Welcome to our second instalment of our pre-match updates for the Natwest Six Nations Round 2. This is where we analyse the weekend’s lineups, crunch the stats and see what the bookies are thinking to help you optimise your lineups for peak performance this weekend! By the time you finish this article you should have all the insight you need to score big fantasy points this weekend.
What will go down…
After a pulsating first round, Round 2 offers up some mouth-watering fixtures, and in the eyes of the bookies, there is one stand out fixture of Round 2 in terms of potentially high fantasy returns where Ireland, who returned from Paris victorious but underwhelming with a serious point to prove, face an improved but demoralised Italy side. Looking at the handicap match market, the bookies are handing a win to Ireland with a huge margin of 34 points. Load up!
Elsewhere, despite a massively impressive performance against many people’s tips for Six Nations dark horses, Scotland, in Round 1; Wales have been chalked off as big underdogs against England. Unbeaten at Twickenham since 2015, the English machine is expected to stretch past the new-look Wales by 12 points, and so English assets will be the bedrock of a lot of fantasy teams this weekend, especially the almost superhuman Sam Simmonds…
Sam Simmonds, take a bow. What a talent. 2 tries. 1 assist. 23 tackles made. 80 metres carried. 14 carries. 3 clean breaks. 6 defenders beaten. He’s in your Fantasy Rugby team right? pic.twitter.com/JP79M3ENSa— Fantasy Rugby Geek (@FRugbyGeek) February 4, 2018
Finally at Murrayfield, Scotland will be looking to banish memories of last week’s blip against Wales as they welcome a French side who demonstrated a hugely resolute defence against Ireland last week. France surely will be smarting after their last-gasp defeat courtesy of the boot of Jonny Sexton, so we could see a rally from Brunel’s men or a demoralised fall, it’s France’s national rugby team, who knows?? As for Scotland, they have made 6 changes, and while the makeshift tight 5 still looks like a weak point elsewhere they look stronger. The massively talented Ryan Wilson returns to the pack, while Fantasy Rugby Geek favourite Huw Jones shifts out to his favoured 13 position. Scotland’s fans will demand a much improved performance, and the bookies have given them a 6 point win, which looks fair.
Top 10 most likely to score (Odds via Paddy Power)
- 1 Keith Earls (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 1.36
- 2 Jacob Stockdale (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 1.44
- 3 Jack Conan (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 1.91
- 4= Conor Murray (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.1
- 4= Stuart Hogg (Scotland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.1
- 4= Tommy Seymour (Scotland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.1
- 7 Sean Maitland (Scotland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.3
- 8= Jonny May (England) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.38
- 8= Anthony Watson (England) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.38
- 8= Rob Kearney (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.38
- 8= Bundee Aki (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.38
Expected to go well
*Players who are starting favourably out of position (i.e. Hooker in back row, Centre on wing, etc.)
FRONT ROW
Guilhem Guirado (France)
Rory Best (Ireland)
Mako Vunipola (England)
Jack McGrath (Ireland)
Rob Evans (Wales)
LOCKS
Maro Itoje (England)
Iain Henderson (Ireland)
Jonny Gray (Scotland)
BACK ROW
Sam Simmonds (England)
Jack Conan (Ireland)
Ross Moriarty (Wales)
Dan Leavy (Ireland)
SCRUM-HALF
Conor Murray (Ireland)
Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
FLY HALF
Finn Russell (Scotland)
Jonny Sexton (Ireland)
CENTRES
Owen Farrell (England)
Keith Earls* (Ireland)
Bundee Aki (Ireland)
Huw Jones (Scotland)
OUTSIDE BACKS
Jacob Stockdale (Ireland)
Anthony Watson (England)
Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Jordan Larmour (Ireland)
Likely Kickers
Maxime Machenaud (France)
Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
Jonny Sexton (Ireland)
Owen Farrell (England)
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
Tommaso Allan (Italy)
Under-the-radar pick
Jordan Larmour – The hype train is in full effect for this immensely talented young man, and while he isn’t starting, he should be on your radar. Last week against England, Italy tired massively in the last 20 and allowed England to stretch away in the home straight. If this scenario occurs again, then the scene will be set for the Irish wonderkid to make a massive statement on his international bow. Blessed with electric pace and acceleration and an astonishing change of direction as well appearing to be a safe pair of hands under the high ball, he has the potential to be a fixture at the highest level for years to come, and as his wondertries against Ulster and Munster below demonstrate, he has the X-Factor to create something from absolutely nothing…
If you want some more sources to help you finalise your decisions, go to our resources page where you’ll find all this year’s Natwest Six Nations fantasy games, all the stats sources, injury news, team news, fantasy relevant rugby betting odds and tons of other useful information.
If you back your Fantasy Rugby skills to lead you to Fantasy Six Nations glory and win you some of this stash while you are at it, then join our Natwest Six Nations leagues on ESPN Scrum and on SuperBru, where a Fantasy Rugby Geek Trucker Hat will be on offer for the winners of each league.
To join the ESPN Scrum league, simply go here, create your team, go to Leagues, select ‘Join League’ and enter the league League Password: 1304606-52973.
To join the Superbru league simply go here, and if you are asked, enter the Pool name Fantasy Rugby Geek and Pool code pegstrap. Good luck!
There’s still time to join both, so get involved and good luck, the standings after Round 1 are below…
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