The bookies favourites for the Six Nations Player of the Tournament

January 31, 2022
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Ultimate Rugby

The Six Nations returns this weekend!

Wales kick off the tournament and their title defence on Saturday with an away game against Ireland at Aviva Stadium before the Calcutta Cup clash between Scotland and England at Murrayfield.

The final game of the weekend sees Italy take on last year's runners up, France, at the Stade de France.

Ahead of the tournament, France are favourites to win the 2022 Six Nations with the bookies offering 6/4 odds on Les Bleus. Outside of France, Ireland (11/4) and England (11/4) are next behind France to lift the title while Wales and Scotland have 11/1 odds of winning the competition.

Another popular bet is on who the 2022 Six Nations Player of the Tournament will be. Last year, Hamish Watson took home the honour after a standout tournament for the Scots but the bookies predict that he will not claim back to back awards providing 16/1 odds on the flanker.

However, the same 16/1 odds are being provided for the likes of Stuart Hogg, Maro Itoje, Caelon Doris, and Josh van der Flier.

France captain and 2021 World Player of the Year Antoine Dupont is the current front runner for the Award at 7/2 odds with Marcus Smith some way behind the Frenchman at 6/1.

Finn Russell is ranked third by the bookies at 10/1 with Tom Curry, Jonathan Sexton and Duhan van der Merwe not too far behind at 12/1.

Last year, Tadhg Beirne, Taulupe Faletau, Robbie Henshaw, and Louis Rees-Zammit were nominated for the Award alongside the likes of Dupont and Watson.

Faletau is unlikely to feature in the tournament, or the early rounds at least, but the bookies are offering favourable odds for anyone betting on the remaining trio to go one better than last year.

Henshaw currently has odds of 20/1 to win the award with Rees-Zammit at 25/1 while Tadhg Beirne is surprisingly at 40/1.

In 2011, Italy's Andre Masi claimed the Player of the tournament award and according to the bookies, he will more than likely remain as the only Italian to win the award.

Not a single Italian is listed on popular betting site, Paddy Power even with the likes of Tomas Francis, Gareth Thomas, Bevan Rodd, Elliot Dee, and others listed at 250/1.

The front runners for the Award, according to Paddy Power:

7/2 - Antoine Dupont

6/1 - Marcus Smith

10/1 - Finn Russell

12/1 - Tom Curry

12/1 - Jonathan Sexton

12/1 - Duhan van der Merwe

16/1 - Stuart Hogg

16/1 - Maro Itoje

16/1 - Hamish Watson

16/1 - Caelon Doris

16/1 - Josh van der Flier