, has certainly captured the attention of fans and pundits alike. His exceptional abilities were acknowledged by former England scrum-half Matt Dawson, who praised him as “the standout player for England pretty much every week”. Moreover, former Scotland captain John Barclay and former Wales captain Sam Warburton, both esteemed pundits for the BBC, also identified Earl as the top player of the tournament.
The last Englishman to secure the Player of the Championship award was full-back Mike Brown back in 2014. Now, Ben Earl has the opportunity to bring the accolade back to England after delivering a series of remarkable performances throughout the tournament.
It is essential for fans to support their preferred player by participating in the public vote. The winner of the award will be announced after the public voting has concluded. Stay tuned to discover who will be named this year’s Six Nations Player of the Championship.