The centre player for Italy, Tomasso Menoncello, has rightfully earned his title as the player of the Championship in the 2024 Six Nations, according to votes from over 146,000 rugby enthusiasts. He secured 33 per cent of the fans’ votes, prevailing over contenders such as England’s Ben Earl, Bundee Aki from Ireland and Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe. At just 21, Menoncello not only became the championship’s youngest winner but also its second Italian victor, following in the footsteps of Andrea Masi who won the award back in 2011.
Expressing his elation and surprise at the honour, Menoncello stated it was a dream come true to make his nation proud and inspire fellow supporters with his performances. He also commended the collective efforts of his national team and expressed his excitement about the future of Italian rugby.
He was a central figure in Italy’s victory in the Six Nations, assisting the team in significant wins against Scotland and Wales, and tying the match against France. He was particularly noted for his dynamic collaboration with Ignacio Brex.
Multiple players from the Irish team, totalling eight, made it into the tournament team. These players included Aki, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Dan Sheehan, and Andrew Porter. France, Italy, and Scotland contributed with two players each, and there was a representative from England as well.
The final lineup of the Championship Team included Tomasso Menoncello (Italy), Thomas Ramos (France), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Bundee Aki (Ireland), James Lowe (Ireland), Finn Russell (Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Andrew Porter (Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Uini Atonio (France), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Caelan Doris (Ireland), Michele Lamaro (Italy), and Ben Earl (England).