Six Nations Fantasy Game news: Best player for every position in 2025
The Six Nations is almost upon us, with the opening weekend set to be headlined by a blockbuster clash between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium.
Just as importantly, the deadline to pick your fantasy rugby team is the start of the first game on January 31 and must be done via the Six Nations app or the Six Nations Fantasy Rugby website.
Because time is running out, we have created a handy guide to get you started.
Sports News Blitz writer Luke Ebden takes a look at the best fantasy rugby picks for each position ahead of the tournament.
Prop
Henry Thomas (7 stars) is the cheapest predicted starter in the game, so it wouldn’t be right not to include him.
The Welsh tight-head looks set to get the nod and start in the number 3 jersey for Wales against France.
Whilst not an exciting option, or one that will score you too many points barring the odd try, Thomas is the cheapest option from the start who will still get respectable minutes on the pitch.
He thus makes for a great budget option, allowing you to squeeze in another premium pick elsewhere.
Danilo Fischetti (12 stars) is a high-class rugby player and a great fantasy option too.
Managing two breakdown steals and 49 tackles last year, Fischetti is usually one of the higher scoring props in the game.
This is important as prop is an area where you want to conserve your budget because the upside isn’t typically that high.
At a dozen stars, Fischetti is just the right balance of price and potential points output.
Ellis Genge (14 stars) is a premium option if you want to splash the cash on the front row as he is one of those who can score really well in fantasy rugby.
Following the retirement of Joe Marler and drop off in form of Fin Baxter, Genge has established himself as the starting loose-head for England.
He has provided some monstrous scores in the past due to his explosive ball carrying, great defensive work, and try-scoring ability.
As with all props, his minutes will contribute greatly to his output.
In the right rounds, though, Genge could certainly make for a lucrative option.
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Hooker
Luke Cowan-Dickie (12 stars) or Theo Dan (10 stars) – whoever gets the starting jersey for England – will make for an exceptional budget pick.
With Jamie George looking unlikely for the start of the tournament, either hooker represents great value.
They are both explosive around the park, particularly in defence, and a threat from lineout mauls.
Whoever starts could be a great differential for your team.
Peato Mauvaka (15 stars) is arguably underpriced considering he is about as explosive as hookers come.
His lightning-quick work in defence, in particular, makes him a terrific option.
To add to that, his ball-carrying ability is superb and his try-scoring potential is huge given the French system he is a part of.
The only concern here could be Julian Marchand, a world-class replacement hooker whose minutes off the bench could take time away from Mauvaka.
Dan Sheehan (18 stars) is the premium option in the game and with good reason.
He scored the joint-most tries last year, with five, and carried for 247 metres to show his threat with ball in hand.
Balancing the choice of Mauvaka and Sheehan is key to maximising the points in an important position in fantasy rugby.
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Second row
Thibaud Flament (12 stars) simply has to be in the conversation.
The former Loughborough University man is a shoe-in to start in the number 4 shirt for France.
His importance in the lineout, defensive acumen, and try-scoring threat make him a brilliant option.
He is arguably underpriced and is therefore possibly an easy set-and-forget pick for the tournament.
Federico Ruzza (14 stars) is another brilliant option.
A lineout guru by trade, nobody comes close to matching his output in attack, and his two steals in the air last year aren’t too shabby either.
Ruzza also managed a monstrous 62 tackles last time out.
As a key cog in the Italian side plus a criminally underrated player in general, he is potentially a great choice.
Tadhg Beirne (17 stars) is as close as it gets to a sure pick in fantasy rugby.
He is the definition of a points magnet, notching up two tries, two breakdown steals, and three lineout steals in 2024.
Every round that you do not pick him, you will be scared to check the Six Nations website to see how many points he’s on.
Beirne will take up a lot of your budget, to be fair, but go without him at your peril.
Back row
Tom Willis (10 stars) could be a gold mine if he gets the number 8 jersey for England.
He has been in sparkling form for Saracens at club level, putting up incredible stats in the ball-carrying and offloading departments.
As a choice, he certainly passes the eye test and – if he puts up similar numbers for England – could end up having the best points-per-star ratio in the entire game.
Willis is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Chandler Cunningham-South (13 stars) is a mammoth rugby player.
2024 was an excellent breakthrough year for the Harlequins man, and this year has the potential to be huge too.
As a colossal ball carrier, hard-hitting tackler, and lineout threat, Cunningham-South represents a great option regardless of whether or not he starts.
The only concern with him starting would be his minutes.
Caelan Doris (18 stars) is the premium pick in this area, although another good option is last year’s top fantasy scorer Ben Earl (20 stars).
Doris made 56 tackles and carried for 276 metres in 2024 on top of 50 defensive ruck arrivals.
The Irish captain has been a talisman for a while now and is well worth his weight in stars when it comes to fantasy rugby.
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Scrum-half
Ben Spencer (9 stars) could be the go-to value pick at number 9.
Following injuries to Alex Mitchell and Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Spencer was recalled by England alongside Sale Sharks whippet Raffi Quirke.
With Harry Randall more of a ‘finisher’ scrum-half, Steve Borthwick will likely go for the experience of Spencer at scrum-half.
Although he doesn’t have the electric pace or impact of others in his position, Spencer might be too tough to refuse at his price.
