Power Ranking the 2016 Six Nations Sides on the Strength of Their Backs

The 2016 Six Nations provided more tries than any championship since 2006.

The following power ranking of Six Nations sides on the strength of their backs emphasises collective cohesion over individual talent and focuses more on attack than defence.

Will the ranking follow the final 2016 Six Nations standings?

Italy were desperately poor during the championship, aside from a good performance in Paris on the first weekend of the Six Nations.

They were debilitated by injuries to their most threatening backs: the excellent centre Michele Campagnaro, the talented fly-half Carlo Canna and scrum-half Edoardo Gori.

Without them, Italy provided barely any attacking threat.

France at least showed more attacking intent in the back line in five games under Guy Noves than four years under Philippe Saint-Andre. The transition will take time, however.

Despite winning against Italy and Ireland, Les Bleus remained disjointed and were unable to improve until they faced England on the final day.

The good news for France? Noves looks to have finally selected a half-back pairing worthy of the jersey. Maxime Machenaud, the Racing Metro No. 9, is a fine organiser and goal-kicker. And at No. 10, Francois Trinh-Duc provided more spark in little more than one game than Jules Plisson had managed for the rest of the championship.

Scott Spedding and Virimi Vakatawa were standout performers against England, and if Noves selects Wesley Fofana in his rightful place in the centre, France’s back line is beginning to take good shape.

The talent is there, so the French backs ought to be higher on this list. Noves needs them to ascend the rankings quickly.

The first departure from the Six Nations standings in this list, with third-placed Ireland having the fourth-finest backs.

Ireland’s back line was far from its best this Six Nations. The pivot, Jonathan Sexton, has struggled to find his best form since this season, with a knock-on effect for the entire back division.

Rob Kearney is also struggling, meaning Simon Zebo may continue at fullback for Ireland. The Munster live wire excels in broken play, but coach Joe Schmidt’s pragmatic approach means he will want Kearney back to his best as soon as possible.

Amid injuries, Stuart McCloskey had a very impressive debut against England and could be the first hefty ball-carrier Ireland have had since Shane Horgan.

Scotland’s backs are their most exciting of the millennium. In Stuart Hogg, they have a fullback approaching world-class status and a more-than reliable support cast of Mark Bennett, Duncan Taylor, Tim Visser and Tommy Seymour. Scrum-half and captain Greig Laidlaw is Scotland’s kicking machine.

Fly-half is still a problem position, with Finn Russell too erratic, but Scotland are blending a mix of pace and power in their backs.

The French might have more talent, and Ireland might be stronger when at full-strength, but at the moment, the Scottish backs are more effective.

England may be Grand Slam winners, but their success was built around the brilliance of forwards George Kruis, Maro Itoje and Billy Vunipola.

England keep switching between Ben Youngs and Danny Care at No. 9, George Ford is nowhere near his form from last term, Owen Farrell is out of position, Mike Brown going through a bad patch, and Jack Nowell and Jonathan Joseph are not seeing enough ball in space.

Only Anthony Watson is in top form, but England’s backs’ consistency across the championship puts them in second place.

Wales top the list after scoring more points (150) and tries (17) than any other team in the championship. George North was the leading try scorer in the Six Nations with four, also making 10 clean breaks and beating a remarkable 26 defenders.

Wales outscored England by three tries to one at Twickenham, and it could be argued it was only their abject work in the pack, especially giving away needless penalties, in that first half that cost them the championship.

Wales’ backs, were, without question, the strongest in the 2016 Six Nations.