Who were the players who racked up the points and consistently delivered for their fantasy managers? Here’s the top scoring XV from the Autumn Nations Series, highlighting the top players in each position…
Back Three: Darcy Graham (Scotland) – 150 Points
The highest scoring Back 3 player and the second highest scoring player in the game overall was Darcy Graham. Graham got off to a flying start in Scotland’s Round 0 game against Fiji and never looked back. Against Fiji, Graham hauled in 83 points (the most of any player in a single match in the entire Autumn Nations Series) courtesy of a 4-try performance. Over the course of the Series, Graham carried for 278 metres, beat 19 defenders, scored 5 tries, made a try assist, 15 tackles and even got a breakdown steal to his name. An outstanding performer.
Back Three: Thomas Ramos (France) – 146 Points
The most successful kicker of the Six Nations teams over the course of the Autumn Nations Series, Ramos was the picture of consistency throughout the Autumn, scoring 52 points against Japan in Round 1, 60 points in a Player of The Match performance against New Zealand in Round 2 and 34 points in Round 3 against Argentina. Ramos slotted 12 conversions and 6 penalty kicks in these 3 matches. It wasn’t just his kicking that impressed however, his all-round game ability was highlighted by his 142 metres carried, 7 defenders beaten, 2 offloads, 3 try assists, 2 50-22’s, 27 tackles and 1 breakdown steal. An essential pick in the Back 3.
Back Three: Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France) – 120 Points
At the start of the Autumn Nations Series, many expected that it would be Damian Penaud who would be taking the lion’s share of the French tries. For Penaud in the end he did not make one appearance, but it was his team-mate on the other wing, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who stole the limelight. Kicking off with an impressive Player of The Match performance against Japan that resulted in 68 points, LBB went on to score 4 tries, carry for 227 metres and beat 12 defenders over the course of the campaign. Definitely one to watch for the Six Nations!
Centre: Huw Jones (Scotland) – 112 Points
The Autumn Nations Series cemented Huw Jones’s status as one of the most exciting attacking Centres in International Rugby. Jones was rampant in attack in all three of his appearances in Scotland’s Autumn campaign. Over the course of the Autumn, only Tom Jordan carried for more metres than Jones’s 344 metres. Jones beat 13 defenders, made 4 offloads, scored 2 tries, made 2 try assists and made 19 tackles. You can expect more of the same by the time the Six Nations comes around in the new year.
Centre: Tommaso Menoncello (Italy) – 110 Points
Entering the Autumn Nations Series as the 2024 Six Nations Player of the Tournament, stock in Tommaso Menoncello was already high, and he ended the Autumn with his reputation further enhanced. Three more outstanding performances demonstrated why he’s an essential fantasy pick in the Centres. He carried hard, beat 18 defenders, made 2 offloads, 18 tackles and also got on the trysheet once. He looks to be a potent attacking threat who will be relied upon for years to come.
Fly-Half: Marcus Smith (England) – 175 Points
The highest scoring player in the game overall, Marcus Smith delivered the fantasy points in all 4 games he played. Scoring 48 points in Round 0 against New Zealand, 50 points in Round 1 against Australia, 34 points in Round 2 against South Africa and 43 points in Round 3 against Japan, Smith was the most fixture-proof “set it and forget it” option in the fantasy game. His kicking obviously brought in plenty of points with 13 conversions and 9 penalties, but it was his all-round game, including his ability to beat players and create try-scoring opportunities that set his fantasy scoring apart.
Scrum-Half: Antoine Dupont (France) – 87 Points
After his absence from the 15-player game to focus on Olympic 7s glory, Dupont returned to the game like he’d never been away. Comfortably the highest scoring Scrum Half in the fantasy game, with an average score almost double of his nearest challenger in the Scrum Half position. As always, during the Autumn Nations Series, Dupont’s all-round game was on show, be it his 5 offloads, 25 tackles, a breakdown steal, 3 try assists or 12 defenders beaten. A true outlier in his position, if he’s playing, you just have to pick him.
