Rugby TTL - Series 2 - Episode 24 - 6 Nations Fantasy Special

Rugby Through the Leagues Podcast | Six Nations Fantasy Special

In this special episode of Rugby Through the Leagues podcast, the hosts dive deep into their Six Nations Fantasy choices for the upcoming tournament. Join Kent, Polly, Buster, and Carl as they strategize and debate their picks for the ultimate fantasy rugby team. They predict which players will shine, discuss injury concerns, and analyze each nation's strengths and weaknesses heading into the competition. Stay tuned for updates throughout the Six Nations as they keep their fantasy teams up-to-date and reveal who emerges victorious in their league. Whether you're a seasoned fantasy player or a rugby enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights and humor that you won't want to miss!

Transcript

Ep 24_Video

Carl: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome to another episode of Rugby Through the Leagues podcast. This week we are gonna do our Six Nations special, so we are gonna do the Fantasy CHO choices again. Uh, there was at least five people that watched it last time, so it might be one of our most popular episodes, I'm not sure. But we'll have a go.

Carl: We might get the six. So we are gonna do this episode where we go bulls deep and see how good we are at actually picking a team for the whole tournament. So this team injuries, suspensions, dog shit, performances. All of it could quite hamper this league. We will then be doing a second team, which we are gonna keep updating on a weekly basis.

Carl: Keith has actually joined us, but not joined us. He sent it to me, so we'll get to see how an Irishman thinks. They're gonna obviously win the Sixth Nations this time round. We've got Kent, we've got [00:01:00] Polly, we've got Buster. Kent's gotta jump off, so we've only gotta put up with him for a little bit. So we thought we'd let him.

Carl: Get this done. We can all tell him how shit he is and then let him go and then we can talk more shit about him afterwards. So Ken, good to see you mate. Welcome back. Good to have you on. 

Kent: Thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Intro, Kyle. No worries. Um, yeah, I look forward to seeing how much, I hope you get abused afterwards.

Kent: Um, you're saying the team's got announced? I have. Literally about 20 minutes ago, half an hour ago, saw that a few of my players had been dropped out. So this has been literally changed quite recently. So I, um, uh, it's kind of seat of the pants stuff. Start with 15 straight away. You don't think you can go far wrong with Ramos?

Kent: Um, first team, I think he'll be picked as long as he's fit. Most weeks kicks for them, uh, on the wing. Uh, BOB is gonna. Probably odds on any way to play [00:02:00] week in week outs for them. Other wing, I've gone a bit left field here. Reese's ETT coming back in. Mm-hmm. I think whales are lacking any, oh now that's Morgan's out as well.

Kent: Any sort of star power. And I think Reese ETT is gonna be. Play week in, week out for them and hopefully be a big player for them centers. He, he sort kind of pick picks himself at the moment. Hugh Jones Lions still walk for the, um, the jocks week in, week out. I think he's a play and hopefully get me a few points.

Kent: Um, Moana, um, with the injuries France had, I think he would've played most weeks anyway, but with Fuku not being in the squad. I think it's just one less risk in the middle room. Halfbacks, if anyone else has gone different to this, I would like to see why they've gone different. Finn Russell, that mercurial player for Scotland, who else have they got a 10.

Kent: Anyone else who would take that place from Finn? I [00:03:00] don't. Not that I'd think there and the man himself. DuPont. Hope he doesn't have another one, like the last season when he gets injured. Early doors. 

Carl: If it does, 

Kent: it's your 

Carl: fault, basically. 

Kent: Yeah, well in that case, as long as it happens later on when it plays England, and hopefully we can get the, uh, the win over them again.

Kent: It'll be quite nice there, uh, forwards, front row. I think Genge is good for meters, potentially good for tries. Problem is with most front rows, they rotate them. So to get a player who plays more than sort of 60, 70 minutes or 50, 60 minutes is gonna be a bit of a struggle. But I think Genge will be in the squad and most of the game days.

Carl: Yeah. 

Kent: Uh, Pierre Schumann, I believe he was probably the highest point scorer in the front rows for last season. And again, I think he'll play week in, week out for France, LA, France, Scotland, even. 

Carl: Trying 

Kent: to, [00:04:00] sorry again, 

Carl: trying to cover your bets. There he is. He, he is South African, so maybe he plays for France as well.

Carl: Who knows 

Kent: mate, was that talk that was going on about, um, Tom Willis coming back? No. Jack Willis coming back and trying to play for Island. Yeah. Yeah. 

Carl: But there 

Kent: rumors these days, 

Carl: there was rumors of him trying France, trying to get him, 'cause he, they've obviously been there long enough, so who knows? 

Kent: Yeah.

