France winger Bielle-Biarrey wins Six Nations best player award
France winger Bielle-Biarrey wins Six Nations best player award
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey races in to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey and the French team celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey, center, is tackled by Scotland’s Darcy Graham, right, during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey races in ahead of Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey races in to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey races in to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey and the French team celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey and the French team celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey, center, is tackled by Scotland’s Darcy Graham, right, during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey, center, is tackled by Scotland’s Darcy Graham, right, during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey races in ahead of Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey races in ahead of Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
PARIS (AP) — Louis Bielle-Biarrey was voted the Six Nations player of the tournament on Monday after scoring eight tries in France’s title-winning campaign.
His try-scoring feat was a Six Nations record and equaled the overall tournament record of England’s Cyril Lowe in 1914 and Scotland’s Ian Smith in 1925, when the tournament was the Five Nations.
The jet-heeled left winger secured 65 percent of the fan vote to finish ahead of England winger Tommy Freeman, Scotland fullback Blair Kinghorn, and powerful Italy center Tommaso Menoncello, who won it last year.
“I’m very happy to have won this trophy and that the fans voted massively for me,” Bielle-Biarrey said. “My parents signed me up for rugby when I was five years old. Straight away, I really liked it.”
The 21-year-old Bielle-Biarrey also set up four tries as France set a tournament record with 30, one more than England in 2001, as Les Tricolores toppled Ireland and won the trophy for the first time since 2022.
“This trophy is also a great reward for all the hard work from the French team,” Bielle-Biarrey said. “It is the conclusion of a very good tournament for us.”
Off the field, he was a must-have pick in the Six Nations Fantasy Rugby game, with 90 percent of participants selecting him in their squads.
France’s latest success means it has won the best player award four times in the past six editions, with superstar scrumhalf Antoine Dupont winning three of them.
Dupont is widely considered the best player in the world, and Bielle-Biarrey is now on the path to becoming a great.
He burst onto the scene at the 2023 Rugby World Cup where, instead of studying for university mid-term exams, he became France’s youngest World Cup player at 20 years, 87 days.
The prolific Bielle-Biarrey has already scored 19 tries in just 18 tests and, if he stays injury-free, could easily become France’s all-time leading try scorer.
The current record of 38 tries is jointly held by right winger Damian Penaud and fullback great Serge Blanco.
Bielle-Biarrey and Penaud also play together in the French Top 14 league with high-flying Bordeaux-Bègles. ___
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