Shifting the Women’s Six Nations away from the men’s tournament and into a separate window has brought several benefits. One of them is the opportunity to focus on fantasy strategy for the tournament, which has its own game.
Over the last couple of months, Ben Earl and Juan Ignacio Brex have carried my team, Drop Outs RFC. I made plenty of gaffes, obviously. Most egregious was dropping Duhan van der Merwe, following his quiet outing against France, prior to his hat-trick heroics in the Calcutta Cup. That felt pretty dumb; but there is an immediate chance for redemption.
The Women’s Six Nations fantasy game gives you a budget of 240 stars to pick a starting XV and a captain, whose score will double, as well as a ‘super sub’. The latter bags triple points if they come off the bench. Otherwise, their tally is halved.
Tries count for 10 points, with try assists netting four. Conversions are two, penalty kicks three and drop-goals five. Then come the more nuanced metrics. You get two points for every defender your player beats, and one for every 10m they carry. Tackles are worth one point, with breakdown steals getting five. Line-out steals and 50:22 kicks are valued at seven points.
Discipline lapses are costly. Each penalty conceded is -1, with yellows subtracting three and red cards taking off six points. Official player of the match awards really help you out – thank you, Messrs Earl and Brex – with a 15-point boost.
That is that for the scoring run-down. As the teams prepare for action, here are some tips to help you build your own side.
Big prices should be worth it
Prior to the first day of competition, three players command the top price tag of 20 stars: Gabrielle Vernier, Abby Dow and Marlie Packer. They should deliver on any investment. Last season, they were phenomenal.
Vernier scored five tries, gave two assists and carried for 332m. Dow plundered six tries, three assists and a staggering 721m. Packer, set to captain England as she wins a 100th cap in Italy this weekend, topped the charts with seven tries. Her defence was relentless too, yielding 73 tackles and seven breakdown steals. She is never too far from the action.
Pauline Bourdon Sansus, Romane and Marine Ménager, Chloe Rollie, Sadia Kabeya, Hollie Aitchison, Jess Breach, Ellie Kildunne, Zoe Aldcroft and Alex Callender are all priced at 18 stars. Rollie and Aitchison are on the benches of Scotland and England this weekend. ‘Super sub’ options for round one?
Eye up the Wales back-rowers
Just as Tommy Reffell and Aaron Wainwright were reliable sources of points during the men’s competition, so should their compatriots and fellow back-rowers be during the women’s competition.
Callender was second only to Packer in the breakdown turnover stakes last season, picking up six, while No 8 Bethan Lewis (15 stars) made five as well as two more line-out steals. The all-action Alisha Butchers (15 stars) missed the 2023 Six Nations after a fantastic tournament in 2022, during which she racked up 242 running metres and 60 tackles as well as two pilfers.
She starts at blindside flanker against Scotland in Cardiff, where Wales will want to hit the ground running and continue their progress of the past few years.
Pack in the kickers
Full-backs are normally the place to fit in an extra place-kicker in the men’s game; think of Tommaso Allan or Thomas Ramos. In the Women’s Six Nations, there is potential for even more unconventional picks.
Scotland hooker Lana Skeldon (16 stars) has kicked for the posts before. Hannah O’Connor (14 stars), named at lock for Ireland against France, is more than handy from the tee as well.
Trust youth to cause a stir
Sarah Hunter and Jessy Trémoulière both retired last year, reinforcing how this tournament will be one that launches new stars. Giovanni Raineri, the former Test centre coaching Italy, has high hopes for 22-year-old Francesca Granzotto (9 stars), a scrum-half capable of moving to wing or full-back.
Maddie Feaunati (10 stars), poised for her Red Roses debut from the bench, has England insiders very excited. Another possible ‘super sub’, perhaps? The 19-year-old Nel Metcalfe (12 stars) is starting on the left wing for Wales, too. Katie Corrigan (12 stars), the Ireland wing, is even younger at 18. She was a prolific try-scorer for Wolfhounds in the Celtic Challenge and has earned a shot at the top level.
Back domestic form
Evie Gallagher (15 stars) has warmed up for Scotland’s campaign with some fine performances for Bristol Bears in Premiership Women’s Rugby. She got through 64 carries and completed 81 tackles as well as four breakdown steals in last season’s Six Nations.
Consider all-action front-rowers…
Sisilia Tuipulotu (16 stars) and Skeldon scored four tries apiece last season, while Neve Jones (16 stars), the Ireland hooker, topped the tournament tackle count with 90 – nine more than anyone else. England’s maul machine has been devastating of late and Lark Atkin-Davies (16 stars) starts at hooker in Rome with Connie Powell (12 stars) on the bench. Hannah Botterman (14 stars) is an exceptional breakdown spoiler.
…and sevens speedsters
Jasmine Joyce (16 stars) is the second most expensive player on the Wales roster, while Lisa Thomson (13 stars) and Rhona Lloyd (16 stars) are back from GB Sevens duty to start in the Scotland backline.
Bank on English domination?
John Mitchell will be itching for England to pick up where they left off in 2023, when they landed a second consecutive Grand Slam and a fifth Championship title in succession. Emily Scarratt (16 stars) is back in an unfamiliar role of inside centre, as is line-out guru Abbie Ward (16 stars). Their biggest challenge looks to be a trip to Bordeaux in the final round. France will not roll over.
Indeed, when I asked around for recommendations for this article, one response simply read: “Madoussou Fall. Big.” Fall, who plays for Stade Bordelais, will set you back 13 stars. The former basketball player starts at lock on Saturday in Le Mans.