Six players with a point to prove

The opening weekend of the 6 Nations is little more than 24 hours away, and the teams have been announced. So which player from each team has the most to prove?

England - Maro Itoje

This seems a bit of a stretch asking the young player of the year to prove himself. After an incredibly successful 2016, Itoje is the first name on everyone's Lions team sheet, and there is not much more you could ask of him. He steals lineouts; wins turnovers; makes tackles; passes; runs and everything in between.

Itoje has played 6 for Saracens before,
can he perform forEngland too?

But so far we've only seen that from the second row, now he is being asked to fill the void left by the injured Chris Robshaw at blind-side flanker. His role at set piece will change, asked to fill different positions at lineout, and having to operate off the back of the scrum. It's not something that is impossible for the young star, he's done it before for Saracens, but after so long playing second row it will be interesting to see how well he adapts.

Pundits and coaches have said for a while that his long-term future is at 6, we finally get to see how good he is at operating there from the start. Provided he is as impactful in open play as he has always been it will be considered a success, but whether he can take up the workload that Robshaw gets through is an interesting question to answer.

France - Baptiste Serin

French rugby has had many darlings over the years, Sebastian Chabal, Wesley Fofana are the ones who come to mind. Serin is vogue for 2016-17 though. Wonderous in attack, cool around the breakdown, and peerless from the tee, he is everything France expects from their scrum halves. During the Autumn Guy Noves still felt it too early to start against the likes of Australia and New Zealand, but three months down the line apparently he has matured enough.

Serin is currently leading Bordeux's charge for the play offs in the Top 14 with consistently assured displays, keeping his pack going forward and his team moving around the pitch. Add on top his innate ability to make a break around the ruck and finish tries and you've got every facet which makes a modern scrum half. The piece de resistance of the man is his box of tricks, able to pull off simply mind-boggling passes out the back which confuse players, commentators and cameramen alike. 

One moment which stands out from this year is a spectacular out the back door, no look, pass against the All Blacks. To not only have the ability to pull it off, but to do it at pace, in the red-zone, against the greatest team in the world, in only your fifth international game. That takes a seriously impressive player. He could be on course for a stellar campaign.

Baptiste Serin had a superb game against the All Blacks, can he be the spark France need?

Italy - Carlo Canna

I made this call a similar time last year actually, Carlo Canna is the long term fly-half future for Italy that they have been craving for over a decade. He has been called the "Italian Larkham" by the former Italy head coach Nick Mallet, and while it's a bit of stretch to compare him to one of the greatest play-makers of the professional era, he could prove to be something similar for the Italians. 

Canna lead Zebre to a famous win in Edinburgh,
can he repeat the job for Italy?

An excellent tactician who can put the ball where Italy need it, very good at playing the sort of game Italy need to win fixtures. He plays territory over possession and allows the Italian forwards to keep the ball tight and dictate the tempo of the match. He can also open the game up with a range of passing and is one of the new age fly-halves who relish in taking the ball to the line when it is required. Combine with competency from the tee and he could be the deciding factor in Italy's campaign. He has already proven he can help a team eek out the tight games - with Zebre beating Edinburgh earlier this season.

Canna is going to have to deal with playing behind a beaten pack more often than not, and he is still a young general that could be put under pressure, but if he can have a good performance in the first round he - and Italy - will gather momentum in later fixtures. This is his year to come of age.

Ireland - Gary Ringrose

When a player is talked about as the "New Brian O'Driscoll" you know they must be good. The youngster has filled the void left in the Leinster jersey - alongside Robbie Henshaw - in the centres. Robbie Henshaw is the man grabbing the headlines, but alongside him is Ringrose. Fast, ellusive, possessed with innate balance and ability to glide through a gap, he is everything you want from an outside centre. 

Ringrose has already proven himself in the Autumn,
 can he continue?

He still has a long way to go before he can be considered to be the replacement for O'Driscoll, but even the great "BOD" had to start somewhere. He will be slotting into an Ireland team playing with superb confidence after the most memorable 2016 possible for Ireland. The team that Ireland have named for their game against Scotland is one with much more running game than we've seen recently. Gone is the fullback filled team picked to win the aerial battle, instead we seem skillful players who relish ball in hand time. Ringrose will be able to come alive in a team with Simon Zebo, Keith Earls and Robbie Henshaw. Bringing his blend of deft hands and intelligent running angles.

There is always a danger of piling too much expectation on such a young player, it's happened to dozens of players throughout the years when the call of greatness has crushed them under the pressure. The Irish (and British) public must temper their expectations before he takes to the field.

Scotland - Ali Price

Price has been lighting it
up for Glasgow.

Who doesn't like the sight of a scrum half starting an attack deep in his own half, scorching past three or four players, and then linking with his support to finish the score. This is what Ali Price brings to the Scottish side. He couldn't be more different from Greig Laidlaw - the current first choice - who brings a steady hand, experience and a peerless kicking game. Price brings tempo, threat from the breakdown, and the ability to create and score.

He has once again restarted the debate as to who should be wearing the #9 jersey for the Scots. Laidlaw is captain and a 90+% goal kicker, which means his place has strong foundations. But if Scotland wish to play this high tempo, cut throat, style of rugby that has made Glasgow so successful, they need to start looking long and hard at the scrum half that will up the tempo. There is little more that Ali Price can do except give his all when he does come on to the pitch. Increase the tempo, and seriously stress test the Irish defence as they start to tire. 

He needs to prove that his blend of pace and quick thinking makes a big difference in Scotland's attack, more so than they get from Laidlaw's goal kicking.

Wales - Jake Ball

Usually, Wales' fourth choice when it comes to second row decisions, stuck behind the technical ability of Luke Charteris and the experience enforcer of Bradley Davies, Jake Ball now get's his chance to claim the berth alongside the legend that is Alun Wyn Jones. Ball is his own brand of enforcer a totally bruising ball carrier that is exceptional at making the hard yards. Physical in defence too he will give Wales a serious punch in the tight exchanges.

He will certainly give Wales a different element to what they've had in recent memory with the athletic and skillful Charteris who was an expert at dismantling mauls. They have other options who can manage this, which will allow Ball to do what he does well and that is apply the power. If he wants to hold on to the jersey for when Charteris comes back, he will look to showcase every part of his brilliantly physical game. 

In all honesty, I think Italy is the perfect game for him to showcase what he can bring to Wales, they will need someone who is willing to batter down the door in the tight areas, drag in Italian defenders, and get Wales over the gain-line. He also needs to show up at the lineout and give Wales consistent possession to control the game with.

Ball on one of his thunderous charges for the Scarlets, hopefully Wales will reap the rewards.