Six Nations

Russell inspires dramatic Scotland comeback to break Welsh hearts

Published

2 months ago

21st February 2026

Scotland's Darcy Graham celebrates with Sione Tuipulotu after he scores his sides 3rd try of the match during the 2026 Guinness Six Nations Championship Round 3 game between Wales and Scotland in the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, February 21, 2026 (Photo by Andrew Dowling / Inpho)

Scotland produced a devastating late comeback to snatch a 26-23 bonus-point victory over Wales at the Principality Stadium, overturning an 11-point deficit in the final quarter to leave Steve Tandy’s side utterly heartbroken in Cardiff. Trailing 23-12 with 22 minutes remaining, Gregor Townsend’s men scored 14 unanswered points — including tries from Darcy Graham and George Turner — to keep their Six Nations title challenge alive, condemn Wales to a 14th consecutive Six Nations defeat, and retain the Doddie Weir Cup.

Key moments:

5′ – YELLOW CARD WALES: Joe Hawkins is sin-binned for a high tackle on Gregor Brown, his shoulder connecting with the Scottish flanker’s head. The contact is sent to the bunker but remains yellow, with Hawkins deemed to have been stationary rather than moving into the collision. Scotland kick for the corner but cannot convert the numerical advantage (Wales 0-0 Scotland)
9′ – TRY WALES: After winning a penalty from a series of wayward Dave Cherry lineout throws, Dewi Lake opts for the tap-and-go. The captain leads the charge before the ball is worked to Rhys Carre, who muscles over from close range for his second try in consecutive matches. Sam Costelow converts (Wales 7-0 Scotland)
14′ – TRY SCOTLAND: From a lineout on the left, Sione Tuipulotu holds his pass before feeding Finn Russell on the loop, who straightens and finds Blair Kinghorn joining the line at pace. With Wales a man down, the overlap is on and Kinghorn’s pass leaves Kyle Steyn with the simplest of walk-in tries in the right corner for his 16th international score. Russell’s conversion from wide on the touchline slides left (Wales 7-5 Scotland)
19′ – TRY WALES: Sustained forward pressure from Dewi Lake, Rhys Carre and Alex Mann creates the platform before Sam Costelow calls for it on the left and flings a flat miss-pass to Josh Adams on the wing. The veteran finishes in the corner for his 24th Wales try. Costelow adds a superb touchline conversion (Wales 14-5 Scotland)
31′ – PENALTY WALES: Sam Costelow extends the Welsh lead after Alex Mann wins a crucial turnover following a storming Kyle Steyn break into the Welsh 22 (Wales 17-5 Scotland)
Half-time: Wales 17-5 Scotland
Wales’ first half-time lead at home under Steve Tandy — and only their third in their last 18 attempts at the Principality Stadium. Carry count: Wales 80-59 Scotland. Turnovers won: Wales 4-2 Scotland.
49′ – PENALTY WALES: Sam Costelow slots his second penalty after Scotland infringe at the breakdown, pushing the Welsh lead to 15 points. Scotland had earlier contrived to drop a certain try, Huw Jones fumbling Duhan van der Merwe’s offload with the line beckoning (Wales 20-5 Scotland)
55′ – TRY SCOTLAND: After 27 phases of sustained pressure on the Welsh line, Finn Russell spots that Louis Rees-Zammit has rushed out of his defensive line, steps past the fullback and burrows over to the right of the posts. Russell converts his own try to cut the deficit to eight points (Wales 20-12 Scotland)
55′ – COSTELOW INJURY: Sam Costelow is carried off unable to bear weight on his leg, visibly distraught. Jarrod Evans replaces the Scarlets fly-half (Wales 20-12 Scotland)
58′ – PENALTY WALES: Jarrod Evans’ first involvement is to slot a penalty that restores an 11-point cushion for the hosts (Wales 23-12 Scotland)
58′ – TRY SCOTLAND: The game’s seminal moment. From the restart, Russell launches the kick-off long and to the left, deep into the Welsh 22. The ball bounces over the head of James Botham, who has turned his back on it, and Darcy Graham — on the field barely four minutes — gathers and sprints past Gabriel Hamer-Webb to score in the left corner untouched, equalling Duhan van der Merwe’s Scotland try-scoring record. Russell’s exquisite touchline conversion cuts the gap to just four points (Wales 23-19 Scotland)
67′ – PENALTY REVERSED: Referee Matthew Carley initially awards Wales a penalty, only for the TMO to identify a croc roll by Tomos Williams on Rory Darge. The decision is reversed, denying Wales the chance to extend their lead and handing Scotland the exit (Wales 23-19 Scotland)
75′ – TRY SCOTLAND: After Louis Rees-Zammit’s knock-on gifts Scotland a penalty, Russell kicks to the corner. George Turner’s lineout finds its mark and Scotland’s pack form a devastating rolling maul. Turner holds on at the back before crashing over for the bonus-point try that puts Scotland ahead for the first time. Russell converts from just right of the posts (Wales 23-26 Scotland)
Full-time: Wales 23-26 Scotland

It was a result that encapsulated everything maddening and magnificent about this Scotland generation — their capacity for both infuriating sloppiness and breathtaking resilience laid bare across 80 extraordinary minutes beneath the Principality Stadium’s closed roof. For Wales, who had led from the ninth minute until five minutes from time, the cruel manner of defeat may prove more painful than any of the heavier losses they have absorbed during their wretched losing run.

“Really proud,” said Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu afterwards. “I said to the boys at half-time that we’d have to find more of ourselves. The problem-solving in that second half, we found a way to win ugly today. We were playing in an away stadium against a very desperate team. They made things difficult for us.”

The afternoon had begun with an emotional rendition of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau that brought captain Dewi Lake to tears, the a cappella anthem reverberating beneath the closed roof and setting the tone for what was to come. A crowd of 70,649 — a vast improvement on the 57,744 who had turned up for the France match a week earlier — had heeded Lake’s pre-match plea to make the stadium “the heartbeat of the nation,” and the response was emphatic.

