Six players to watch out for in the Six Nations

Sam Prendergast, Tom Willis, Dan Edwards and Tom Jordan (from left to right)

Last year's Six Nations was all about change after tournament regulars Johnny Sexton, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Biggar and Owen Farrell stepped away from the Test arena.

New stars emerged across the board as Ireland successfully defended their Six Nations title.

More talent will be itching to follow Joe McCarthy, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommaso Menoncello and Nolann le Garrec, who all shone last year.

And with it being a British and Irish Lions year, there is no better time to step up for players hoping for a place in Andy Farrell's squad.

So who might make their mark this year?

England - Tom Willis

Willis has soft skills to go with his strong ball-carrying power

Tom Willis' outstanding Premiership form has led to calls for him to take over from Saracens team-mate Ben Earl as England's number eight.

The 26-year-old Willis, who is the brother of Toulouse flanker Jack, has filled the big boots of the departed Billy Vunipola at the base of the scrum for Saracens.

A standout performance against Bristol Bears, which included two tries, provided a timely reminder to Steve Borthwick of his skills.

That prompted 2003 World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio to hail Willis as a future England captain, even though his only cap so far has come in a Rugby World Cup warm-up defeat by Wales in 2023.

Earl has been one of England's best performers under Borthwick but could move to open-side flanker, where he plays his club rugby.

Whether it is from the start or off the bench, Willis will be keen to show Borthwick that he has developed his game and has the extra power to hurt international defences.

Ireland - Sam Prendergast

Prendergast, still to fully establish himself ahead of Ciaran Frawley and Ross Byrne at Leinster, was given his Ireland debut against Argentina last November as Andy Farrell took matters into his own hands.

Impressive starts in Ireland's final two autumn international victories over Fiji and Australia followed, with Munster's Jack Crowley dropping to the bench.

And he is not slowing down. Prendergast, 21, is now Leinster's starting fly-half and is in pole position to hold off a resurgent Crowley to start his first Six Nations in the famous Ireland number 10 shirt.

Watch out for his lengthy spiral kicks and ability to delay passes right to the final second to put others into space, as Ireland bid to become the first country to win three consecutive Six Nations titles.

Dan Edwards - Wales

The talented 21-year-old quickly established himself as Ospreys' starting fly-half and will look to do the same at international level.

Edwards is one of two uncapped players in Warren Gatland's squad - which shows how highly the head coach rates him, given the omission of 33-year-old Gareth Anscombe.

Gatland said he wanted Edwards involved in November but injuries prevented that happening.

A last-gasp drop-goal to defeat Ulster in the United Rugby Championship last season indicated the Ospreys playmaker can produce big moments.

With France in Paris being Wales' first game, ending a record run of 12 successive Test defeats could require some of that magic.

Tom Jordan - Scotland

The 26-year-old utility back made his Scotland debut off the bench in November against Fiji, before impressing at full-back in defeat by South Africa.

A fly-half by trade, Jordan showed his dangerous running game and versatility in the autumn, having also played at inside centre for Glasgow Warriors.

He is likely to compete with Rory Hutchinson and Stafford McDowall for a starting spot in the centre alongside Huw Jones following Sione Tuipulotu's championship-ending injury.

Born in Auckland, Jordan qualifies for Scotland on residency grounds and is also likely to be battling fellow New Zealand-born fly-half Fergus Burke, who plays his club rugby at Saracens, as back-up to Finn Russell.

Jordan has fitted perfectly into Glasgow's attacking style of rugby since his arrival in 2022, guiding them to the United Rugby Championship title last season from fly-half, but has decided to join Premiership side Bristol for the 2025-26 season.

Ross Vintcent - Italy

The 22-year-old was still technically employed as a Domino's delivery driver when he made his Italy debut during the last Six Nations.

He featured twice off the bench and picked up a draw against France and a win over Scotland in his first two starts.

Vintcent then started at number eight against New Zealand in November and is looking to nail down a starting spot now.

Earlier this month, the Exeter Chiefs number eight showed off his blistering pace and footwork to score a brilliant solo try against Ulster in the Champions Cup.

With the speed of a back and now the added experience of playing more regularly in the back row, the South Africa-born Italian is building quite the profile.

Even in a struggling Exeter team, Vintcent is standing out.

Romain Ntamack - France

The Toulouse fly-half is no stranger to the Six Nations, having played in his first championship in 2019 as a 19-year-old.

The 25-year-old is hoping to make his first appearance in the competition for nearly two years after a nasty knee injury forced him to miss the 2023 World Cup and last year's championship.

Ntamack was France's starting fly-half when they won the Grand Slam in 2022, and it comes as no surprise their below-par campaign last year came with him absent.

Toulouse's European and domestic double last season came as result of Ntamack's return to the side as he ably supported the brilliance of half-back partner Antoine Dupont.

Thomas Ramos, the Toulouse full-back, started three of France's Autumn Nations Series games at fly-half after a calf injury ruled out Ntamack.

His other main competitor for the starting shirt is Matthieu Jalibert, who was sent back to play for Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday, indicating a likely return for Ntamack on Friday against Wales.