Guinness Six Nations Fantasy Rugby is back, and it is bigger and better than ever before, with the addition of Fantasy Pick 4.
A shorter form of the traditional fantasy format, which continues to run as normal, Fantasy Pick 4 simply requires players to select four players in different roles.
Players can select a ‘kicker’, a ‘defender’, a ‘ball carrier’ and a ‘superstar’, with each player earning role-specific points.
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Each week you can change all four players and to give a helping hand – the top ten players from 2022 are at the top of the list when selecting.
There is also no limit on selecting players per nation, but you cannot select the same player for more than one role.
Below we take you through how each player can earn you points and what those points mean when competing with others.
Kicker
The most self-explanatory of the roles, the kicker earns points for… kicking.
However, similarly to the traditional fantasy game, this year sees points awarded for both kicking from hand and kicking from the tee.
The new law of the 50-22 has become a vital part of the game and it has become key for fantasy players too with each successful kick from inside a players’ own half that bounces out inside the opposition’s 22 earning a whopping 15 points.
That could come with a double whammy too, with your chosen kicker awarded three points per 50m kicked from hand.
Kicking from hand is now a key element of the game, but the biggest aspect from a kicker’s perspective remains place kicking – with big points up for grabs for conversions and successfully kicked penalties, as well as those all-important drop goals.
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Five points are awarded per conversion, doubled to 10 for a penalty, while drop goals are worth 15 points – the same as if your kicker is awarded the official Guinness Six Nations Player of the Match.
There are big points up for grabs when kicks sail through the posts, but there is jeopardy if a kick is missed, with each missed conversion seeing two points deducted and penalties three.
Defender
Defending is the very cornerstone of success and now it has become an extra important part of fantasy rugby and the new Fantasy Pick 4 game.
Tackles are the traditional way for points to be earned by your selected defender, with two points per tackle made going to your total score, while dominant tackles are that little bit extra and are worth five points.
Similarly to missed kicks though, points are deducted for missed tackles, with a point per missed tackle taken away from you, while yellow and red cards cost five and 20 points respectively.
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It is not just about tackling though, breakdown steals are worth a massive 10 points, so it is important to ensure you choose a defensively sound player who enjoys the breakdown too.
As with any of the four positions, 15 points are also awarded should your defender be awarded Player of the Match.
Ball Carrier
The Ball Carrier is a role in fantasy rugby that awards players for their work all around the pitch with ball in hand and not just when scoring points.
This sees a totally different kind of player earning significant points from previous years, with front and back rowers likely to be highly sought after in this role.
Every metre carried earns 0.1 points, the same score as each metre made after contact, while every defender beaten is worth 0.5 points.
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If a player can get an offload away too, they will earn three points, while a pick and go is worth four points as well as a one out drive (when the player receives the ball from first phase and takes it up).
And of course, if they really capture the eye, they too could be awarded 15 points for Player of the Match.
Superstar
The Superstar is the most traditional of the Guinness Six Nations Fantasy Rugby roles, with regular players all too aware of the value of scoring and creating tries.
These players have the potential to seriously haul – with 15 points per try scored and 10 points per assist available.
They too are awarded points for offloads (five) and defenders beaten (three) while like other roles are punished for yellow and red cards with 5 and 20 points deducted respectively and there are 15 points awarded for Player of the Match.
How do the points work?
Your final score on each gameday is the sum of the points scored by your 4 players. Your score is then used to establish the ranking between all the players.
