The 2022 Guinness Six Nations finally began last weekend and with Round 2 fast approaching, it is time to think about your fantasy team once more.
After last weekend, we have a better idea of who is set to start and, more importantly, who is in good form. Although your squad may be more or less set heading into the second weekend of the Championship, we will try and give you a few tips to help you out along the way.
Round 1 saw Ireland impress in a dominant 29-7 win over Wales at the Aviva Stadium before Scotland made history as they won consecutive Calcutta Cup clashes for the first time in the Six Nations era by dramatically beating England 20-17 at BT Murrayfield.
Then on Sunday, Gabin Villière’s hat-trick inspired France to a bonus-point 37-10 win over Italy at the Stade de France.
Player of the Match Villière scores sublime hat-trick in France win over Italy
Round 2 has more fascinating matches, as Scotland look to go two wins from two in Cardiff, while Ireland and France clash in one of the biggest games of the Championship, with only one of those sides still set to be on track for a Grand Slam come Saturday evening.
On Sunday, England look to get back to winning ways as they travel to Rome in a game where both sides will be desperate to get off the mark.
With so much action to come, it can be difficult to know which forwards should be making your fantasy team, but don’t worry we have you covered as we identify six members of the pack you should be looking at.
Matt Fagerson (Scotland)
The Scotland No.8 was named Guinness Six Nations Player of the Match in their win over England and was one of the top-scoring forwards last week in fantasy rugby, with 58.5 points, making the fantasy team of the week in the process.
Fagerson’s ball carrying caught the eye, making 54 metres from eight carries, but it was a game in which Scotland often found themselves on the back foot and his 13 tackles were second behind only Hamish Watson.
His ability both going forward and defensively is what makes him so attractive in the fantasy game and at just 11.8 stars, he seems an absolute steal, allowing you to keep some of the more expensive players in the process.
Sam Simmonds (England)
Another who comes in at 11.8 stars and impressed last weekend, Sam Simmonds is always difficult to ignore as he is so impressive on the ball.
He scored 21 tries in 24 matches for Exeter Chiefs last season and if he is picked to start against Italy on Sunday, it would be surprising not to see him on the scoresheet as he rarely goes two games without a try.
Only Max Malins made more metres for England than the 74m that Simmonds carried for at BT Murrayfield, and in what is set to be far more ideal rugby playing conditions in Rome on Sunday, his ball-carrying could be a real asset for your fantasy squad.
Andrew Porter (Ireland)
Pre-Championship, a lot of the attention went to Tadhg Furlong, which meant his fellow Ireland prop Porter went relatively unnoticed.
His work at the scrum is obvious, but it is his uncanny knack of making big metres when he has no right to that was clear at the Aviva Stadium last weekend.
From just five carries, he made 30 metres, at six metres per carry, while his nine tackles (including one dominant tackle), show he is capable of bringing in big points.
Heading to Paris this weekend will be a huge challenge, but there are very few props who can do what Porter does and his 31.9 points and a place in the fantasy team of the week showed that last week, while his 12.8 price is more than reasonable.
Gregory Alldritt
The second top-scoring fantasy forward last weekend, and another who was in the team of the week is France’s Grégory Alldritt.
67.5 points is an enormous return and while he is the most expensive forward in the game at 16.9 stars, he more than showed he is worth that in Round 1.
An astonishing 113 metres made with ball in hand, one of only two forwards in the top ten for that statistic last weekend, and 11 tackles on top of that show that he is yet another player with the ability to make big points again at the weekend.
Taine Basham (Wales)
One of the few bright sparks in an otherwise difficult afternoon for Wales was Basham, who also impressed in the Autumn Nations Series.
One of only two forwards to score a try and, along with Alldritt, one of only two forwards in the top ten for metres made, with 94, Basham was outstanding with the ball in hand.
READ: Fantasy team of the week
But on a day where Wales were often on the back foot, his defence was even more impressive, as his 22 tackles made was the most in Round 1.
Scotland will be another tough challenge in Cardiff on Saturday but Basham has proved that he can do it all and should be in your fantasy team as a result.
Julien Marchand (France)
Another who caught the eye in the win over Italy was Marchand, whose ball-carrying presence in the rain in Paris earned him a place in the fantasy team of the week.
Despite only playing 57 minutes, Marchand’s 12 carries was the sixth most at the weekend, and England’s Luke Cowan-Dickie was the next closest to that in the hooker department with eight.
In what is expected to be a tough and physical duel at the Stade de France, the Toulouse hooker is certainly someone you will want in your team.
