Three back-rowers were the top-performing Wales players in 2017, according to WalesOnline's match-by-match ratings.

Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric and Sam Warburton each averaged 7.2 marks a game over the year.

Their efforts underline the strength in depth Wales have boasted in the back-row during a 12-month spell that has seen Taulupe Faletau make just three starts for his country.

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Five back-rowers feature in the top 10, with Faletau and Ross Moriarty also in the mix.

There were three ratings of nine over the year.

Moriarty earned one for his immense display against England in the Six Nations, George North bagged another after terrorising Ireland in the same tournament, and Hadleigh Parkes was given the same rating for his extraordinary debut against South Africa.

Two players, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, earned three eights during 2017.

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At the other end of the scale, Tomas Francis finished the autumn with a fine effort against New Zealand, but rated only 5.4 over the year.

MARK ORDERS looks at who was hot and who was not in a mixed year for the national team.

Josh Navidi (7.2/10)

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The Cardiff Blue had waited a long time for a run of games in Test rugby, and when his opportunity came along he took it with both hands.

He played five times and emerged significantly in credit on each occasion , featuring at No. 8 on the summer tour and at openside during the autumn, with his display against New Zealand a highlight.

Justin Tipuric (7.2)

Injuries and a Lions tour meant his Test starts were restricted to five matches, all of which came in the Six Nations.

He was quiet against Italy and couldn’t do much to prevent Wales hitting the rocks against Scotland, but Welsh rugby’s player of 2016-17 marked his 50 cap with a vintage display against Ireland and was top class against England and France.

Sam Warburton (7.2)

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Another whose year was blighted by injury, but when he played he excelled.

Operating at blindside flanker, he performed strongly throughout the Six Nations, showing his versatility and his willingness to do what it takes for the team.

Rhys Webb (7.1)

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Wales are losing Webb next season, and, on the evidence of 2017, they will miss him.

Was the visitors’ best player against Scotland at Murrayfield and also showed his worth with big displays against England and Ireland.

Hallam Amos (7.0)

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The Dragons man sneaked onto the radar with three impressive performances in the autumn series.

He had previously been plagued by injury, but when he figured he looked more than a bit dangerous.

Alun Wyn Jones (6.7)

The captain started eight of the 11 Tests played, and while there was the odd off-colour display in the Six Nations — Scotland at Murrayfield was not a day too many Welsh players will want to remember — he was his mighty self against Italy, Ireland and Australia, while he and Taulupe Faletau drove Wales to victory against South Africa.

Taulupe Faletau (6.6)

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A weird kind of year for Faletau, which saw him make his first start in the November Test against Australia.

He didn’t go especially well in that match, but reminded everyone of his quality with strong displays against New Zealand and South Africa.

Cory Hill (6.6)

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Hill has been one of the Welsh game’s most upwardly mobile players and he showed his promise with a notable effort against Tonga in the summer.

He started two games in the autumn, taking over from the injured Jake Ball, and largely performed soundly.

Ross Moriarty (6.6)

His raging, physical display against England was a highlight and underlined why Rob Howley opted to start with him during the Six Nations.

But the last six months have been a rugby nightmare, with a back injury sustained while on tour with the Lions subsequently restricting him to just 62 minutes of action for his club, Gloucester.

Ken Owens (6.5)

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Cannonball Ken had a Six Nations to remember, impressive enough to propel him onto the Lions tour. He was a shining light against England and rarely less than solid in other games.

Leigh Halfpenny (6.5)

He has had a bumpy year in many respects, what with leaving Toulon under less than ideal circumstances and constantly having to face the accusation that the modern game has passed him by.

Some sharp runners are pressuring him at No. 15, but Gatland has faith in him and Halfpenny was sound against Australia and very good against France in the Six Nations.

George North (6.5)

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A seriously odd 12 months for the big man.

One game he was producing the defensive display from hell against Scotland.

The following match he was coming up with arguably the best individual performance by a Wales player all season, with his effort against Ireland.

Injuries have conspired against him, but Gatland will be pleased when he returns.

Liam Williams (6.4)

He made the Lions tour after a mixed Six Nations that saw him shine against England and fall back against France, with three steady efforts in between.

But he is a game-breaker who performed well against Australia and Georgia before injury ended his Test year early.

Aaron Shingler (6.4)

Wales gave him another chance after his consistently impressive form for the Scarlets.

There haven’t been any world-beating efforts yet, but he has shown enough to justify his summons, seeming to settle with every game he plays in Test rugby.

Jonathan Davies (6.3)

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The highlight of Davies’s year — indeed his career — was his stellar contribution to the Lions tour, when he ended up as man of the series.

There were few fireworks from him for Wales, though.

His efforts against Italy, France and Australia were good, but the rest was a bit patchy during a Six Nations when the team struggled.

Dan Biggar (6.1)

His performances have ranged from the low of Scotland, when he was awarded a four, to the highs of the games against England and South Africa, when he received eights.

Biggar didn’t do himself justice during the Six Nations, but he was one of Wales’s better performers during the autumn.

Seb Davies (6.0)

He has been written up as a great Welsh rugby hope for the future and he showed his potential on the summer tour of the southern hemisphere.

But he looked a work in progress playing at No. 8 against Georgia and wasn’t seen in the other games.

Rob Evans (5.8)

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When he was good, against Australia and New Zealand, he was really good, skilful and physical, a prop tuned to the modern prop.

But he was nowhere near his best against South Africa and a couple of indifferent displays in the Six Nations dragged his mark down.

Jake Ball (5.8)

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No one nailed down the lock spot alongside Alun Wyn Jones in 2017.

Ball started six games and was excellent against England and steady in the other matches. He needs to achieve greater consistency.

Scott Williams (5.7)

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The bad news from 2017 for Williams was that he didn’t have a great Six Nations and the summer tour wasn’t exactly a roaring success, either.

But he was much better in the autumn, making the most of his squad recall.

Nicky Smith (5.7)

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Smith is one of Welsh rugby’s hardest workers and he is constantly looking to improve.

But his Test year started on a low when he was part of a misfiring Welsh scrum against Italy and he had to contend with the powerful Georgians in his last international appearance of 2017. In between, he performed steadily.

Alex Cuthbert (5.6)

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Some will wonder how the much-derided Cuthbert isn’t rock-bottom on this list.

Well, his worst performances last term were reserved for the 2016 autumn series.

He improved from that low in 2017, scoring a memorable try to crown a strong performance against Tonga.

Kristian Dacey (5.6)

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Another chap who has been on the margins of Test rugby for some time, he emerged with his reputation enhanced from the summer tour.

But he was largely quiet during the autumn Tests.

Steff Evans (5.6)

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That Evans is an exciting game-breaker is not in doubt.

But whether he will prosper at Test level remains uncertain.

He has shown glimpses of quality and has great attacking intent, but he has to tighten his defence.

Tomas Francis (5.4)

Francis is clearly trying to improve his all-round game and against New Zealand he looked handy on the ball as well as solid in the scrum.

He needs to keep working, though. Quiet displays against Scotland and France brought his rating down.

Only those players who made three or more Test starts were considered for the list.