Robert Balocoune has been named the most outstanding emerging talent at the Six Nations and has been allocated the BKT Rising Player Award. The trophy has an Irish accent for the second consecutive year, after the 2025 award went to Sam Prendergast.

A left winger, 193 cm tall, aged 28, Balocoune is a stand-out player on account of his explosive pace, speed of reaction speed and natural agility, all of which make him one of the competition’s most dangerous offensive players. Born in Enniskillen, he made his debut in the Irish national team in July 2021, immediately scoring and confirming his skills right from his debut. Since then he has become a dynamic, incisive winger, able to play a key role in matches with his acceleration and considerable athleticism.

The prize was awarded thanks to the votes of the partner broadcasters and was handed over by Lorena Pea, Brand Event & Sponsorship Manager, on the occasion of the Ireland-Scotland match in the final round of the competition.

For both the men’s and women’s competitions therefore, BKT, leader company in the production of Off-Highway tires, Official Tire Partner of the Six Nations, confirms the values it shares with rugby: passion, hard work, collaboration, fair play, community and loyalty. The “BKT Rising Player” award symbolizes these very values, together with the desire to highlight the next generation of international talents in rugby.

BKT also carries forward this commitment in the other competitions in which it is an active partner, such as football, where it recognizes the best young talents through prizes such as the Serie BKT MVP of the Month and Rookie of the Month in Ligue2 BKT.

Yet the Official Tire Partner is not only busy recognizing the players’ performances: the involvement of fans is also central to the company approach. For this reason, this season BKT has again confirmed and extended the activities directed at fans that had already been successfully inaugurated in the 2025 edition thanks to the Insieme in Meta initiative.

From France to England, to Wales, Ireland and Scotland, BKT has accompanied fans on matchdays with pre-match events, registering extraordinary participation levels and confirming the company’s desire to leave a tangible mark in the host territories and in the fan communities.

Now the men’s edition is done and dusted, the oval ball is passed to the Women’s Six Nations, which begins on 11 April 2026. Again on this occasion BKT is ready to celebrate talent by assigning the award to the best female player in the competition.