The big day is finally upon us.
A Super Saturday for the ages is here as all six sides compete in a sensational finale to the 2021 Women’s Six Nations.
Four weeks of competition all comes down to this as England battle France in the Championship decider, Ireland meet Italy in the third-place play-off and Scotland host Wales in the fifth-place play-off.
And, of course, the finale on the pitch means it is also crunch time in the Fantasy Rugby stakes.
Have you got what it takes to come out on top in your mini-league or, dare we say it, the entire game itself?
Well, whether it’s a few last-minute changes that you need to make or wholesale fresh blood is needed to give your team one last push we’ve got you covered.
Pick your Fantasy Rugby team now!
Ireland v Italy
Contrasting Round 3 fortunes bring these two sides together in a battle for third place to kick off Finals Day.
Italy captain Manuela Furlan is the form option, having scored a hat-trick in her side’s victory over Scotland last time out in a performance which netted players who owned her a cool 134.9 points.
At 17.1 stars the wing is a strong mid-priced pick who could well reward players, her pace and trickery a constant threat to opposing sides.
Another Italian player to shine in Round 3 was Player of the Match Beatrice Rigoni.
The centre gained 111 metres from her 14 carries during the 80 minutes while also breaking six tackles in a performance which saw her notch 120 Fantasy Rugby points.
For that sort of showing, 15.1 stars is a steal and, although Ireland may prove a tougher nut to crack, Rigoni would appear to have the game to stand up to the tougher test.
Adam Griggs’ side, though, suffered defeat to France last time out after a hugely promising Round 2 win over Wales.
She may have been quiet in Round 3 but Beibhinn Parsons doesn’t normally stay that way for very long.
The emerging superstar scored 144.1 points in Round 2, let’s not forget, as she ran in a brilliant brace of tries.
And her overall Championship stats of 214m ran with the ball alongside 15 broken tackles make for good reading too – 16.1 stars has never seemed so cheap!
If you’re looking beyond the obvious pick in Parsons from Ireland then perhaps hooker Cliodhna Moloney (11.6 stars) or Kathryn Dane (11.7 stars) could be worth a look.
The former dotted down and proved a bright spark against France, while the latter has been a threat at scrum-half this Championship so far without picking up the Fantasy Rugby points to show for it.
And with exciting wing Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, fly-half Stacey Flood and flanker Brittany Hogan all set for their first Test starts, could anyone be tempted by a bolter selection for little cost?
Six must-have backs to have in your Women’s Six Nations Fantasy Rugby team on Finals Day
England v France
To the big final then, and two sides brimming with star quality.
England have won the last two Championships with France claiming the one before that in 2018 – and the two sides engaged in an epic battle last time they met as England snatching victory at the death.
England have been sitting pretty for a week, having confirmed their status in the final at the end of Round 2, and could well benefit from the extra rest.
It doesn’t take a genius to realise that having the most expensive player in the game, Emily Scarratt (22 stars), is a staple of most players teams given she’s registered over 200 points from her two games so far.
It takes a big call to put your captain on the bench, but Simon Middleton has shown faith with the in-form No.8 Poppy Cleall (19.6 stars) – who has registered in excess of 162 points despite having started only one of her side’s two contests so far.
Meanwhile, Jess Breach (19.1 stars) and Abby Dow (18.8 stars) are both expensive picks for a reason with their prolific exploits on the wing sure to feature once more.
France have been equally as impressive as the Red Roses so far in the 2021 Championship – hammering in a mighty 109 points across their games against Ireland and Wales.
It’s hard to look anywhere but winger Caroline Boujard (20.3 stars) for French assets, having scored five tries and made 232m with the ball so far – not to mention over 230 points in Fantasy Rugby.
But if your budget doesn’t quite stretch that far, Romane Menager (16.1 stars) comes into this game in place of the injured Emeline Gros.
A 32-minute cameo included a try against Ireland and 60 points, making you wonder what she can do when playing a full 80.
Back-row Gaelle Hermet (15.6 stars) will always deliver a reliable source of points too, with almost 100 in the Championship this year.
Six must-have forwards in your Women’s Six Nations Fantasy Rugby team on Finals Day
Scotland v Wales
The 2021 Women’s Six Nations is brought to a close in Glasgow as Scotland and Wales both go in search of their first victories.
The hosts have so far managed to score 30 points and look fairly free-flowing in attack but it is when they have been without the ball that they have found things harder.
Scotland have only beaten Wales once in the Championship since 2007 but if they are to turn the tide of recent history then Helen Nelson (14.7 stars) will surely have a big hand, the adaptable centre having scored 57 points across her side’s two games so far.
Wing Chloe Rollie (13.8 stars) could be good value for her attacking prowess while Lana Skeldon (10.3 stars) and Megan Kennedy (9.4 stars) are affordable options in a pack which will have to do a lot of work against Wales.
The visitors have history on their side, but have yet to score a point this Championship following defeats to Ireland and France.
In the absence of Siwan Lillicrap, stand-in captain Hannah Jones (10.8 stars) may benefit from the added responsibility.
The all-action centre has made 27 tackles and 28m with the ball in the 2021 Championship, and will be aiming to strike at the heart of the Scottish defence on Saturday.
The clash could well be a close and edgy one and, if that’s the case, fly-half Robyn Wilkins (9.4 stars) may come into her own from the tee and provide crucial points for her side and Fantasy Rugby owners.
