Welcome to our next instalment of our pre-match updates for the Natwest Six Nations Round 3. 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…
With the drama of the first two rounds over in a whirlwind of HIA’s, TMO’s and disciplinary hearings, the talking is finally over and we can now focus on the Rugby again. Round 3 offers up some hugely exciting fixtures, and in the eyes of the bookies, there is one stand out fixture in terms of potentially high fantasy returns where France, who returned from Edinburgh winless and with half the team in a degree of disciplinary bother with the local constabulary, will be looking to put the last two weeks behind them with a convincing victory over the struggling Italy. A new look side will be looking to make a big statement, and looking at the handicap match market, the bookies are handing a win to France with a big margin of 17 points. Load up!
Elsewhere, the inevitable final round Grand Slam decider of England v Ireland could get one step closer could Ireland dispatch a strengthened Wales side at the Aviva. While Wales are welcoming back the likes of Dan Biggar and Liam Williams, Irelend also welcome back CJ Stander, and the bookies are expecting Ireland to make their dominance show with an 8 point win.
Finally at Murrayfield, Scotland will be looking to continue their winning form against the visiting England, however having ground out a solid if unconvincing win against France, they will need a lot more in their locker to defeat the machine-like English unit. The bookies are not expecting anything but an English win, giving Engalnd a 7 point winning margin.
Top 10 most likely to score (Odds via Paddy Power)
- 1= Benjamin Fall (France) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 1.73
- 1= Remy Grosso (France) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 1.73
- 3 Hugo Bonneval (France) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2
- 4= Jonny May (England) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.25
- 4= Keith Earls (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.25
- 4= Jacob Stockdale (Ireland) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.25
- 7 Anthony Watson (England) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.38
- 8= Geoffrey Doumayrou (France) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 3
- 8= Mathieu Bastareud (France) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 3
- 10 Jonathan Joseph (England) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 3.2
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)
Cian Healy (Ireland)
Jefferson Poirot (France)
LOCKS
Maro Itoje (England)
Paul Gabrillagues (France)
Jonny Gray (Scotland)
BACK ROW
Nathan Hughes (England)
CJ Stander (Ireland)
Marco Tauleigne (France)
Wenceslas Lauret (France)
SCRUM-HALF
Conor Murray (Ireland)
Maxime Machenaud (France)
FLY HALF
Jonny Sexton (Ireland)
CENTRES
Owen Farrell* (England)
Jonathan Joseph (England)
Geoffrey Doumayrou (France)
OUTSIDE BACKS
Remy Grosso (France)
Jonny May (England)
Keith Earls (Ireland)
Benjamin Fall (France)
Likely Kickers
Maxime Machenaud (France)
Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
Jonny Sexton (Ireland)
Owen Farrell (England)
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
Tommaso Allan (Italy)
Under-the-radar pick
Geoffrey Doumayrou – The French team’s recent misdemeanours in Edinbrough in the last Round have resulted in the opening of a number of opportunities for some new faces to make an impact. With France welcoming the hapless Italy to Paris, there could not be a better stage for some big breakthrough international performances. One man who has been in sensational form at club level this season, both in domestic and European action is the elusive and explosive La Rochelle centre, Geoffrey Doumayrou. A prolific scorer at Under 20 international level and proving to have a great eye for a scoring opportunity at elite club level, Doumayrou will now be looking to make a statement at international level after a handful of caps and Italy will have their hands full trying to stop him. Make sure he is one of the first names in your team!
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. There is still time to join!
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 2 for the ESPN league are below…
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