Wales were reduced to 14 players inside five minutes when Joe Hawkins was sin-binned for a high tackle on Gregor Brown, his shoulder connecting with the Scottish flanker’s head. The contact was reviewed by the bunker but remained yellow, with Hawkins deemed to have been stationary rather than moving into the collision.

Scotland kicked for the corner and went through multiple phases inside the Welsh 22, with Steyn looking certain to score after a delayed Russell pass only for the winger’s desire to finish himself — rather than pass to unmarked teammates outside — proving costly. The hosts then scrambled to thwart the attack, before Josh Adams produced a magnificent intercept near his own try line, snaffling Ben White’s pass intended for Duhan van der Merwe and allowing Tomos Williams to clear.

What followed was the most complete passage of Welsh rugby seen this championship. After winning a penalty following a series of Dave Cherry lineout misfires, Wales opted for the tap-and-go — the same move that had yielded a try against France the previous weekend. Captain Lake led the charge, battering into the Scottish defence before the ball was worked to Rhys Carre, who muscled over from close range for his second try in consecutive matches. Costelow’s conversion gave the 14 men a 7-0 lead that silenced the visiting contingent and sent the Principality Stadium into raptures.

Scotland, who had dominated territory in the opening exchanges without reward, responded five minutes later through the clinical finishing of Steyn. From a lineout on the left, Tuipulotu held his pass before feeding Russell on the loop, who straightened and found Kinghorn joining the line at pace. With Wales a man down, the overlap was on and Kinghorn’s pass left Steyn with the simplest of walk-in tries in the right corner for his 16th international score. Russell’s conversion attempt from wide on the touchline slid left — a miss that would prove significant by the final whistle.

The early departure of debutant Gabriel Hamer-Webb, forced off with a bloodied nose after just two minutes on the field following an accidental clash, and the loss of Taine Plumtree to a shoulder injury that brought James Botham into the fray, might have further destabilised Wales. Instead, Tandy’s side played with an intensity and accuracy that defied their recent form. The breakdown work of Alex Mann was exceptional throughout the first half, while Eddie James carried with genuine venom from midfield, his powerful running consistently getting Wales over the gainline and providing the platform from which the hosts could build.

Wales’ second try, arriving on 19 minutes, was the product of sustained forward pressure and smart execution. After Lake burrowed over the gainline through the tight channel, the ball was recycled through multiple phases with Carre and Mann playing instrumental roles in the build-up. Costelow then called for it on the left and flung a flat miss-pass that bisected the Scottish defence to find Adams on the wing. The veteran winger finished with aplomb in the corner for his 24th Wales try, and Costelow’s superb touchline conversion — his third successful kick from three — extended the lead to 14-5. It had been as open a first 20 minutes as you could hope to see in international rugby.

Gregor Townsend, visibly concerned in the coaches’ box, made a bold early intervention, replacing Nathan McBeth and Max Williamson with Pierre Schoeman and Josh Bayliss before the half-hour mark, with Brown reverting from blindside flanker to lock. McBeth had been overpowered at the scrum and Williamson had lost the ball in the build-up to Adams’ try, and the twin change represented a statement of intent from the Scotland head coach.

“I felt we needed to change something,” Townsend explained afterwards. “Wales had a lot of momentum and we know the quality of the guys on our bench. We were looking around half-time anyway and we felt the game had really opened up early, and someone like Josh can make an impact there. It’s such a 23-man game now.”

Yet the substitutions had minimal immediate impact as Wales continued to dominate the physical exchanges. After another storming Steyn break, a vital Mann turnover forced a penalty, and Costelow’s kick on 31 minutes stretched the Welsh advantage to 17-5. At half-time, Wales led by 12 points, having won the carry count 80-59 and secured four turnovers to Scotland’s two. It was Wales’ first half-time lead at home under Tandy — and only their third in their last 18 attempts at the Principality Stadium.

The second half began as the first had ended, with Wales firmly in control. Costelow’s penalty on 49 minutes, following another Scottish infringement at the breakdown, pushed the lead to 20-5. Scotland had earlier contrived to drop a certain try — Huw Jones fumbling Duhan van der Merwe’s offload with the line beckoning after the wing had powered past Hamer-Webb from the restart — in a moment that encapsulated the visitors’ frustrating afternoon. Van der Merwe’s incredulous expression told the story; on another day, that was a try that would have transformed the contest.

Scotland finally found a way through in the 55th minute, though it required 27 phases of sustained pressure on the Welsh line to achieve. Schoeman carried repeatedly, Bayliss battered at the fringes, and the entire Welsh pack threw themselves into a series of desperate tackles. When the ball eventually reached Russell, the fly-half spotted that Rees-Zammit had rushed out of his defensive line, stepped past the fullback and burrowed over to the right of the posts. His conversion cut the deficit to eight points and, for the first time, a hint of anxiety flickered through the stadium.

“It’s something we’ve worked a lot on in this campaign — having composure and being calm in the 22,” Russell said afterwards. “Now it’s only going to the backs when it’s on.”

What happened next will haunt Wales for years to come.

The introduction of Jarrod Evans for the injured Sam Costelow — the Scarlets fly-half was carried off unable to bear weight on his leg, a sight that left him visibly distraught — temporarily steadied Welsh nerves as Evans’ first act was to slot a penalty that restored an 11-point cushion at 23-12. But from the restart, disaster struck. Russell launched the kick-off long and to the left, deep into the Welsh 22. The ball bounced once over the head of James Botham, who had turned his back on it, and Darcy Graham — who had entered the fray as a replacement barely four minutes earlier — could scarcely believe his fortune as he gathered and sprinted past Hamer-Webb into the left corner untouched. In doing so, Graham equalled Van der Merwe’s Scotland try-scoring record.

Russell’s conversion from wide on the left touchline was exquisite, a strike of such precision and nerve that it seemed to transfer the momentum physically from one side to the other. At 23-19, a four-point game, the Principality Stadium fell eerily quiet.