Back Row: Ben Earl (England) – 146 Points
As he was in the 2024 Six Nations, Ben Earl was the highest fantasy scoring forward in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series. The metric that sets Earl apart from the rest of the pack is his carrying ability. Earl carried in total for 276 metres and beat 9 defenders, there was no other forward that got close to this volume of carrying. Also with a try, a try assist, 2 offloads, 2 breakdown steals and 59 tackles, it was Earl’s all-action game that propelled him to the top of the forward scores.
Back Row: Josh van der Flier (Ireland) – 109 Points
Josh Van Der Flier had a stellar autumn campaign for Ireland, which translated to big fantasy points. Van Der Flier was a consistent points scorer throughout, with his lowest score still being a highly respectable 32 points in Round 3 against Fiji. At the heart of Van Der Flier’s high scores were his two tries over the course of the Series, but beyond the tries, he delivered several industrious performances, with 45 tackles, a breakdown steal, and offload and 135 metres carried.
Back Row: Jac Morgan (Wales) – 104 Points
While Wales had an Autumn Nations Series that will not be remembered fondly, one player who can emerge from Wales’s Autumn campaign with his head held firmly high is Jac Morgan. Morgan put in some ferocious performances in the face of some attacking onslaughts from the opposition. Morgan put in more tackles than any other player over the course of the Series, making 64 tackles in 3 games (2 starts and 1 off the bench), including 27 tackles against Australia in Round 2 and 28 tackles against South Africa. Morgan also carried well and beat 8 defenders. A huge set of performances.
Second Row: Maro Itoje (England) – 112 Points
In a position that typically scores low, Maro Itoje was a fantasy points scoring outlier, averaging 28 points a game. Much like Jac Morgan, his standout feature was his high tackle count with 62 tackles in his 4 appearances (behind only Morgan). In addition to his tackle
count however, Itoje carried well, won 15 scrums, made a lineout steal and a breakdown steal, and got on the scoresheet with a try against Australia in Round 1. Itoje remains a classy performer and well worth his high fantasy price tag.
Second Row: George Martin (England) – 88 Points
An ever-present in the England starting XV alongside Maro Itoje throughout the Autumn, Martin had some similar stats to Maro Itoje, with the highlight being his 58 tackles over the course of the Series, including 17 tackles in Round 1 against Australia. He was also a danger in the lineout with a lineout steal to his name, and also racked up some strong carrying stats.
Prop: Jean-Baptiste Gros (France) – 55 Points
Traditionally the lowest scoring position in the fantasy game, there were not may huge scores from Props, however Jean-Baptiste Gros registered the highest score of any Prop in a single game, with a 40-point haul in Round 1 against Japan. In this single game, Gros scored a try, beat 2 defenders, won 3 scrums and made 17 tackles. He also performed well in Round 2 but had a frustrating experience in Round 3 coming off early after an injury. Nonetheless, it was an impressive Autumn for Gros, and he will be a popular selection choice for the 2025 Men’s Six Nations.
Prop: Ellis Genge (England) – 55 Points
Once again, Ellis Genge was a highly consistent operator, whose performance translated to high fantasy points as usual. Genge was one of the highest volume carriers, carrying the ball for 90 metres and beating 3 defenders in the process. He also registered an offload and a try assist to his name as well as making 30 tackles over the course of the Series.
Hooker: Peato Mauvaka (France) – 93 Points
Mauvaka was comfortably the highest scoring Hooker in the ANS, and this largely came as a result of his astonishing performance against Japan in Round 1, where he started at Hooker and then moved into the Back Row after the arrival of Julian Marchand, carried for 86 metres, beat 3 defenders, made an offload, won 7 scrums, made a huge 24 tackles and scored a try in a truly sensational performance that generated 60 points. Mauvaka is a threat all over the field, and again will be a very popular pick for the 2025 Men’s Six Nations.
As the curtain falls on the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, it’s clear that this season provided fantasy rugby managers with plenty of standout performers and unforgettable moments. From Marcus Smith's masterclass to Darcy Graham’s electrifying performances, the Series offered up some massive fantasy performances.
With the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what on these performances and start planning for the next fantasy challenge.
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