(Reuters) – Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello was crowned the player of the 2024 Six Nations Championship on Friday, receiving 33% of the votes from 146,000 rugby fans. At just 21 years old, Menoncello surpassed England’s Ben Earl, Ireland’s Bundee Aki, and Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe to become the youngest recipient of the award. He also became only the second Italian player to be honored with this title, following Andrea Masi’s win in 2011.
Expressing his gratitude, Menoncello remarked, “This recognition as the Six Nations Player of The Championship is an immense surprise and honor for me. Representing my country and wearing the Italian jersey alongside my teammates is truly special. To then perform in a way that hopefully motivated the fans is like living out a dream. This award is a testament to the accomplishments of the entire Italy team and a symbol of the exciting journey we are embarking on in Italian rugby.”
Menoncello played a pivotal role in Italy’s most successful Six Nations campaign, achieving victories against Scotland and Wales, as well as securing a draw in France. He formed a formidable partnership with Ignacio Brex during the tournament.
In addition to being named the Player of the Championship, Menoncello also earned a spot in the Team of the Championship, alongside Italy captain Michele Lamaro. The team was predominantly comprised of players from Six Nations champions Ireland, with eight of their players making the cut. France and Scotland each had two representatives, while England had one player included.
Here is the complete Team of the Championship:
15-Thomas Ramos (France) 14-Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland) 13-Bundee Aki (Ireland) 12-Tommaso Menoncello (Italy) 11-James Lowe (Ireland) 10-Finn Russell (Scotland) 9-Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland) 8-Ben Earl (England) 7-Michele Lamaro (Italy) 6-Caelan Doris (Ireland) 5-Joe McCarthy (Ireland) 4-Tadhg Beirne (Ireland) 3-Uini Atonio (France) 2-Dan Sheehan (Ireland) 1-Andrew Porter (Ireland).
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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