by The new Six Nations brings another official fantasy game, something a little different from the one that had me tearing my hair out in France at the World Cup. Why oh why did I captain Matthieu Jalibert instead of Damian Penaud to defeat Namibia? Don’t worry, here are some tips for the Six Nations.
How to choose players
Users are given a budget of 240 stars to choose a starting lineup from the six squads. The most expensive players, James Lowe and Damian Penaud, cost 20 stars, each categorized by position. We need three back three players, two centers, a half and a volume in the back line. Up front, the pack must consist of three back rowers, a pair of greens, two props and an auger. Don’t get hung up on tight and loose gear if you don’t want to. Not necessarily one of each.
For bonus roles, the captain tag does what it has done in most fantasy games over the years; It doubles that player’s score. A very interesting wrinkle to this Six Nations game, which adds a strategic element, is the ‘superub’ chip. By so many extra player points coming off the bench. However, if that player starts, they will only give back half of the points they earn.
How to score points
The Six Nations game is more ruined than the World Cup game. That said, in addition to metrics such as try, assist, tackle and turnover, the kick scoring index includes 50:22, which is worth a significant increase of seven points. It is worth the same to steal a line out. Most valuable, however, are the player of the match awards. These give you 15 great points. As always, it’s the cards that will cost the most. Yellows set you back three points, while promotion carries a six-point penalty.
Tips
Damian, Duhan and James are well worth it
Don’t try to be too clever or baulk at the price of premium wings. Damian Penaud now stands at 18.4 stars, down from his initial maximum of 20 after two terrible games to start the tournament. He still registered 17 points in round one and another 11 at Murrayfield thanks to 75 running meters and four defenders hit. Each of the latter has two points. Penaud slips his opponent at will. Keep the faith. Duhan van der Merwe (18.3 stars) tackles for fun. He returned 38 points from the Cardiff thriller in round one, picking up 95 meters along the way with two tries. He was relatively quiet against France, which has seen his price drop to 16.9 stars, but he loves facing England. James Lowe (19.9 stars) won a round of 50 points thanks to a game-winning player and a huge effort against Italy.
Think about kicking fullbacks
Thomas Ramos (17.4 stars) was not very attractive against Scotland, but still he collected 31 points thanks to his accuracy from the spot and 165 running meters. Tommaso Allan scored 24 points in round one… before being dropped from the entire Italian squad.
Back yourself with newbies
A scan of the scoring lists suggests that relatively unproven internationals are cheap. Joe McCarthy and Tommy Freeman were at 11 and 8 stars, respectively, before the first round began. They immediately reaped the rewards of deals. McCarthy scored 33 points, boosted by his player of the game award. Freeman scored 27 points himself. Prices fluctuate up and down, just like they do on Fantasy Premier League (FPL), so move fast. McCarthy is now at 11.9 stars, and Freeman at 9.2. Jack Crowley (13.5 stars) and Calvin Nash (12.1) were great climbers, and could continue to climb with Wales next to Ireland. Alex Mann, the 22-year-old back-rower, has scored twice in his first two Tests and is still just 10 stars away.
Location flexibility
Just as Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players scour databases for midfielders labeled as defenders or forwards who have been slotted into the midfielder bracket, rugby offers similar opportunities. Tommaso Menoncello (now 11.5 stars) is down as a three-goal player. The explosive Italian star has been central for Benetton this season and made some impressive saves against England before later moving to the wing. He registered 35 points in the win.
Magic metrics
Finn Russell will be kicking a goal for Scotland and is sure to continue to put himself in the frame for extra points with his try assists. He’s also reasonably prolific when it comes to 50:22s, a seven-point feat that could make your week. Russell started the Championship with 40 points as Scotland edged out Wales. With five steals and seven line steals, the likes of Maro Itoje (16.0 stars), Tadhg Beirne (16.6 stars) and Tommy Reffell (13.7 stars) will be in trouble. Beirne collected 44 points at the Stade Vélodrome, while Reffell has 34 wins in each of his first two appearances. Rory Darge (11.4 stars) opened his campaign with 24 points against France, forcing a breakdown turnover and making 13 tackles.
Supersub options
One name immediately springs to mind when thinking of the ‘superub’ bonus; that’s Nolan with Garrec (9.3 stars). The investigator has tried for Racing 92 in the Top 14. He added a spark when he came on for Maxime Lucu against Ireland, introducing himself with a jack turnover to score 5 points, then helped France salvage a win over Scotland. His returns will surely improve as France does as a collective group. Ronan Kelleher (12.7 stars) scored from the bench in round one for Ireland, as did Mann (10 stars) for Wales. The latter has been promoted in Warren Gatland’s opening game.
Stay tuned for updates
Le Garrec Lucu could be republished quite soon, so keep an eye out for announcements towards the end of the game weeks. Unlike FPL, one can change the Six Nations fantasy team mid-round, as long as the players’ teams have not already taken the field. That means, if you are alert enough, you can step in to withdraw those who have withdrawn themselves in real life.
Engine men
One point per tackle, compared to one in five tackles as awarded in other rugby games, makes defensive linemen more valuable. Michele Lamaro (11.5 stars) is worth considering here. The Italian skipper has made 37 tackles in the first two rounds, seven more than anyone else. He scored well enough to increase his value despite Italy’s two defeats. Ben Earl (17.8 stars) scored 46 points with a try against Wales.
Consider a joke
An obvious one, but Dan Sheehan (18 stars) is the top scorer in the competition after three rounds. The marauding ogre offers much more than just a buffer, too.
Can you guess the winners of the game?
The player-of-the-game award value in this game means it’s worth a try. They usually go to someone on the winning side – which made Aaron Wainwright’s rare goal against Scotland a rare one – and the poor players are mostly overlooked. Gaël Fickou’s recognition against Scotland increased the center’s total score to 44 points after 13 in the first round. Its value, 17.7 stars, is still among the highest in the game.
