Here at Sport360 we’ve put together a list of the top performers in the Six Nations after three rounds – try-scorers, points scorers, tacklers, metres made and defenders beaten – and there’s some real surprises on the list.

Perhaps most surprisingly is Italy full-back Matteo Minozzi who is in the top five for both metres made (212) and defenders beaten (9). It shows even though Italy have not been on the winning side in their first three matches they still have some dangerous ball runners.

Another surprise is the tackle count topped by French hooker and captain Guilhem Guirado who has made 57 tackles in total including a heroic 31 in the narrow loss to Ireland in Round 1.

The next best single game performance was Scotland lock Jonny Gray who made 24 in the upset victory over England to see him third on the list with 53 behind Guirado and Welsh flanker Josh Navidi (56). They are followed by another Welsh loose forward Aaron Shingler (47) and the ever-reliable Chris Robshaw of England (44).

Not surprisingly dynamite full-back Stuart Hogg tops the metres made with 252 ahead of a duo of exciting young wings – Ireland’s Jacob Stockdale (244) and Wales’ Stef Evans (222).

Stockdale, 21, also tops the try-scorers list with four – one ahead of Scotland’s Huw Jones and France’s Teddy Thomas, who has only played two matches.

The ever-accurate Leigh Halfpenny tops the point scorers list with 36 but it’s perhaps surprising to see France’s scrum-half Maxime Machenaud second on 33. His goal kicking could be crucial on Saturday in Paris.

Former Chiefs’ Super Rugby star Bundee Aki has been having a superb debut Six Nations with Ireland and he tops the defenders beaten list with 12, two ahead of Jones, England’s Anthony Watson and again surprisingly Italy flanker Sebastian Negri, who has the best solo performance in this category beating eight defenders in the match against France.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is an omission from one of the categories. In the top tackler list Ireland does not have one player in the top 40, with Aki again topping the Irish tacklers with just 24 – over 30 behind Guirado.

This reveals just how the tournament leaders have dominated the possession to date in their matches, enjoying 66.6% of the ball (63% v Italy, 68% v France and 69% v Wales) compare this to Italy who have had just 42% possession to date (37% v Ireland, 52% v England and 37% v France).

 

Six Nations Top performers after three rounds

TOP TRY SCORERS

4              Jacob Stockdale (IRE)

3             Huw Jones (SCO)

3             Teddy Thomas (FRA)

2             11 players

TOP POINTS SCORERS

Wales’ full-back Leigh Halfpenny.

36           Leigh Halfpenny (WAL)

33           Maxime Machenaud (FRA)

32           Johnny Sexton (IRE)

31           Owen Farrell (ENG)

29           Greig Laidlaw (SCO)

MOST METRES MADE

Scotland’s Stuart Hogg.

252         Stuart Hogg (SCO)

244         Jacob Stockdale (IRE)

222         Steff Evans (WAL)

212         Matteo Minozzi (ITA)

187         Jonny May (ENG)

186         Huw Jones (SCO)

 

MOST DEFENDERS BEATEN

Ireland’s Bundee Aki has proved hard to stop

12          Bundee Aki (IRE)

10          Huw Jones (SCO)

10          Sebastian Negri (ITA)

10          Anthony Watson (ENG)

9            Matteo Minozzi (ITA)

9            Jacob Stockdale (IRE)

9            Teddy Thomas (FRA)

 

TOP TACKLERS

57 tackle so far for Guilhem Guirado of France

57         Guilhem Guirado (FRA)

56         Josh Navidi (WAL)

53         Jonny Gray (SCO)

47         Aaron Shingler (WAL)

44         Chris Robshaw (ENG)

All stats compiled from sixnationsrugby.com.