The impending return of the Guinness Six Nations signals another opportunity for rugby fans to test their coaching credentials in the official Fantasy Rugby Game.
Fantasy Rugby 2021 – Tap here to get started!
While Eddie Jones will attempt to steer England to a successful defence of their Championship trophy across five mouth-watering rounds of action, you can pit your wits against friends, family and supporters worldwide in the hunt for Guinness Six Nations glory.
Following the same format used in 2020 the game offers a budget of 230 points to each participant, meaning strong rugby knowledge will be required to build your team.
A maximum of four players from each nation are allowed in your team while the value of players evolves according to their performances on the pitch over the course of the competition.
How points are calculated
Each team must feature 15 regular players, whose exploits on the pitch will determine how many points they contribute.
Every player on the field will earn you ‘team’ points depending on the result of the match – applied in proportion to their presence in the game – and ‘rugby player’ points which are determined by their individual statistics.
The designated captain in your team will see their points doubled in that respective round, while a bonus of 20 points will also be awarded to you.
Players in your team that start as a replacement for their nation will earn you half their points, while a nominated supersub will see their points tripled if they come off the bench during their real match.
If the nominated supersub starts, or does not play, his points will be halved as for all of the other substitutes.
Tackling the numbers
If one of your inclusions is playing at home, a win earns your team 12 points, while a draw and a defeat are worth four points and one point respectively.
A strong away performance is even more valuable, with any of your inclusions part of a win on their travels earning you 18 points, while a draw is worth ten and a defeat three points.
Points difference is also something to consider, with 0.5 points being added or taken away from your score for every point separating the two teams in each player’s match.
Individually, attack is essential, with every try scored by one of your inclusions earning your team 15 points. Try conversions and penalties are both worth three points and drop goals are worth six points.
Furthermore, two points are awarded for every defender beaten by one of your players, while each carried metre is worth 0.3 points.
Steely defence is also important though, with each tackle good one for one point, while those deemed a dominant tackle are worth two points to your total.
Finally, if one of your squad members is named the official Guinness Six Nations Player of the Match in their game you will be rewarded with 15 points, while yellow and red cards result in subsequent deductions of five and ten points respectively.
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Throughout the Championship, we’ll be giving you regular hints and tips about who to select, so make sure to keep an eye on www.sixnationsrugby.com to steal a march on your mates!
Your choice of captain is another key decision – he’ll earn you double points.
Players should also be sure to consider who could make a good super-sub.
Substitutes and the ‘super-sub’ must also be carefully considered. If your chosen super-sub starts on the bench and then comes in the ‘real’ match, he’ll earn you triple points.
So, not long to go until the big kick-off why not get busy organising your team in preparation to test your managerial nous in either the general league, or in a private league with your friends!
SIGN UP FOR THE 2021 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS FANTASY RUGBY GAME HERE