“A lucky bounce I’d say, and they weren’t expecting it,” Russell would later reflect with characteristic understatement, before delivering the game’s most devastating soundbite. “He [Tandy] knows that’s something I look for and Darcy scoring is a coach killer.”

Tandy, who had raised his arms in dismay in the coaches’ box as the try was scored, was characteristically forthright about the moment that cost his side. “It’s huge,” he said. “You need to make people work for their opportunities. We feel we didn’t do that. It gave Scotland energy. It’s another harsh lesson. In high-class games, you can’t knock off. We backed up moments in the game, handled the yellow card well. The intent and physicality was there, but that moment cost us.”

The final quarter became an exercise in Scottish siege warfare. Townsend’s replacements — Turner, Millar Mills, Horne, and Graham among them — injected fresh energy and intensity, with George Horne in particular adding zip and direction to a side that had regained belief. Wales’ legs visibly tired after a first half spent making far more tackles than their bodies could sustain.

A series of penalties deep in Welsh territory provided the platform, though Scotland first botched a lineout maul, the ball hitting the ground and allowing Williams to clear. Tuipulotu was then penalised for a neck roll, offering Wales a brief reprieve. Yet in a game of swinging fortunes, a critical moment arrived in the 67th minute when referee Matthew Carley initially awarded Wales a penalty — only for the TMO to intervene, identifying a croc roll by Tomos Williams on Rory Darge that reversed the decision. Rather than Wales kicking to extend their lead, Scotland had the exit. “It was a fair call,” Tandy conceded afterwards. “We’ve got to be better. You can focus on one or two moments, but we’ve got to be a better team.”

The decisive moment arrived with five minutes remaining. After Rees-Zammit held onto the ball too long and then compounded the error with a knock-on on the ground, Scotland were awarded a penalty just outside the Welsh 22. Russell kicked to the corner without hesitation, and this time Turner’s lineout found its mark. Scotland’s pack, bolstered by the fresh legs of their replacements, formed a devastating rolling maul that trundled inexorably towards the Welsh line. Turner held on for dear life at the back before crashing over to complete an extraordinary turnaround and secure the bonus point.

Russell’s conversion from just right of the posts sealed a 26-23 lead and sent the Scottish contingent into delirium. Wales had one final chance when Matt Fagerson spilled the restart uncontested, gifting the hosts an attacking scrum just beyond the 22. But their scrum was wheeled around and penalised — Ryan Elias ruled to have stood up too early — and Scotland were able to wind down the clock with a penalty advantage, the forwards’ jubilation an apt expression of the occasion. Russell’s final penalty attempt from distance slid wide of the left post, but it mattered not. The whistle sounded and Scotland had escaped with the spoils.

“Bitterly disappointed not to win the game,” said Tandy, who was visibly emotional in his post-match press conference. “Massive pride in the group. That was a step in the right direction, but we’ve got to be better next time. There was a lot to like in the first half, with how we attacked the game. I’m devastated for them. The support today was incredible. There are lots of questions asked about the crowds, but they were unbelievable. Everyone felt it. The players gave them something to cheer about, but ultimately they got behind the team. It’s a snapshot of where we want to be.”

Tandy confirmed that the injuries to Costelow and Plumtree “don’t look great,” with Costelow unable to bear weight and Plumtree sustaining damage to his AC joint. The Wales head coach was particularly sympathetic about his fly-half. “Sam’s been through a lot in his Wales career with not being involved in the autumn, but we backed him to come back in and he really took that opportunity. He was fantastic with the way he drove the team forward in that first half. It’s such a shame for him that it ended with injury.”

Wales captain Lake, who had been immense before being replaced by Ryan Elias, summed up the mood of his dressing room: “It’s gut-wrenching. It’s tough because you know the performance was there. First half, we were dominant. We applied pressure and attacked them. We spoke about staying in moments, we probably didn’t do that for the full 80. But we probably did enough to win the game, which makes it so tough.”

For Scotland, this was the kind of ugly, character-defining victory that championship contenders must find a way to grind out. Their first-half performance had been alarmingly poor — the lineout malfunctioned repeatedly, Cherry’s throwing was wayward, and their discipline at the breakdown gifted Wales a stream of penalties. Russell finished with 11 points — a try and three conversions — but it was the ingenuity of his restart and the composure of his goal-kicking at the death that proved decisive.

“That was some game,” Townsend reflected. “We left it late but I’m really proud of the effort in the second half. It’s not just a physical effort, it’s a mental effort too — finding solutions, staying together and riding momentum waves. Wales started really well, played with real energy. Tactically they were outstanding. They moved the ball quickly, played around the ruck which was tough to defend. They targeted our breakdown and kept their width. They deserved to be ahead and it took a huge effort to get back in the game.”

Townsend singled out the impact of his bench in turning the tide. “The scrum penalty near the end was a huge moment too. It’s a 23-man game and we backed our bench. I thought Josh Bayliss was outstanding. We’re still in the championship. That’s all that counts. Today showed — not just in our game — that anything can happen in the championship.”

Player of the match Rory Darge, who was tireless at the breakdown, captured the significance of the result: “What a massive win for us. Any time you go on the road in the Six Nations you have your work cut out for you. Just delighted with the character we showed. Credit to Wales. We knew they’d come out swinging. It was a tough, tough fixture. It’s hard to wrestle back from 17-5 down and we did that. Massively proud of everyone.”

Russell, reflecting on the decisive comeback, offered a candid assessment: “It’s obviously good having 11 points on the board. There was pressure this week, but it was more expectation. We got the win even though it maybe wasn’t our best performance. Lee Radford and Gregor had a go at us at half-time to hit them and stop absorbing contact. It’s nice to have the break now and get ready for France.”

The result moves Scotland to 11 points at the top of the Six Nations table after three rounds, though France — who play Italy in Lille on Sunday — can overtake them with a bonus-point victory. This was Scotland’s fourth consecutive victory over Wales, their best run since winning five in a row between 1923 and 1927, and their first back-to-back away success in Cardiff since 1984. It was also just the third time Scotland have won the match directly after a Calcutta Cup victory in the Six Nations era. Scotland have risen to seventh in the world rankings.

