These five players impressed during Six Nations Round 3 and should have caught the eye of British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell
Round three of the Six Nations saw some shock scorelines.
Ireland were tipped to blow Wales away but the struggling side put out their best performance to push the tournament leaders. Ireland still came away with the win but it was an impressive outing from Wales.
Italy were also expected to give France a hard time and they did in the first half. But then France completely ran away with the result in the second to thump their mainland rivals. And the Calcutta Cup was entertaining with England just pipping Scotland.
Watch the videoWith this year being a British and Irish Lions year, players know each performance could aid their bid to be on the tour of Australia. So did anyone book their ticket this past weekend? Here’s who could have played their way into the squad.
Bundee Aki, Ireland, centre
A battered Ireland’s Bundee Aki during the Guinness Six Nations 2025 match between Wales and Ireland (Getty Images)
When the Ireland team was announced for the Wales match, many were commenting on the depth of the Irish team to have Bundee Aki on the bench. Others made jokes about being a Welsh player in the second half and being tired, then seeing Aki coming onto the pitch.
The expectations of Aki being a game changer off the bench were correct. He put an absolute shift in just when his team needed a lift following Garry Ringrose’s 20-minute red card. Aki came on in the 51st minute and not only made line breaks to spark some attacking life into the team but he also won turnovers at crucial moments.
If Aki was not already on Andy Farrell’s Lions list, this performance surely confirmed it. He is a reliable player and a huge presence in any game he plays. Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby noted just how good his player was: “Bundee coming on made a huge impact.
“He was brilliant on both sides of the ball. Great energy, good leadership.”
Fin Smith, England, fly-half
Fin Smith of England kicks a penalty successfully (Getty Images)
The fly-half shirt in the British & Irish Lions team is always heavily discussed. There is a wealth of talent in the 10 position across the four nations included in the squad which is why many argue around selection. But Fin Smith’s composed performance against Scotland may just have tipped the scales in his favour.
He slotted penalties, including a long range effort which gave England enough of a points buffer to win the match. Smith was also huge in defence. He made 16 tackles across the game which was the most of any player on the pitch and only one less than the number of passes he threw, 17. The most memorable took momentum out of the Scottish attack and pushed them back a few metres.
Smith may potentially not be a nailed on starter for the Lions but he has more than proved he can affect a game at the highest level.
Related: British and Irish Lions squad announcement
Duhan van der Merwe, Scotland, wing
Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe in action (Getty Images)
A lot of the chat surrounding Duhan van der Merwe from round three is around his placement of the final try scored. Many have been critical of him as he could have made the kick for Finn Russell easier had he scored it closer to the posts. But that discussion is drowning out a great performance from the Scot, who is still a player who haunts Twickenham with his unbelievable skill and pace.
In the match – which Scotland lost by a point – Van der Merwe scored a try and secured a try assist for another. Van der Merwe is a deadly presence in any game, but particularly against England. Farrell may have had more of a keen eye on him because of his previous history in Calcutta Cup matches. If he did, he would have seen a winger who got his job done.
Read more:British and Irish Lions: Tommy Freeman’s chances
Van der Merwe did prove he is human with the placement of his try but he is always there to finish off a score. It would be a huge shock if he was not included in Farrell’s team. If he is omitted I think Farrell will come to rue the decision, he is a Lions Test starter.
Ellis Mee, Wales, wing
Wales’ wing Ellis Mee is tackled by Ireland’s centre Garry Ringrose during the Six Nations (Getty Images)
Did someone say Lions bolter? Ellis Mee made his debut for Wales against Ireland and he looked like a seasoned international.
He had a try ruled out and his other statistics were thoroughly impressive. He made 13 carries, two clean breaks, 69 metres, one offload and beat six defenders. His defence was also top notch as he had 100% tackle success rate.
Mee’s versatility may also help him secure his Lions spot. His Wales debut was on the wing but he is also able to play as a full-back. The competition in the back three is huge for the Lions tour. Players like James Lowe, Mack Hansen and Darcy Graham are ones that come to mind first but Mee most definitely put his hand up in Cardiff.
If he can get more starts or minutes over the final two games of the Six Nations, he may just be the bolter every Lions team seems to get.
Read more: British and Irish Lions fixtures
Huw Jones, Scotland, centre
Huw Jones of Scotland dives over for their second try (Getty Images)
Scotland’s Huw Jones is one of the team’s most reliable players. He does so much work in the background but he also always makes his presence known and is becoming a try-scoring machine.
He once again found his athleticism against England with a superb finish. Jones also played with the English defence as though they were cat and mouse. If he found an inch he took a mile and in attack he absolutely shines.
That is not to say his defence is not also solid. He makes his tackles but his ability to carve open defences is why he would be in my Lions squad. When a game needs influence or a momentum shift, Jones is the one to produce it – no matter the shirt he is wearing.
The centres is another highly competitive shirt for Farrell to select for but Jones is arguably the best in the Six Nations right now. Surely he is now nailed on.
Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.