Who will follow Damian Penaud as the most prolific finisher in the championship?
We are hoping for a hatful of tries but who will finish as the Six Nations top try-scorer when all is said and done on 16 March?
France’s Damian Penaud missed out on the overall trophy last year, but with five tries he finished as the top marksman in the 2023 championship. The Bordeaux man will be hoping to once again come out on top this time around.
Related: Six Nations predictions: Who will win the championship?
Six Nations top try-scorer: Our predictions
Damian Penaud (France) – favourite at 4/1
Editor Alan Dymock: “Penaud has scored 11 tries in nine games for Bordeaux, including two v Sarries in Europe. That back-line for France should have decent Bordeaux influence, and he is no stranger to the timely try for les Bleus. Was top try-scorer last year, with five. He can repeat the trick. He also scored 14 in 11 Tests for France in 2023.”
James Lowe (Ireland) – 7/1
Writer Alan Pearey: “It’s tempting to plump for a hooker, such is the frequency of tries from driving mauls. The likes of Jamie George and Ronan Kelleher may well garner a few but they will always be replaced during the second half.
So how about James Lowe, a regular Test scorer with 12 in 26 Tests? The joint top-scorer in the 2022 championship, he has looked really sharp for Leinster following his delayed return to action after last autumn’s World Cup.”
Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland) – 9/1
Content Editor Josh Graham: “Duhan beat 25 defenders last Six Nations, more than any other player in the Six Nations. He also made eight clean breaks, which was one fewer than Kyle Steyn and Penaud. He hasn’t quite hit the scoring heights in the URC (only two so far) but he is the kind of player to save it for the big games on the big stage. A strong start in Cardiff and he could be up there.”
Outside bets
Van der Merwe’s only notched tries in the URC but by comparison, Johnny Matthews, the Glasgow hooker has ten! George Turner has his hands on the No 2 shirt but Matthews (100/1) could be a real outsider to be up there when it comes to tries scored. Hookers are prolific given the number of driving lineout scores we regularly see in games.
France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey (12/1) is also at Bordeaux like Penaud and has eight clean breaks in Europe – two behind his team-mate. While England new boy Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (50/1) has five scores in the Premiership so far and is definitely one to watch if given the nod by Steve Borthwick.
Wales may be without the recently departed Louis Rees-Zammit and long-time full-backs Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams, but Josh Adams is still knocking about and the wing may find himself in the 15 shirt under Warren Gatland.
He topped the standings at the 2019 World Cup and if the new-look Wales can find their attacking feet fast, then you’d expect him to be in the running with a good few scores in this Six Nations. He might be worth a punt with a best price of 50/1.
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