With three rounds down and just two more to go in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations, we are reaching the business end of the top point scorer and top try scorer races.
One player from five of the six nations is in the running for the top points scorer prize while France currently possess the top two try scorers ahead of the final two rounds of action.
Here is all you need to know about who is in contention.
TOP POINT SCORERS
Marcus Smith has led from the front in the top point scorer list from Round 1 in his debut Championship and continues to hold the advantage after three games.
The 23-year-old fly-half sensation hit the ground running by scoring all of England’s points in their 20-17 defeat to Scotland in their Calcutta Cup collision on the opening weekend.
He followed up that performance – which included a try and four penalties – with another try-scoring display against Italy as England bounced back with a 33-0 success in Rome.
In addition to his try, Smith kicked four conversions to take his points total to 30 after just two rounds as he also picked up the Guinness Six Nations Player of the Match.
His boot also proved decisive in Round 3, kicking six penalties in another Guinness Six Nations Player of the Match performance as England prevailed 23-19 over Wales at Twickenham.
Smith’s nearest challenger for top points scorer is France full-back Melvyn Jaminet, who trails the England star by 12 points after kicking 36 so far in his first Championship.
While Jaminet has not scored a try as yet, his eight penalties and six conversions have helped France beat Italy, Ireland and Scotland to maintain their quest for the Grand Slam.
Scotland’s Finn Russell is also in the hunt, having kicked 25 points – seven penalties and two conversions – for Gregor Townsend’s men in the opening three rounds.
The top five is completed by Wales captain Dan Biggar (19) and Ireland fly-half Joey Carbery (18), although both will need to score big on the final two weekends to catch up with Smith.
TOP TRY SCORERS
As with the points scorer chart, the leader of the top try scorer standings for the 2022 Championship hit the front after Round 1 and has held that position.
Gabin Villière stole the headlines on the first weekend with a sensational hat-trick to get France’s Guinness Six Nations campaign off to a winning start in Paris as they beat Italy 37-10.
The winger was in clinical form, scoring either side of the half-time interval before completing his hat-trick just before the final whistle as France laid down a marker to their title rivals.
As well as being named Guinness Six Nations Player of the Match, Villière became the first Frenchman to score a Championship hat-trick since Vincent Clerc 14 years ago.
While Villière did not add to his total in the Round 2 victory over Ireland, he arguably produced an even better all-round performance as Les Bleus prevailed 30-24 in a thriller.
And having missed the Round 3 match with Scotland due to a fractured sinus, the 26-year-old has been recalled by Fabien Galthié for the showdown with Wales in Cardiff.
But he now has company at the chart of the try scorer standings in the form of Les Bleus teammate Damian Penaud, who scored a brace in the 36-17 win in Edinburgh.
Penaud also crossed the whitewash in the opener against Italy, meaning he sits alongside his fellow wing on three tries going into the final two round of the Championship.
In fact, the race to be crowned top try scorer in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations is wide open as there are also six players with two tries apiece waiting to pounce.
England duo Smith and Jamie George have both crossed twice, along with Ireland’s Mike Lowry, Andrew Conway, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe.
