Round 5 means crunch time – not just for those on the field, but for Fantasy Rugby managers everywhere.
All six teams are in action across three back-to-back contests on Super Saturday and with France’s re-arranged clash with Scotland not set to earn points for Fantasy Rugby players, this weekend is make or break.
The Fantasy Rugby transfers you need to make ahead of Round 5
Whether you’re challenging for honours or simply hoping to avoid the wooden spoon, here are six forwards we reckon should be in your pack…
Jonny Gray (Scotland)
The first match of the day is at BT Murrayfield, where Scotland are looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats as they welcome Italy.
In Jonny Gray, the hosts boast one of the standout locks of this season’s Championship. One of just two second-rowers whose metres gained are in three figures – the other is Tadhg Beirne, who has played two of his matches at flanker – Gray has also beaten three defenders and averages 32.6 Fantasy Rugby points a game.
The 27-year-old is also the third-highest tackler in his position with 39 and will once again be a key part of his side’s attacking and defensive efforts against the Azzurri.
Sebastian Negri (Italy)
The performances of Italy’s back-rowers have provided positives in a testing campaign and chief among them has been Sebastian Negri.
His 52 carries put him third in the overall Championship list and have helped the Benetton ace gain 243 metres, a tally which will only move upwards in Edinburgh.
Priced at just 12.1 stars, Negri represents excellent value and will be determined to help his side finish on a high.
CJ Stander (Ireland)
One of the best forwards in recent Guinness Six Nations history is set for a Championship swansong in Dublin following CJ Stander’s announcement this week that he is to retire at the end of the season.
There is far more than sentiment behind including him in our must-have forwards. The talismanic No.8 has been in fine form throughout the campaign and his tally of 64 carries is nine more than anyone else has managed this year.
He has gained more metres (311) than any other forward and averages 50.9 points a game – 17.4 stars is a sizeable investment but the 30-year-old is worth it.
Kyle Sinckler (England)
The battle up front will be crucial at the Aviva Stadium and in Kyle Sinckler, England boast arguably the competition’s in-form prop – certainly in Fantasy Rugby terms.
The Bristol Bears star has been named in each of the past three Teams of the Week, the highlight being a Guinness Six Nations Player of the Match display against Italy in Round 2, and averages 32.2 points per match.
He is also more than two stars cheaper than the only two props to have carried further than Sinckler’s 110 metres, Wyn Jones and Tadhg Furlong, and will relish the challenge of going up against the latter this weekend.
Gregory Alldritt (France)
Only four back-rowers average more than 50 points per match in Fantasy Rugby this year and three of them are due to be on the field at the Stade de France as the two remaining Championship contenders go head-to-head.
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Gregory Alldritt has enjoyed another consistent campaign for Les Bleus, gaining more metres (193) than any other French forward and putting in 34 tackles.
The all-action flanker will be determined to disrupt the rhythm of the free-flowing visitors and keep his team’s Championship hopes alive going into their clash with Scotland.
Josh Navidi (Wales)
In truth, any of Wales’ back-rowers could have found their way on to this list. Taulupe Faletau is 1.5 stars more expensive than any other forward but has shown exactly why with his performances to date, while Justin Tipuric is the Championship’s leading tackler.
But we’re going with Josh Navidi, who picked up the Guinness Player of the Match display against Italy last time out following a display which earned him a mammoth 84.3 points – the most of any forward in Round 4.
The Cardiff Blues man was an ever-present in his side’s 2019 Grand Slam and a performance similar to the one he delivered in Rome will go some way to helping the current crop ensure history repeats itself.