Tomos Williams (15 stars) has been flying for Gloucester this year.
Despite Wales being rock bottom last year for the first time in a long while, Williams was a decent fantasy option.
He carried for 195 metres – more than any other scrum-half – and also managed two try assists and three linebreaks.
To avoid another wooden spoon, Wales will need someone to stand up and Williams can be that man considering the form he is in.
Jamison Gibson-Park (16 stars) is the premium category pick.
Well, actually Antoine Dupont (20 stars) is, but that much is obvious.
Looking slightly further afield, Gibson-Park is a cracking player in some great form.
He notched up three assists last year and passed the ball more than any player, showing his centrality to the Irish side.
Moreover, with back-up scrum-half Craig Casey injured and fellow Munster man Conor Murray set to wear number 21, Gibson-Park could be in line to play even more minutes this time around, which will almost certainly translate into more fantasy points.
If you’re brave enough, he could make for an excellent alternative to Dupont in the right rounds.
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Fly-half
Dan Edwards (11 stars) could make for an excellent pick.
The Ospreys fly-half is one of two uncapped players in the Welsh squad and technically the only specialist number 10, although Ben Thomas has played there before.
While it is unclear if he’ll start at fly-half for the duration of the championship, he’ll definitely get his chances.
Jack Crowley (14 stars) represents excellent value.
Crowley had a great Six Nations in 2024, scoring 52 points from the tee, carrying the ball 45 times, and amassing five offloads.
Ultimately, his presence in a team that scores loads of tries means you'll get lots of guaranteed kicking points.
His tendency to carry the ball further sets him aside from many other fly-halfs as it offers even more routes to points.
With Ireland favourites for the three-peat, whoever gets the nod at number 10 will amass some decent points.
Sam Prendergast (12 stars) is another option here.
Marcus Smith (17 stars) is a brilliant pick-up for his price.
As with Dupont, the more obvious choice here would be Finn Russell (20 stars).
However, the difference between Smith and Russell is not as night and day as the difference between Dupont and Gibson-Park.
Smith is a magician of a player and has finally cemented himself as a world-class fly-half.
The main creative force for England, he can create something from absolutely nothing.
His potential to start at number 15 or move there during games elevates him as a fantasy option further, allowing for more routes to returns from attacking actions.
The only concern is his being substituted for George Ford or Fin Smith while Freddie Steward gets to play 80 minutes.
However, Borthwick should have learnt his lesson from the Autumn Internationals, and Smith will hopefully play every minute of the championship, either at fly-half or full-back.
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Centre
Stafford McDowall (8 stars) looks set to take Sione Tuipulotu’s place in the Scotland squad.
McDowall is a great centre and has always performed when called upon.
Although replacing captain Tuipulotu is a daunting and challenging task, McDowall has the ability to be a phenomenal fantasy pick-up and a potential bargain.
Yoram Moefana (12 stars) is also a great budget option.
Garry Ringrose (14 stars) is a fantasy rugby legend and an animal in defence.
The outside centre has unfortunately been plagued with injury, managing only one appearance from the bench last year.
However, he has kept fit for a decent run now and been in great form for Leinster.
If Ringrose can carry that into the championship, he could turn back the years and produce some top-tier fantasy scores.
There isn’t an overly large set of great centres, so Ringrose could be worth a punt.
Huw Jones (16 stars) is the standout centre in the game.
Jones notched up a joint-high three assists in last year’s campaign while also carrying for 327 metres and offloading six times.
There is extra pressure on him to deliver now as he is the senior centre in the Scotland team with the captain out injured.
He is by far the best option if you can spare the budget.
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Back-three
Freddie Steward (12 stars) has all the attributes to be a great fantasy pick and has been on numerous occasions in the past.
Yet another former Loughborough University man, he looks to be the favourite for the England number 15 shirt in the absence of Geroge Furbank.
With the new law changes, there must be a clear path between the kick-chaser and the ball, leaving full-backs very exposed.
Steward is a man-mountain and able to ride initial hits in order to make metres through contact.
He should therefore provide ample points from metres carried on top of his usual threat in attack.
This is a big championship for Leicester Tigers star Steward, with there mounting pressure from young players such as Joe Carpenter and Josh Hodge.
Cadan Murley (10 stars) would also make for a brilliant budget option if he gets a go for England.
Mack Hansen (14 stars) offers a cheap-ish route into the Ireland back-three.
Hansen is a great winger and has been phenomenal for the national side since his barnstorming debut during the 2022 championship.
In 2023, he scored three tries, carried for 331 metres, and managed seven line breaks as well as six six offloads.
He did, however, have a quiet year in 2024 as James Lowe stole the spotlight.
In the end, the four stars you would save by going for Hansen over Lowe could be reinvested smartly elsewhere in your squad, making Hansen an option with genuine potential.
James Lowe (18 stars) is the main man in this position and very hard to ignore.
There are some other brilliant options such as Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, and Duhan van der Merwe (all 19 stars), but Lowe holds his own.
He managed four tries last year, carried the ball for more metres than anyone else, and racked up eight offloads.
Lowe also had the most kicks in play of any Irishman – including the fly-half and scrum-half – to show what a weapon his left boot is and its potential for 50-22 points.
A consistent chart-topper, he will be very hard to overlook.
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