Townsend’s side face a daunting challenge in round four when they host France at Murrayfield on 7th March, a match that could define their championship. “We’ll be underdogs against France and we know we’ll have to play our best rugby,” said the Scotland head coach. A win there would set up a trip to Dublin on the final day with a first Triple Crown since 1990 on the line — and, potentially, a tilt at a first championship since the Five Nations era in 1999.

For Wales, a 14th consecutive Six Nations defeat extends their record losing run in the championship, with the hosts having now dropped to 12th in the world rankings. They have lost 24 of their last 26 Tests since October 2023, won just once in 15 matches at the Principality Stadium, and have not won a home Six Nations match since beating Scotland in February 2022. Yet this performance represented something altogether different from the capitulations against England and France.

For long stretches, Tandy’s side were the better team: more physical, more disciplined, more dangerous. Mann’s breakdown work was outstanding, Adams was electric on the wing, Botham was superb after his early introduction, and the all-Scarlets midfield of Costelow, Hawkins and James showed genuine cohesion for the first time this campaign. The anguish on the faces of the Welsh players at the final whistle spoke to how close they had come — and how much this defeat will sting.

There is a fallow week before Wales head to Dublin to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on 6th March, with Scotland hosting France the following day. On the evidence of this remarkable afternoon in Cardiff, both sides have plenty to reflect upon — but only one can look forward with genuine hope of silverware.

Teams

Wales: 15 Louis Rees-Zammit; 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 13 Eddie James, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Josh Adams; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Dewi Lake (capt), 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 5 Ben Carter, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Alex Mann, 8 Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias (for Lake, 55), 17 Nicky Smith (for Carre, 43), 18 Archie Griffin (for Francis, 50), 19 Freddie Thomas (for Jenkins, 76), 20 James Botham (for Plumtree, 9), 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jarrod Evans (for Costelow, 55), 23 Blair Murray (for Hamer-Webb, 2, blood; for Hamer-Webb, 61).
Sin-bin: Hawkins (5)

Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn; 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (capt), 11 Duhan van der Merwe; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White; 1 Nathan McBeth, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Max Williamson, 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Gregor Brown, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: 16 George Turner (for Cherry, 54), 17 Pierre Schoeman (for McBeth, 34), 18 Elliot Millar Mills (for Z. Fagerson, 54), 19 Grant Gilchrist (for Cummings, 66), 20 Josh Bayliss (for Williamson, 34), 21 George Horne (for White, 54), 22 Tom Jordan (for Jones, 66), 23 Darcy Graham (for van der Merwe, 54).

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Adam Leal (RFU)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

Attendance: 70,649
Guinness Player of the Match: Rory Darge (Scotland)

Up Next

France grind down spirited Italy to maintain Grand Slam charge

Don't Miss

Ireland reborn as ruthless display blows away rudderless England

Click to comment

Six Nations

Bielle-Biarrey crowned Six Nations Player of the Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

2nd April 2026

rugbyisthegame

Bielle-Biarrey crowned Six Nations Player of the Championship

France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey after being Voted 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations Player of the Championship in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, April 2, 2026 (Photo by Tom Maher / Inpho)

France’s record-breaking winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey has been named the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations Player of the Championship, becoming only the fourth player in the award’s history to claim the accolade in consecutive years.

The 22-year-old secured 44 per cent of the fan vote in a record ballot that saw 151,525 supporters cast their verdict over a one-week voting period. Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey, Italy’s Tommaso Menoncello and Scotland wing Kyle Steyn were also shortlisted after standout campaigns of their own.

Bielle-Biarrey’s coronation caps a remarkable championship in which he scored nine tries across five matches, breaking his own record of eight set in 2025. That tally included a stunning four-try haul in the decisive final-round victory over England at the Stade de France, a performance that secured back-to-back titles for Fabien Galthié’s side.

“I’m just really happy, honestly,” Bielle-Biarrey said upon receiving his award in Bordeaux. “It’s yet another reward for the team’s hard work throughout the tournament. We were able to defend our title. Winning the tournament two years in a row is no small feat. We’re very happy to have done it.”

Following in Dupont’s footsteps

The Bordeaux Bègles wing joins an elite group of multiple winners that includes Brian O’Driscoll, Stuart Hogg and his France teammate Antoine Dupont, who achieved the same back-to-back feat in 2022 and 2023. Indeed, over the past five Six Nations editions, only Italy’s Menoncello in 2024 has broken French dominance of the individual award.

The symmetry with Dupont is particularly striking. Both players developed through France’s youth pathways before bursting onto the senior stage, and both have now received the ultimate individual recognition in consecutive campaigns. Galthié acknowledged as much after France’s title-clinching victory.

“He is following in Antoine’s footsteps,” the France head coach said. “The players inspire one another. It’s hard to find the right adjectives to talk about him right now, and last year too. He will surely become the top scorer of the tournament, I think.”

Record upon record

The statistics behind Bielle-Biarrey’s championship defy comprehension. His nine tries represent a single-tournament record for the Six Nations era, surpassing the mark of eight he shared with Cyril Lowe (1914) and Ian Smith (1925) after last year’s campaign.

More remarkably, the winger has now scored in ten consecutive Six Nations matches, another record he holds alone. Only Chris Ashton, with his four tries against Italy in 2011, had previously matched the four-try performance Bielle-Biarrey delivered against England.

With 18 tries in just 14 Six Nations appearances, he is already the highest-scoring French player in the championship’s modern era, having overtaken Damian Penaud despite playing in roughly half the number of fixtures. He sits fifth on the all-time scorers list and, at 22, has O’Driscoll’s record of 26 tries firmly in his sights.

Beyond the try-scoring, his attacking numbers were equally impressive: 311 metres gained, 13 defenders beaten, eight clean breaks and four try assists across the championship.

