The second rest week is over, and it is full speed ahead towards Round 4 of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations and time to get your fantasy hats back on!
After three compelling rounds of action, we have now been given enough information and statistics, as well as seeing all the action to have a real idea of who to select in your fantasy teams for Round 4 and beyond.
This weekend we have three cracking matches to come, with Italy hosting Wales in Rome, before England and France go head-to-head at Twickenham and on Sunday, we see Ireland and Scotland do battle with the Grand Slam still on for Ireland and Scotland playing for the Triple Crown.
So, with all of that action to come, we look at three transfers you need to make for Round 4.
TOP TRY SCORER JONES HAS THE POWER TO HURT IRELAND
Huw Jones has surely been one of the players of the Championship so far, and after his display in Paris eight days ago, he now needs to be right among the fantasy conversation in the centres.
Two tries at the Stade de France followed yet another score against England in Round 1, which sees him sitting at the top of the pecking order with just two rounds to go.
It is not just tries that Jones has been excelling in though – no centre has made more metres than Jones’ 261, while only Gael Fickou (13) has beaten more defenders than Jones (11).
Defensively, he has also been outstanding, sitting third for most tackles at centre (28) behind only Scotland teammate Sione Tuipulotu and Fickou.
He also has one dominant tackle, which earn seven points in the fantasy game, only Ollie Lawrence (two) has more in the centres.
Those statistics have unsurprisingly seen Jones rack up an incredible 166.6 fantasy points at an average of 55.53 per match, but with his value starting at just 12.5 stars, he now still represents incredible value at 14.6 stars.
Ahead of the visit of Ireland to BT Murrayfield, he can be highly effective once more and even against such strong opposition as Andy Farrell’s men, he can deliver serious points at incredible value.
ALL-ROUNDER LOWE THE KEY TO IRELAND’S ATTACK
James Lowe’s importance to Ireland has been no secret for several years, nor has his ability to score serious points in the fantasy game, yet even by his incredible standards, he is excelling this Championship.
Two tries, two assists and 339 metres made (second behind only Hugo Keenan), show Lowe’s incredible attacking threat.
But what is even more incredible is that those 339 metres have come from just 23 carries, meaning he is averaging over 14 metres per carry, which equals serious points in the fantasy game.
His 13 tackles is solid for a winger, while two of those have been dominant, but comfortably the most impressive stat is the fact that no player in the entire Championship has more turnovers than his four.
That is the reason he is now the joint-second most valuable player in the game behind Finn Russell, costing 19.9 stars along with Antoine Dupont after earning an incredible 207.4 points, 91.2 of which came against Italy, after a performance in Rome that included two dominant tackles, two try assists and four line-breaks.
If you don’t already have Lowe, it is time to get him in now – no matter the cost.
DOMINANT DANILO THE PICK OF ITALY’S FORWARDS
When people look at including Italy players in their fantasy team during this Championship, thus far it would have almost certainly been Ange Capuozzo at the top of their list.
For good reason too, with his 20 broken tackles, but there is one man in the Italy pack who has been catching the eye in every single game so far this Championship – prop Danilo Fischetti.
He has just been absolutely excellent so far, despite the Azzurri’s three defeats to open the Championship, and should be one to watch this weekend against a wounded Wales side.
The clear stat that stands out is his dominant tackles, with Fischetti making eight dominant tackles, more than anyone across the entire Championship.
He has made 32 tackles in total, of which 25% have been dominant, an outrageous percentage.
Not just a defensive master, he has been a useful ball-carrying option too, making 82 metres at 5.46 metres per carry, breaking through six tackles in the process.
These are all elite stats for any player, let alone a prop, and it is no surprise that his value has risen from 10 stars to 12.6. And in case you needed more convincing, he popped up with a try on his return to club action this weekend for London Irish.
A very useful 103.2 points over the three matches so far show what Fischetti can bring to your team and with the likes of Lowe, Keenan, Russell and Dupont all extremely expensive, someone with the value of the Italy prop allows you to include all of the most expensive players out there.
