By Alex Shaw
Coming back from a long-term injury? Looking to break into a team and fill the boots of a legend? Struggling at domestic level but given a lifeline by a trusting coach? There are few better places to prove that you’ve arrived (or returned) than the Six Nations. If you can keep your head and perform at a high level, your doubters will quickly evaporate. Below is a selection of players with the most to prove during the tournament and who will certainly be worth keeping an eye on over the next two months.
Duncan Taylor, Scotland
Like Danty, Taylor comes into the international window on the back of an excellent few months at domestic level and he is looking to take his opportunity at test level. Mark Bennett’s injury should provide the Saracen with the opportunity that he has been craving when Scotland take on England for the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield. Just as capable of playing at 12 as 13, if Taylor can prove himself, he could find himself in a midfield pairing with Bennett moving forward. His defensive awareness and ability to straighten the line are well-known, but he still has to prove that he can transfer the distribution skills showcased domestically to test level.
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Jonathan Joseph, England
Barring Jones pulling a rabbit from his sleeve, Joseph is set to start against Scotland, following the news that Elliot Daly would be sent back to Wasps at the weekend. Daly has been scything open defences all season long, while Joseph has struggled to impact the game in a misfiring Bath unit. Jones has shown faith with Joseph following the outside centre’s stellar 2014 Six Nations, where he scored four tries. The elusive outside centre now needs to show that he’s still cutting a dash and that his lessening impact is team-based rather than individual
Alex Cuthbert, Wales
Cuthbert has struggled of late to find the form which made him a British and Irish Lion in 2013, often looking a frustrated, peripheral figure but Warren Gatland has shown commendable loyalty. The New Zealander continues to see Cuthbert as a key part of his squad but with Tom James in the form of his career and Hallam Amos offering a wider skill-set and Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams set to resume their battle at full-back in the summer, Cuthbert will know he needs to prove his undoubted finishing prowess swiftly
Carlo Canna, Italy
So often the Achilles’ heel of Italian sides, the lack of a composed, playmaking fly-half – since Diego Dominguez, in fact – has held back the Azzurri throughout Jacques Brunel’s reign in Rome. Zebre’s Canna looks set to be given the opportunity this year to show that Italy’s wait is finally over. No one is expecting miracles from the rangy Canna, the son of an Italian international, but if he can defend well, kick the points when they come his way and bring the young and promising Azzurri backline into play, he will be in the box-seat when Italy’s new coach is appointed
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Dylan Hartley, England
A newly-appointed England captain with over a year’s worth of cumulative bans? Yeah, Hartley probably has something to prove during this tournament. Eddie Jones is convinced Hartley has turned a corner but the scepticism from fans is understandable until they see it for themselves on the pitch. The hooker could do with a clean discplinary record over the next two months, whilst retaining the edge which makes him, at his best, one of the premier hookers in the world. He’s been given tabula rasa by Jones, and he knows it he needs to repay the faith shown in him.
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Johnny Sexton, Ireland
Heading into the RWC, Sexton was the leading light of northern hemisphere fly-halves, but injuries and inconsistent form, not to mention the excellence of Dan Biggar and Owen Farrell, have seen Sexton’s star dim in recent months. No one doubts his ability to implement Joe Schmidt’s gameplan but with Ireland more reliant on their half-back pairing than anyone else in the competition, his form has been a worry for Irish fans. It would be seen as heresy if said at this point last year, but Sexton is under scrutiny like never before
Stuart McCloskey, Ireland
‘Sonny Bill’ McCloskey has soared to prominence with Ulster in recent months thanks to his rich skill-set. The towering centre breaks the gain-line at will and is always quick to get his arms free and look for offload opportunities to support runners. That aspect of his game is probably the most significant weapon in his arsenal, yet it could be of limited use with Joe Schmidt’s Ireland, as the New Zealander prefers a simple, low-risk game plan. A centre partnership with Robbie Henshaw has many Irish fans salivating.
Jonathan Danty, France
The 23-year-old has been one of the standout performers in the Top 14 over the last 18 months and after being overlooked for World Cup duty and he now has the perfect opportunity to prove he has what it takes to succeed at international level. The powerful No 12 has a low-centre of gravity and can free himself from first-up tackler, distribute and defend solidly. His kicking game may be limited, but that’s not necessarily a precursor to failure at 12. If he can create space for the likes of Wesley Fofana and Gael Fickou, his value will skyrocket.
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Samson Lee, Wales
After he keeled over with an achilles injury in March, Samson Lee had a frustrating year. Rushed back for the World Cup, he looked a shadow of the dominant scrummager emerging as Adam Jones’ heir. Lee is beginning to work his way back up to top gear with the Scarlets and has an opportunity with Wales to show that last year was just an aberration and that he is still set to become a front-runner for the No 3 shirt
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Zander Fagerson, Scotland
Props rarely, if ever, play 80 minutes these days and with front row replacements so pre-planned, ensuring your benched props are ready to make an impact is now the norm. The bull-like Fagerson has been fast-tracked by Scotland and Glasgow Warriors and has all the hallmarks of a future international tighthead. WP Nel excelled during the Rugby World Cup and made the No 3 jersey his own, leaving 21-year-old Fagerson to prove over the coming weeks that he is a more than an able deputy.
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