From Grenoble to greatness

Bielle-Biarrey’s trajectory reads like a rugby fairytale. Born in La Tronche in the Isère department with Réunionese heritage through his mother and Toulon roots through his father, he began playing rugby at five years old in Seyssins, a small commune near Grenoble with a population of just 8,000.

His early career saw him deployed at fly-half before coaches identified his devastating pace and moved him to the wing. That speed, clocked at 38 kilometres per hour when he famously beat former European 100m champion Christophe Lemaitre in a sprint earlier this year, has become his calling card.

His first senior start for Bordeaux Bègles in January 2022, at just 18 years old, was immediately marked by a hat-trick against the Scarlets. By August 2023, he had earned his first cap against Scotland, and within weeks he became the youngest French player to score a try at a Rugby World Cup during the tournament on home soil.

The red scrum cap, given to him by his father at age eight, has since become his trademark, instantly recognisable as he accelerates past defenders.

A championship to remember

Bielle-Biarrey’s award arrives after a Six Nations widely heralded as the greatest edition since the championship expanded to six teams in 2000. A record 111 tries were scored across the tournament, with the title ultimately decided by Thomas Ramos’s penalty in the dying seconds of the final match.

The French public certainly responded. Broadcast across France Télévisions and TF1, the 2026 championship attracted over 35.5 million average viewers throughout the five rounds, with 9.5 million tuning in for the title decider against England.

For Bielle-Biarrey, the individual recognition is secondary to collective success. But in a championship of extraordinary moments, his contribution stood apart.

“My parents signed me up for rugby when I was five years old,” he has previously reflected. “Straight away, I really liked it. It is a childhood dream today to be able to live my passion.”

At 22, with two Player of the Championship awards, a cabinet of try-scoring records and the trajectory to become France’s all-time leading scorer, Louis Bielle-Biarrey is living that dream in spectacular fashion.

Six Nations

Two former winners in shortlist for Player of Six Nations award

Published

3 weeks ago

21st March 2026

rugbyisthegame

Two former winners in shortlist for Player of Six Nations award

France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey runs in his side's second try during the 2026 Guinness Six Nations Championship Round 5 game between France and England in Stade de France, Paris, France, Saturday, March 14, 2026 (Photo by Dan Sheridan / Inpho)

The shortlist for the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations Player of the Championship has been announced, with four players recognised for performances that defined what was widely described as one of the most compelling tournaments in recent memory. Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France), Stuart McCloskey (Ireland), Kyle Steyn (Scotland) and Tommaso Menoncello (Italy) make up a quartet selected from those who topped the performance statistics charts and drew the highest share of fan votes in the Team of the Championship poll.

Voting is now open at sixnationsrugby.com and closes on Thursday 26 March at 09:00 GMT.

Key Points

Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France) and Tommaso Menoncello (Italy) are the two former winners on the shortlist, having claimed the award in 2025 and 2024 respectively
Bielle-Biarrey scored a record nine tries in five matches, breaking his own all-time Championship record set just twelve months earlier
Menoncello is nominated for a third successive year, becoming only the third player — alongside Brian O’Driscoll and Antoine Dupont — to achieve three consecutive nominations
Ireland’s Stuart McCloskey, 33, leads the tournament’s Oval Insights rankings with a score of 8.6/10, despite not scoring a single try
Scotland’s Kyle Steyn equalled the all-time Championship record for defenders beaten, with 26 across the tournament
McCloskey would become Ireland’s first winner since Jacob Stockdale in 2018 if he takes the award
Steyn’s nomination is the first for a Glasgow Warriors player since 2017
The winner is decided entirely by public vote, with fans able to vote at sixnationsrugby.com until 09:00 GMT on Thursday 26 March

Louis Bielle-Biarrey

If there is a frontrunner, it is hard to argue against the 22-year-old Bordeaux-Bègles and France wing. Bielle-Biarrey claimed the Player of the Championship award in 2025 and delivered an encore that left statisticians scrambling for superlatives. His nine tries across five matches broke his own all-time Championship record — he had set the previous mark of eight just twelve months earlier — and makes him the most prolific try-scorer in the history of the competition.

The highlight reel moment of his tournament came against England in a match that immediately entered rugby folklore. Bielle-Biarrey crossed for four tries in the Crunch, becoming only the second player ever to score a quadruple in a single Six Nations match, after Chris Ashton’s effort against Italy in 2011. He also scored in each of France’s five games, an achievement managed by only three other players since the tournament expanded to six nations in 2000.

His numbers elsewhere were just as striking. He led the Championship in clean breaks (19), initial breaks (14) and supported breaks (5), while his 366 metres carried ranked third overall. The Oval Insights algorithm placed him second in its rankings with a score of 8.5 out of 10. His efforts were central to France retaining the Championship title for a second successive year.

Key stats: 9 tries (Championship record), 19 clean breaks (1st), 366 metres carried (3rd), 8.5/10 Oval Insights (2nd)

Stuart McCloskey

At 33, Stuart McCloskey’s 2026 Six Nations campaign reads like a statement of defiance against the passage of time. The Ulster centre was one of only two Irish players — alongside captain Caelan Doris — to play every minute of Ireland’s five matches, and he did so while producing numbers that led not just his team but the entire tournament in several categories.

He did not score a try, yet his fingerprints were on Ireland’s attack at every turn. His six try assists tied for the joint-highest in the Championship, with multiple offloads producing scores for team-mates. He led the tournament in dominant contacts (18, at a remarkable 31% rate), turnovers won among backs (eight, joint-first overall) and tackle attempts among backs (79). His 20 defenders beaten ranked joint-second in the Championship.

The Oval Insights system placed McCloskey first among all players, awarding him 8.6 out of 10. His performances were instrumental in Ireland securing the Triple Crown and finishing as runners-up in the overall standings. Should he win, McCloskey would become Ireland’s first Player of the Championship since Jacob Stockdale in 2018.

