BBC rugby experts Sam Warburton and John Barclay have revealed their Six Nations teams of the tournament, with some surprising omissions and selections. France captain Antoine Dupont, despite leading his team to a record eighth Six Nations title, was left out of Warburton's team at scrum-half. Only one England player made the cut, with Ben Earl selected at open-side flanker.

Both pundits agreed on the backline, featuring Thomas Ramos at full-back, Louis Bielle-Biarrey on the left wing, and Stuart McCloskey and Tommaso Menoncello in the centres. McCloskey, at 33, earned praise for his breakthrough performance at inside centre. The forward packs differed significantly between the two experts, with Warburton selecting Dewi Lake at hooker and Aaron Wainwright at number eight, while Barclay opted for Julien Marchand and Jack Dempsey in those positions.

Italy's Simone Ferrari earned a spot for his dominant scrummaging, with Barclay noting how Ferrari 'took players to the fourth floor' in scrums. Tadhg Beirne and Charles Ollivon were selected for their versatility and impact in the second row. Emmanuel Meafou was praised as an 'enforcer' whose ball-carrying proved unstoppable, while Rory Darge and Kyle Steyn earned their places for Scotland.