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Ntamack named Guinness Six Nations Player of the Round

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Romain Ntamack has been named Guinness Six Nations Player of the Round after his captivating display against Wales in Round 3.

Romain Ntamack has been named Guinness Six Nations Player of the Round after his captivating display against Wales in Round 3.

France are now the only unbeaten side left in the Championship after Ntamack once again pulled the strings as Les Bleus came back from Principality Stadium with the points

The young fly-half fought off competition from other nominees Maro Itoje, Anthony Bouthier, Hamish Watson and Stuart Hogg, as he won Player of the Match in what might be the game of the Championship so far.

France of course came out 27-23 victors over Wales in Cardiff, but after Dillon Lewis scored Wales’ opening try on Saturday, it looked for all the world like the home side were gathering momentum – Ntamack had other ideas.

The fly-half’s intercept try just after the hour mark proved to be the difference in a keenly fought encounter, with his anticipation and timing to intercept Nick Tompkins’ pass to the wing making all the difference.

Realising that Wales had an overlap the 20-year-old went for the 50-50, read the play perfectly and with Tompkins’ decision to delay his pass Ntamack seized his opportunity.

From there, he had to outpace Hadleigh Parkes to the line, although as Jacob Stockdale found out last year, that is not always easy.

Ntamack, though, has remarkable pace for a fly-half and was never in danger of being caught. He added the conversion and a later penalty, and with 17 points in total, was the architect of this French success.