Key stats: 6 try assists (joint 1st), 18 dominant contacts (1st), 8 turnovers won (joint 1st), 8.6/10 Oval Insights (1st)

Kyle Steyn

Kyle Steyn’s inclusion in the shortlist may owe more to moments of brilliance than the volume of a Bielle-Biarrey or the relentless consistency of a McCloskey, but few players left as large an impression on individual matches. The 32-year-old Glasgow Warriors winger was awarded Player of the Match twice during the tournament — against England and France — and was at the heart of two results that will be remembered long after the final standings are forgotten.

His 26 defenders beaten across the Championship ranked first in the competition, equalling the all-time record for the category. He scored three tries and covered 316 metres with ball in hand, ranking sixth overall. His Oval Insights score of 8.1 placed him seventh. Scotland’s two standout victories — a thumping win over England and the extraordinary 50-40 defeat of France at Murrayfield — each had Steyn’s footprints running through them.

It would be the first nomination for a Glasgow Warriors player since 2017. Hamish Watson was the last Scotsman to claim the award, in 2021.

Key stats: 26 defenders beaten (1st, joint record), 3 tries, 316 metres (6th), 8.1/10 Oval Insights (7th)

Tommaso Menoncello

At just 23 years old, Tommaso Menoncello is already becoming a fixture on this shortlist. This is his third consecutive nomination, and he arrives having won the award in 2024 before finishing runner-up to Bielle-Biarrey in 2025. His continued presence at the top of the tournament standings speaks to a player who has rapidly established himself as one of the finest centres in world rugby.

This year, Menoncello was central to Italy’s most memorable results — victories over Scotland and England — and was named Player of the Match in the latter. His 14 clean breaks ranked third in the Championship, his 363 metres carried ranked fourth, and his 11 initial breaks placed joint-third. He also matched McCloskey’s joint-second ranking for defenders beaten with 20, and his 36.7% dominant carry rate — 11 dominant carries from 42 attempts — underlined the physical impact he carries into contact.

Only Andrea Masi has previously won the Player of the Championship award as an Italian, making Menoncello’s repeated presence at the summit of the conversation a remarkable achievement for a player still in his early twenties.

Key stats: 14 clean breaks (3rd), 363 metres carried (4th), 20 defenders beaten (joint 2nd), 7.9/10 Oval Insights (8th)

The verdict

On pure statistics, the case for Bielle-Biarrey is compelling — nine tries, a broken record and a Championship winners’ medal make him the obvious choice for many. But with the award decided by public vote, McCloskey’s all-action, selfless game and the passionate Irish fanbase could prove decisive. Steyn’s two Player of the Match awards demonstrate his impact in the biggest moments, while Menoncello’s third successive nomination reinforces just how consistently brilliant he has been.

Fans have until Thursday 26 March at 09:00 GMT to have their say at sixnationsrugby.com.

Six Nations

Six things we learned from round 5 of the Guinness Six Nations

Published

4 weeks ago

16th March 2026

rugbyisthegame

Six things we learned from round 5 of the Guinness Six Nations

France’s Antoine Dupont’s lifts the Men's Six Nations Trophy after the 2026 Guinness Six Nations Championship Round 5 game between France and England in Stade de France, Paris, France, Saturday, March 14, 2026 (Photo by Dan Sheridan / Inpho)

Super Saturday 2026 delivered one of the greatest days in Six Nations history. France retained their championship with a last-gasp 48-46 victory over England in a Paris thriller that will be replayed for generations, as Thomas Ramos held his nerve with the final kick to break Irish and English hearts. Earlier in Dublin, Ireland secured their fourth Triple Crown in five years with a commanding 43-21 win over Scotland, while Wales ended 1,099 days of Six Nations misery by beating Italy 31-17 in Cardiff. Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored four tries to take his tournament tally to nine – a new record – while the championship produced 111 tries, the most since Italy joined the competition. England’s seven tries weren’t enough. Ireland’s six tries secured the Triple Crown but not the title. And Wales finally, mercifully, tasted victory again. Here are six things we learned from a finale that had absolutely everything.

France are deserved champions

Forget the script. Tear up the predictions. This wasn’t supposed to happen. England, who had lost four consecutive matches coming into Paris, weren’t meant to score 46 points and seven tries against the defending champions. France weren’t supposed to concede that many points and still win. And yet here we are, trying to process what might just be the greatest Six Nations match ever played. The 48-46 scoreline tells only part of the story of a game that swung violently from one team to the other across 82 breathless minutes. England led 27-17 at half-time despite Ellis Genge’s yellow card and a penalty try for France. They fell behind 38-27 early in the second half as Louis Bielle-Biarrey completed his hat-trick. They stormed back to lead 46-45 with three minutes remaining after Tommy Freeman’s brilliant finish. And then came the final twist. With the clock in the red, Trevor Davison and Maro Itoje were penalised at a ruck, giving Thomas Ramos a long-range penalty from 47 metres to win the championship. The Stade de France held its breath. Ramos, France’s nerveless full-back who had already become his country’s all-time leading points scorer earlier in the tournament, stepped up and bisected the posts. France were champions. England were heartbroken. Ireland, watching in Dublin, saw their title hopes evaporate with that single kick. “We’re very lucky that we have maybe the best kicker around,” said Fabien Galthié afterwards, and nobody could argue. Bielle-Biarrey’s four tries – taking him to nine for the championship, smashing the previous record – showcased France’s attacking brilliance. The 21-year-old now has 29 tries in just 27 Tests, an astonishing strike rate that surpasses even Damian Penaud. But it was Ramos’s composure under ultimate pressure that won the title. France finished with 30 tries across five matches, equalling their own record from 2025, and scored four-try bonus points in four of their five games. Their only defeat came against England at Twickenham in round two, but they bounced back with three consecutive bonus-point victories. This is back-to-back titles for the first time since 2006-07, and France’s eighth championship triumph since 2000 – more than any other nation in that period. “We’re very proud of our performance today and the spirit we showed,” said François Cros. “We had a tough first half where Scotland put us under pressure, but we came through that and in the second half, we were able to unleash our game.” The attacking rugby France have played throughout this tournament has set new standards. They are deserved champions, winners of the greatest Six Nations finale ever witnessed.