Kent: Anything can happen. Uh. I've gone bit left field, Dan Chian as my captain. 

Carl: I don't think that's left field at all. 

Kent: I think the last season the Mount tries, he scored Mount points he did and the captain him back of that rolling ball for the line outs. I think she's hopefully gonna, um, rack up a few points for me.

Kent: Is it the British ni Lion second row, uh, Ji and. Ty Byrne, 

Carl: Ty Burn sort of dropped into the back row a bit, but yeah, there's, there's pretty much, that's a pretty standard one I think, to be fair. 

Kent: Yeah. And so Ty Burn's, his ability to play back row and second row gives him more chance to get picked. [00:05:00] This team being picked that be in for the whole tournament.

Kent: You are not gonna pick stars who come in and out. It's gonna more players who you think can play week in, week out, um, save a back row. I think Ben Earl was probably one of the standout players for England. His ability in the, in the backfield, again, ability to play center, this whole hybrid rugby stuff means that he's going to definitely get game time.

Carl: Yeah. 

Kent: Doris, I fortunately missed out on the lions. I think this he would chop in a bit to prove that he should have been. Picked and obviously he should have been kept potentially captain for the lines, which unfortunately, or lucky enough to j got to, um, add to his titles and Jack Dempsey again, Scotland.

Kent: I think the back row, they're quite competitive. I just think for me, he stands out a little bit. I think he gives the ability to actually get me some decent points, which might be a bit different to other people have gone. [00:06:00] Mm. Obviously we know we're Captain Danien and my sub, I think I've gone for the super sub Harry Pollock.

Kent: I think Pollock's ability to play make that impact over the bench means he won't be a starter, especially in how in competitive England's back row is. But when he comes on, he normally makes an impact for me. So thinking hopefully if he comes on scores A, he tries well, um. Put in good stead. 

Polly: This is what I said earlier in the group.

Polly: I said, 'cause we've been given so many points, is that you can, the, the teams are gonna be themselves. The teams are pretty much gonna be almost identical in terms of, uh, you could probably go through and pick seven players that probably everyone's still got. Yeah. It's, it's just those little, those little choices.

Polly: I think Ruth Samit was a, a is a, that's a brave choice. I think it's a brave choice. I think, I don't know if whales are gonna do that much running with a rugby, with a ball, you know, they might start playing him in the [00:07:00] centers, which means that he is gonna get his hands on the ball a little bit more and create some, some, some opportunities.

Polly: But, you know, the whale set piece in the whales, uh, pack aren't the greatest going forward. They have got one of the best Scrum AFS in the, in the whole of the six nations though. Uh, it depends really. But yeah, I don't think there's, you know, I don't think there's anything, um. Two left field there, if that makes sense.

Polly: I think the, 

Carl: I think the Dempsey one's a, a brave call. Yeah. I think that that could quite easily, quite easily not get in the squad on a number of occasions. 'cause they'd love to rotate. Like I, I dunno, I think that's, that would probably be one of my only, and assuming, depends on. His form sometimes.

Carl: Obviously last season done really well. It'd normally be a still walk for me to be fair as well, but kind of not always first choice. Even at at Edinburgh at the minute. Is it Edinburgh still? Is it [00:08:00] Edinburgh? Was it first choice there? I think they've, I think they're exploring other options under Townsend's.

Carl: Gotta do something this year. Otherwise, I think he gets the bullet, obviously between him and being that they're in Red Bull. New Newcastle stuff as he, is this the, is this the time that they might find, he'd say see you later If he, if he doesn't do what they, they could do. The potential of the Scotland Squad is probably the best.

Carl: It's probably been for a long time. We obviously, I think last season they should have done a lot better and I think he's gotta really get a result out of them. 

Kent: You look at this Six Nations, um. Everyone potentially bar early are under pressure this year to actually get results. Scotland so nearly, but need to pull the finger out.

Kent: Whales have been absolutely shocking and they need to put a performance into try and get themselves back actually onto [00:09:00] the, the scene again. No, 

Carl: I would argue that I, I think whales have probably got a free hit here, mate. 'cause they're in such a shit show. They're selling, they're, they're losing a province.

Carl: They're fucking, one of them's buying the other one. They're buying 50 grand's worth of fucking daffodils. I think getting results in the six Nations is probably the last of their fucking worries, because like they're already getting tonk every fucking week. So. Going into this is probably a free hit.

Carl: They've just gotta try and make sure they don't finish bottom with six defeats. They've got, they're just trying to figure out where they get, where they get a get a win from that. I think that's, that's the probably the only bit, 

Polly: yeah, 

Carl: Italy have probably got a real Italy, you've probably gotta be one that actually they think actually we've got get one or two victories here.

