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? I mean, here are my fantasy tips for this year’s 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 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, and sending off carries a six-point penalty.
Tips
Duhan and James are well worth it…
Don’t try to be too clever or baulk at the price of premium wings. Duhan van der Merwe (18.9 stars) returned 38 points from the Cardiff thriller in round one, picking up 95 meters along the way with two tries. He was remarkably quiet against France, with a four-point result costing him dearly, but he loves facing England and scored a staggering 68 points in round three – despite picking up a yellow card. His hat-trick and player of the match award resulted in a thrilling game. Lowe (19.6 stars) scored 50 points against Italy, with another 22 from the win over Wales. Also, he scored in the first six minutes the last time Ireland visited Twickenham.
…but do you keep the faith with Damian?
Penaud now stands at 18.2 stars, down from his initial maximum of 20 after three relatively underwhelming 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. Then he earned 23 in the draw with Italy. His ability to beat defenders and glide over the ground means he can get huge results. Do you trust France to snap out of this clunky form? If they do, Penaud will surely score big.
Think about kicking fullbacks
Thomas Ramos (17.2 stars) was not very attractive against Scotland, but still he collected 31 points thanks to his accuracy from the spot and 165 running meters. He then picked up 24 points in Lille on an unforgettable afternoon for France. With Jalibert out injured, it looks like the Toulouse player will move to half-back.
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 move up and down, just like they do in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), so move fast. McCarthy is now at 12.1 stars, with Freeman at 9. Jack Crowley (14 stars) and Calvin Nash (11.9) have been big climbers, and could continue to climb with Wales near Ireland. Alex Mann, the 22-year-old back-rower, has scored twice in his first two Tests and is rated just 10.2 stars. Meanwhile, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso rose to 13.5 stars with 21 points off the bench at Murryafield.
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 12.4 stars) is down as a three-goal player. The explosive Italian star has been exclusively in the middle for Benetton this season and produced impressive performances against England, before later moving to the wing. He registered 35 points in the win and then another 30 against France in round three off the wing.
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 before landing 24 and 23 against France and England, respectively. With five steals and seven line steals, the likes of Maro Itoje (15.9 stars), Tadhg Beirne (17.6 stars), Tommy Reffell (13.9 stars) and Rory Darge (11.5 stars) will be in trouble.
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 scored six tries for Racing 92 in the Top 14. Ronan Kelleher (13.4 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. Another dynamic bench man is free agent Ryan Baird (14 stars). But you don’t want your superset to start, because their points are cut in half…
Stay tuned for updates
Le Garrec could re-employ Maxime Lucu very 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 (12 stars) is worth considering. The Italian skipper has made 55 tackles in the first three rounds. He scored well enough to increase his value despite Italy losing two and a final. Ben Earl (17.0 stars) managed to score 46 points with a try, Wales’ winning try and then another 31 points against Scotland. Reffell is also restless.
Consider a joke
An obvious one, but Dan Sheehan (18 stars) is the second highest 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 player of the match?
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 goal against Scotland extremely rare – 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, 17.5 stars, is still among the highest in the game. Bundee Aki (17.8 stars) also recorded 48 points against Great Britain.