England regain pride but is that enough?

Where has this England been? Steve Borthwick’s side scored seven tries in Paris, ran France ragged for long periods, led at half-time despite playing 10 minutes with 14 men, and came within 90 seconds of one of the great Six Nations upsets. And yet they still lost. They still finish fifth in the table with just one win from five matches. They still have suffered their worst championship campaign in 50 years. The 48-46 defeat completes England’s most disappointing Six Nations since 1976, when they last lost four matches in a single campaign. The performance was everything Borthwick had demanded – attacking ambition, forward dominance, clinical finishing from Tom Roebuck, Cadan Murley, Ollie Chessum (twice), Alex Coles, Marcus Smith and Tommy Freeman. But the result tells the real story. England’s discipline, which has plagued them all championship, cost them again. Genge’s yellow card for collapsing a maul on the stroke of half-time, coupled with a penalty try for France, turned a 27-17 lead into 24-27 at the break. France then scored 14 more points while England were down to 14 men. That’s 21 points conceded in that crucial period. “When we keep 15 men on the field we look a very good team,” admitted Borthwick afterwards, and the statistics bear him out. England have received nine yellow cards across five matches – equalling Italy’s unwanted record from 2002 – and have conceded 63 points while a player off the pitch. Borthwick questioned referee Nika Amashukeli’s communication over the penalty advantage before Bielle-Biarrey’s fourth try, insisting “the players on the pitch were told it was a penalty advantage” when it had been changed to a knock-on advantage by the TMO. But complaints about refereeing cannot mask the bigger picture. England have lost to Scotland, Ireland and Italy in this championship. They beat Wales and pushed France to the wire, but consistency remains their biggest problem. “I believe I’m the right man to lead the team forward,” insisted Borthwick when asked about his future, and this performance in Paris – despite the heartbreaking defeat – might just have earned him more time. England showed character, attacking ambition and forward power that had been missing for much of the season. “I truly believe this team is going places,” insisted captain Itoje. “We showed the spirit of this team. In sport, you don’t want to go through the experiences that we went through over the last four games. But I truly believe this team’s going places.” Pride has been restored. The performance in Paris proved England can compete with the world’s best when they get their game right. But is that enough? Fifth place, four defeats, and another summer of questions about Borthwick’s methods suggest not.

Ireland have found their edge

The Fields of Athenry rang around the Aviva Stadium. Caelan Doris lifted the Triple Crown trophy. Six tries, 43 points, a 12th consecutive victory over Scotland. Everything about Ireland’s final-day performance screamed champions. Everything except the result in Paris that mattered most. Andy Farrell’s side did everything asked of them, delivering their best performance of the championship against a Scotland side who arrived in Dublin dreaming of their own title glory. Jamie Osborne’s fourth-minute try – his fourth of the championship – set the tone for a commanding display built on set-piece dominance and ruthless finishing. Dan Sheehan’s maul try, Robert Baloucoune’s searing pace, Darragh Murray’s bonus-point score on his Six Nations debut, and Tommy O’Brien’s late brace sealed a performance that had Farrell “proud as punch.” The statistics were extraordinary: 42.9 minutes of ball-in-play time in a game for the ages, Ireland’s red zone efficiency at 4.7 points per entry, and Stuart McCloskey delivering a fifth consecutive high-quality display that puts him “in the mix for player of the tournament.” “We had a ruthless edge to us in how we defended and converted in the 22,” said Farrell. “That was the story of the game really.” Ireland finish second, three points behind France, their three-year title reign over. The opening-night defeat in Paris – when Farrell publicly questioned his team’s “intent” – proved decisive. But the response has been remarkable. From the wreckage of that 36-14 hammering, Ireland have rebuilt themselves, winning four consecutive matches with increasing conviction. The 42-21 destruction of England at Twickenham was followed by grittier wins over Italy and Wales, before this commanding display against Scotland. Ireland used 35 players across this championship – more than any previous Farrell campaign – and the depth chart has been tested extensively. Tom O’Toole’s remarkable conversion to loosehead prop, where he delivered 20 tackles in 65 minutes against Scotland, was “amazing” according to Farrell. McCloskey’s consistency has been a revelation. Robert Baloucoune was named the tournament’s Rising Player despite being 28 years old. The Triple Crown – Ireland’s 15th, and ninth of the Six Nations era – represents their fourth in five years, a remarkable achievement. “It’s unique as an Irishman to be cheering them on,” Doris had said of supporting England in Paris, and the strangeness of that moment captured everything about Ireland’s championship. The title may have gone to France, but Ireland have rediscovered the edge, the hunger, and the ruthless efficiency that makes them one of world rugby’s most dangerous sides. The 18-month journey to the 2027 World Cup is officially on track.

