5 Under-the-Radar Players Who Could Shine in 2016 RBS Six Nations

The 2016 Six Nations, as the first international action following the World Cup, offers the perfect opportunity for players to make a fresh start and shine for their countries. Three of the five players in this list are playing under new coaches and are set to make an immediate impression.

The players listed have been under the radar for a variety of reasons, including the form of team-mates, their roles within their side and even the position they play. All that is open to change in the 2016 Six Nations.

Luke Charteris’ fine work from the second row usually goes under the radar because he is playing alongside the world-class Alun Wyn Jones. Charteris has often shared the No. 4 jersey with Bradley Davies, but this Six Nations it looks like the lanky lock will cement his place and shine for Wales.

Charteris excels at the lineout, both as a jumper and a defender against the driving maul, where his octopus-like limbs disrupt the opposition attacking platform. A tireless worker in defence and hitting rucks, only Davies’ extra bulk has prevented Charteris from a regular starting berth.

Benefiting from the confidence that comes with Racing Metro’s fine form, Charteris will stand tall for Wales this Six Nations.

Chris Robshaw’s performances for England were consistently very good under his captaincy. After losing the leadership role, Robshaw will be less visible, particularly if, as seems likely, he is selected at blindside flanker rather than the blue-riband role on the openside.

Conversely, with media and fan attention diverted away from Robshaw’s captaincy decisions, the Harlequin will begin to receive praise for work that for the past four seasons has regularly gone under the radar.

Maxime Mermoz must be the favourite to partner Wesley Fofana in the France midfield after the bulky Mathieu Bastareaud was not included in new coach Guy Noves’ Six Nations squad.

He had a fine game for Toulon at the Rec against Bath last Saturday, when he expertly marshaled the attacking intents of the man currently in possession of the England No. 13 jersey, Jonathan Joseph.

Mermoz is uncomplicated, reads the game well and if Fofana makes breaks inside him, Mermoz can be relied upon to profit, as he did from a Guilhem Guirado offload at Twickenham last season (see video above). With Guy Noves promising a more expansive French team, Mermoz is set to benefit.

WP Nel is probably Scotland’s key player, along with captain Greig Laidlaw. So why is the South African-born prop going to go from a man under the radar to a shining light?

The reason is that we tend not to give prop forwards the credit they deserve. Their work is complicated, often unnoticed. When they do get plaudits it is when their scrum is going forward and the team are winning. After a strong showing at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, both of those outcomes look more likely for Scotland at this Six Nations than they have for a decade.

Nel, therefore, may be about to get the recognition he merits.

George Kruis is set to shine this Six Nations after an unimpressive 2015 with England. Too often last year the lock was guilty of needless indiscretions at the maul and the ruck.

Since returning to Saracens after the World Cup, however, Kruis has been the standout second row in England, demonstrating the power and assertiveness that Stuart Lancaster saw possible but which didn’t materialise.

After Kruis starred against Leicester earlier this month, Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall told the Sun: “In the second half we went to a different level where our set piece was brilliant. I thought George Kruis was phenomenal—he must be a cert for the Six Nations.”

With Courtney Lawes not realising his potential, Kruis is set to partner Joe Launchbury in the England second row. And with his mentor Steve Borthwick working as England’s forwards’ coach, Kruis can repay the faith of the coaches.