Carl: They've gotta be, they've gotta have their eye on Scotland and they've obviously gotta make sure they don't lose to Wales now. Whereas for years. They were obviously wooden spooned, but they're gonna be obviously without key fear to defend himself. I think Ireland also got [00:10:00] a panic a little bit. Yeah, like there's a lot.

Carl: There's a lot going on there. They didn't have the greatest sort of Autumn international period coming into this one. This is probably a big statement for how they, they move forward. They still haven't really rotated, in my opinion. There's a lot of good players coming through. There was a lot of good players that I saw on the island day.

Carl: In, um, in the November internationals when they come over to to Spain and they haven't heavily hit the rotating button at the minute, whether they're gonna come into squad later on, I don't know, but I don't, I I think there's a lot of pressure elsewhere, as you said, but I just don't, I don't think it's in Wales.

Carl: I think this is probably the last thing they've gotta worry about. With whether they've even got any fucking clubs or players to start with. 

Kent: How many, how many clubs have they got now? Because obviously I know that is, it's 

Carl: four regions. Cardiff are four regions. Four regions. Cardin Cardiff's owned by the WRU, so they've put it up for sale and now the Ospreys are trying to buy Cardiff.

Carl: So Swansea [00:11:00] are basically trying to buy Cardiff. It's just Bonker. 

Kent: You know, is that like Pompe trying to buy some or someone that's trying to buy a bomb pomp, 

Carl: basically, yeah. They fucking hate each other and they're trying to like, and then obviously that's now got all those players. It, it is a, it is a massive shit show at the minute.

Carl: So whatever they get out of this Six Nations is a positive. I don't think there's any pressure, I don't think there's any expectations to come out with anything but going. Buster, what do you think this, what's your opinion of his, uh, of his. Of his shit show, of a squad that he's picked. 

Buster: Like, like you said, Cole.

Buster: The uh, Dempsey Choice I think is a brave choice. I can't see Scotland doing much this year. I think they peaked a couple of years ago and they've been on a bit of a downward spiral the last 12 to 18 months. Not sure about, like you said, ream res Summit. It might. Balling hand meters made, make some points, but 

Carl: that's 

Buster: not as, I don't think he's gonna be on the receiving end of like braces or hat tricks or anything like that.

Buster: So 

Carl: meters made used to be massive in this game as well, [00:12:00] though now they round it for every 10 rather than every meter. So. Yeah, it kind of a, it's a sucker punch, but I, I can see where you've gone for, I think everyone's probably made a token gesture by putting a Welsh player in their squad as well, just to, 

Kent: well, it was Jack Morgan, but I, um, everyone went in and obviously Aldridge and Morgan were out.

Kent: I was like, get delete, delete, delete. Thank you. 

Polly: I'll just run through my team. Um. It's pretty much my, my back three. Um, I've gone for Borough E, um, but I've gone for Blair Kinghorn and James Lowe. Ooh, I, I think, I think King Horn's still one of the best players. Um, in, in, in Europe at the moment. I think he, uh, uh, he was superb on the Lion Tour.

Polly: He's doing really well again. Um, and I just think the way Scotland played, they like to get the ball out wide. Um, and James Lowe's, just as much as I hate him, 

Carl: I can't stand that, bro. 

Polly: I [00:13:00] know, but he's so good. So I've just gone from there in my centers Then, um, this is the odd one. 

Buster: He's lost a bit though.

Polly: Yeah, but I think that's, I think he just, but it, he's so Mr. Reliable, isn't he? And, and we know that Farrell loves him, you know? 

Um, 

Carl: he's only in there, his left boot is a, is a cheat code to an extent. And, but the, the problem is when he should score tries, he doesn't. And when he shouldn't, he goes and gets two or three.

Carl: That's the fucking annoying thing about him. When you actually rely on him, he won't fucking do it. 

Polly: To be fair, I, I think I've not gone for a single English back, which is, uh, maybe odd. I don't know. I think England will be really strong this year in the Six Nations. My center partnership though, I've gone to a Palau, um, and I've gone for men cello as well.

Polly: So really, uh, I've gone in Italian in the centers with tour Palato. I think Italy is so much better than everyone thinks that they are. 

Carl: Yeah, 

Polly: I think that, um. You know, their, their [00:14:00] rugby has, has been standout and you know, they had a good, uh, summer, uh, and then they should hopefully, uh, and a good TN nations as well.

Polly: So that was good. Uh, yeah, I think, I don't think there's many people moving away from DuPont and Finn Russell was lucky enough to go to Sara Tous the other week and, and watch DuPont in the pissing rain. And I'm just watching him warm up where he is kicking off both feet and just, just doing some ridiculous stuff.