Same old story for Scotland

Twelve years. Twelve consecutive defeats to Ireland. Twelve times Scotland have travelled to Dublin dreaming of glory, only to return home empty-handed and heartbroken. The 43-21 defeat wasn’t a hammering – Darcy Graham, Finn Russell and Rory Darge all scored tries – but it was comprehensive enough to end any lingering title hopes and expose the familiar failings that have haunted Gregor Townsend’s tenure. Scotland haven’t won in Dublin since 2010, when Dan Parks nailed a touchline penalty at Croke Park to scuttle Ireland’s Triple Crown voyage. They haven’t beaten Ireland anywhere since 2017. And on this evidence, the wait will continue. Ireland dominated the collisions, winning the breakdown battle and establishing set-piece superiority that Scotland couldn’t match. Jamie Osborne, Dan Sheehan and Robert Baloucoune scored in a devastating first 20 minutes that established a 19-7 half-time lead. Scotland fought back in the third quarter – Russell’s brilliant solo try and Rory Darge’s finish bringing them within five points at 26-21 – but Ireland’s response was ruthless. Darragh Murray’s bonus-point try, created by the bench’s immediate impact after Andy Farrell made six changes simultaneously, restored control before Tommy O’Brien’s late brace sealed the win. “Ireland played well – they always seem to play well against us,” said Townsend afterwards, and that admission tells you everything. The statistics told the story: Ireland made 232 tackles to Scotland’s significantly fewer, controlled territory for long periods, and converted their 22-metre entries with clinical efficiency. “We’d close the gap, and then we’d let them back in through mistackles or mistakes off the kick-off. They’re all our doings,” admitted captain Sione Tuipulotu. Scotland’s attacking rugby was often brilliant – that 19-phase move for Graham’s try showcased their ambition – but they couldn’t sustain it for 80 minutes. They finish third in the table with three wins from five, which represents progress from previous campaigns. But Townsend’s record in Dublin now stands at zero wins from 11 attempts, and Scotland’s inability to beat Ireland home or away remains one of rugby’s great puzzles. “I’m proud of how we stepped up in the second half,” said Tuipulotu. “But I’m gutted. We really set our sights on coming here and getting a result, but Ireland were too good today. Ireland are deserved winners today.” Former Scotland prop Peter Wright touched on deeper issues: “Physically we compete against England and France, but for some reason, we cannot against Ireland.” The same old story continues. Scotland can beat anyone on their day – witness that stunning 50-40 victory over France last week – but they cannot beat Ireland anywhere, anytime. Until that changes, title challenges will remain dreams rather than reality.

Welsh fans can dare to dream

The wait is over. After 1,099 days, 15 consecutive Six Nations defeats, and a three-year journey through rugby’s darkest valleys, Wales finally tasted victory again. The 31-17 triumph over Italy wasn’t just a win – it was a cathartic release of three years’ worth of frustration, disappointment and pain. Aaron Wainwright’s two tries, Dewi Lake’s score from a driving maul, and Dan Edwards’s brilliant 16-point haul (including a try and an audacious drop goal) gave Wales a 31-0 lead that had the Principality Stadium shaking with joy. “It’s everything for us,” said captain Lake afterwards, his voice hoarse with emotion, and you believed every word. This was Wales’s first Six Nations home win since February 2022 – 1,491 days ago – when they beat Scotland. It was their first championship victory of any kind since beating Italy in Rome on 11 March 2023. The relief was palpable. “We hope that we have restored some faith in the jersey and into what this group can do,” added Lake, and the performance suggested genuine progress under Steve Tandy’s guidance. The defensive intensity that had been building through narrow defeats to Scotland and Ireland was maintained throughout. The set-piece dominance – three tries from driving lineouts in the first half – showcased growing power and precision. Edwards, who had been dropped after the France game for Sam Costelow, responded with his finest performance in a Wales shirt, darting through a gaping hole for the bonus-point try before landing that stunning drop goal from 40 metres. “You’re probably thinking ‘what are you doing?’ And then he absolutely buries it,” laughed Tandy afterwards. “I am overwhelmed with pride by what this group delivered,” said Tandy, visibly emotional. “I’ve always said it’s never been a question of desire, physicality or work ethic in this group. It’s just getting them to understand how far they can go with the work ethic and physically they’ve got.” Italy fought back with tries from Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Tommaso Allan and Paolo Garbisi, but Wales held firm, defending with the hunger and hardness that had been missing in those opening hammerings by England and France. They still finish with the wooden spoon – their third consecutive bottom-placed finish. But unlike the whitewashes of previous years, this campaign ended with a win, with pride restored, and with belief returning. “This group has gone through a lot of emotionally tough things recently, whether that is on the field or off it,” reflected Lake, and that context makes this victory all the more significant. Welsh rugby remains in crisis off the field, with the WRU facing an extraordinary general meeting and existential questions about professional structures. But on the field, Tandy has given Wales something to build on. The foundations are there. The forward pack dominated Italy physically. Young players like Eddie James and Ellis Mee have emerged as genuine Test-quality performers. The 1,099-day nightmare is over. Welsh fans can dare to dream again.

A match too far for Italy

Italy arrived in Cardiff seeking to create history. Victories over Scotland and England had put them on the brink of something never achieved before – three wins in a single Six Nations campaign. But the brave Azzurri, who had given everything to shock England seven days earlier, simply had nothing left in the tank. The 31-17 defeat was comprehensive, painful, and perhaps inevitable after the emotional and physical toll of their historic win in Rome. Gonzalo Quesada’s side looked flat from the opening exchanges, making mistakes in defence they hadn’t made all tournament, losing collisions they’d been winning for weeks, and struggling to find the rhythm that had made them such compelling viewing. Wales raced to a 21-0 half-time lead through Wainwright’s brace and Lake’s try, all from dominant set-piece play. By the time Edwards scored early in the second half to make it 31-0, Italy’s dreams were dust. “Their heart and physicality was bigger than ours in the first half,” admitted Quesada afterwards. “We saw a big improvement from Wales against Ireland and we knew they had the opportunity to put everything out there to get victory. It was a big game from Wales and they never gave up.” Italy did fight back with three second-half tries – and had two more ruled out by the TMO – but the damage had been done. The day of recovery advantage Wales enjoyed proved significant, but there were deeper issues at play. “We used many energies in a long tournament,” reflected captain Michele Lamaro. “The meta that hurts most is the one at the start of the second half because it made our hopes of getting back into the match vacillate.” The defeat means Italy finish fourth in the table with two wins from five, equalling their best-ever championship performance but falling short of the unprecedented third victory that would have represented genuine progress. Still, this was a tournament that exceeded expectations. Victories over Scotland and England – particularly that first-ever triumph against the English in Rome – represented seismic moments for Italian rugby. Tommaso Menoncello, Paolo Garbisi and Ange Capuozzo all showed flashes of world-class ability. But consistency remains the challenge. Italy were brilliant against England, poor against Wales, and somewhere in between against everyone else. “We are a good squad, in a true process of growth,” said Quesada. “We must do attention to what we say, to how we communicate: Wales has a beautiful squad, a quality staff, and all matches in the Six Nations are tough.” For Italy, one match too far. But also, a championship that showed how far they’ve come – and how far they still have to go. Sonnet 4.5Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.