ESPN Fantasy Six Nations
Who should you have picked in your fantasy team?
Charlie Boss
February 3, 2015
Which kicker should you pick for your fantasy team?
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Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Rugby is a sport proud of its own mystery. Few other pastimes speak so fondly of their "dark arts" - in rugby's case, of the front row, of the scrum, and of the breakdown. You get the picture.

But fantasy games are simple things. They are all about the numbers. In the US, an entire industry has evolved around generating and then endlessly discussing reams of data about snaps played, yards made and passes completed for NFL fantasy games. Anything to give you the edge in that week's match-up.

So can numbers tell us more about rugby than we think? Or at least, can they help you pick a winning fantasy team? Maybe we should have seen Mike Brown's stellar form in last year's Six Nations coming, or known to drop Mike Phillips at scrum-half before his coach Warren Gatland made the decision for us.

This time round, I decided to conduct an experiment - let numbers pick my ESPNscrum fantasy team for me.

First, some ground rules. I only looked at points earned in Tests that counted towards ESPNscrum fantasy games in 2014. That covers the Six Nations and autumn internationals; summer tours were excluded. Italy's game against Argentina in November was included, despite it being ruled ineligible for fantasy scoring after it was brought forward 24 hours due to flooding. And I only considered players selected in their respective squads for the forthcoming Six Nations. With that in mind, here is the team that numbers picked for me (admittedly, with a bit of selective interpretation on my part):

France's Nicolas Mas, Wales v France, Six Nations, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, February 21, 2014
Nicolas Mas should be lining up for your fantasy team © PA Photos
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Front Row - Nicolas Mas

With the top scoring front row player in fantasy rugby last year injured - that would be England's David Wilson with 19 points - France's mister dependable Mas gets the call up after starting every fantasy eligible game for his country last year and lasting the full 80 twice.

Front Row - Cian Healy (Ireland)

Healy missed the autumn internationals with a hamstring injury, but his average of three fantasy points per match in last year's Six Nations was the highest of any front rower with three or more appearances in 2014.

Front Row - Sean Cronin (Ireland)

Cronin tied for second on total fantasy points (17) for a front row player, but only started one match in 2014. With a further seven appearances off the bench, Cronin also scored the most points from open play (8, from a try and an assist) of any front row player during the year. Perhaps there is value in role players you might otherwise overlook?

Second Row - Joshua Furno (Italy)

Perhaps a surprise, but Furno scored a whopping 29 fantasy points last year, second only to Alun Wyn Jones among his giant peers in the second row and in one less appearance (7) than the Welshman.

Second Row - Jonny Gray (Scotland)

Less lauded than his older brother Richie, Jonny exploded onto the scene in the autumn playing all 240 minutes for Scotland and bringing his average fantasy points per match up to 4.5, the highest of any second row in 2014.

Back Row - Chris Robshaw (England)

From British and Irish Lions reject in 2013 to top scoring back-row player in 2014 with 37 fantasy points, 10 more than his Welsh nemesis Sam Warburton.

Back Row - Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

Slowed down somewhat in the autumn, but unrivalled in last year's Six Nations with 25 fantasy points courtesy of five full appearances, a try and a man of the match performance against Scotland.

Back Row - Blair Cowan (Scotland)

Broke into the Scotland team ahead of the autumn internationals, and proved worth the wait with more fantasy points per game (5.7) than any other back row player in 2014.

Scotland's Greig Laidlaw goes for the posts, Wales v Scotland, Six Nations, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, February 12, 2012
Greig Laidlaw's trusty right boot is unlikely to let you down © Getty Images
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Scrum-half - Greig Laidlaw (Scotland) (Kicker)

Including kicks, by far and away the top fantasy scoring scrum half of 2014 (54), and even without them second only to England's Danny Care by a point (32 vs 33). Also my team's kicker after 22 successful penalties and conversions last year.

Fly-half - Camille Lopez (France)

Injured for the 2014 Six Nations, Lopez rebounded with 4.7 fantasy points per match excluding kicks in the autumn - the highest average score of any fly-half during the year.

Centre - Jamie Roberts (Wales)

A monstrous 45 fantasy points in 2014 doesn't lie, Roberts was by a distance top of a very competitive group of high scoring centres.

Centre - Michele Campagnaro (Italy)

Second only to Roberts with a total of 39 points last year, Campagnaro edges out French superstar Wesley Fofana (38) by a point.

Outside Back - Mike Brown (England)

The 2014 Six Nations man of the series showed no signs of slowing down in the Autumn, cruising to 72 fantasy points for the year. Only Johnny Sexton scored more (73), and he needed 30 points from kicks to get him there.

Outside Back - Teddy Thomas (France)

Two Tests, four tries and 31 fantasy points - Thomas' average fantasy score (15.5) is a clear 7.5 points more per match than the next best player's average, in any position.

Outside Back - Tommy Seymour (Scotland)

Mike Brown. That is the full list of players with more than three appearances in 2014 who have a higher average fantasy score excluding kicks per match than Seymour (6.5).

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