Polly: I think. Um. He was the thing that France missed. Mm uh, you know, and, and he's like vital to that French team and the way he moves forward. Uh, then moving into my forward pack, then I'll start at the front row. Uh, Genji always good to get some points. Um, his passion's really great as well. I think Dan Sheen is, is quite simply, um, just a try scoring machine.

Polly: Uh, and then I've gone for another Italian, believe it or not, I've gone for Fietti. Okay. Mm-hmm. Because you just gotta try and make, mix it up, mix it up a little [00:15:00] bit, and then sort of just change it around. So, um, we'll see how that goes. Uh, yeah, I have got exactly the same second row partner ship. Okay. Uh, lions Partners, uh, tide Burn playing in the back row in the second row.

Polly: A maji who plays 80 minutes, most games, most weeks anyway. Uh, my bat row though, and that's where, um, I've only got one difference from Kent. Um, I don't ha I've got Kalen, Doris and Bennel. Um, I think Bennel Hass been absolutely brilliant and when he puts that England shirt on in the Six Nations, he's superb.

Polly: Um, and even then, uh, I watched him last Sunday as well, and he came off the bench for Sarasin and he was just a massive, massive difference for him. So that power and pace, uh, and then my cha choice is Tom Curry because I think he's. Possibly, um, the best seven that, uh, um, that currently in the Northern Hemisphere.

Polly: Yeah, so that's my team. Um, my captain is Bal Re. Okay. Uh, [00:16:00] and my super sub, um, is Ronan Kelleher. Because if Dan Sheen's not scoring points, then Ronan Kelleher will be scoring points, uh, when he comes on. But I know Shean plays about 60, 70 minutes. So, uh, you only get for 10 minutes. But last 10 minutes of the game, Ireland, dick kicked to the corner.

Polly: Ty Burn catches line out. Kellerher has got it in his hand. Scores a try. Triple points. There you go. That's it. But remember I ate fantasy rugby and I'm shit at it, so no doubt I will be coming bottom. There you go. That's my team. 

Carl: Hmm. Well, I think you're a complete, a complete buffoon to be honest. Um, but 

Kent: what about his, uh, choice of teams then if he just think he's a buffoon anyway?

Carl: Uh, yeah. Tom, Tom Curry will get injured against Wales in the first game, and he won't, he won't play again. That'll be his tournament done. Like he is literally exceptional but made of cotton candy is fucking. It falls apart at [00:17:00] contact at times. Like he's so on the line. It is like that's, I think that's why I didn't look at Underhill as well, 'cause like it'll get injured just getting off the team bus probably.

Carl: I think everything else made 

Buster: I actually Bob 

Carl: on. 

Buster: Yeah, I I really like those, I like those choices. I think BLB at BRE is the obvious captain choice and I feel like he's gonna do damage wherever he goes. 

Kent: I had him as Captain First Choice and I changed it. He's either on or he is on though, 

Polly: I think with Pinot.

Polly: With Pinot not been available now. 'cause I, I, you know, I like Ken add Pinot in my squad as well. Mm-hmm. I think him in off, 

Carl: like if you, 

Polly: if 

Carl: you 

Polly: did 

Carl: wind of him, get him pulled from the squad, I think everyone had him probably in that back, back three. 

Polly: But Bill EZ just finds himself in some. Some, some places and he's not bad under the high ball as well.

Polly: And you know, uh, I just, I, I don't know. I, I think it's not, it's look, we'll see what happens, but, um, I did try and [00:18:00] go a slightly different and choose, you know, slightly different players than, than everyone else went. Hopefully. I dunno if anybody else has gone for, to a Otto and 'cause huge. You know, Hugh Jones would've been my, that's, that's the one I was like, well, okay, actually, but two Pilates a captain, he's gonna be playing some hell of a rugby.

Polly: Uh, he's coming back off his injury. He wants to carry yard, he wants to get some yards. Um, and then him and Finn Russell together, uh, they've been brilliant when those two have been playing together. So, uh, leave them combined together and then away you go. And men cello was probably the, if he's any other nation.

Polly: In the Northern Hemisphere. Yeah. He starts, he starts for, 

Carl: yeah, 

Polly: you know, England, he starts for Wales. He starts for Ireland, you know, uh, and he starts for Scotland as well. So, um, you know, and France. So I think he's, he's absolutely superb. 

Carl: The only concern I've got for BRE is. The French have also picked some amazing talent in there that [00:19:00] will all, will potentially get, like he, he, they won't have to just rely on his pace.

Carl: I don't think everything will all just come through his channel because they've picked some exceptionally good young lads coming through. They've got, is it. A alu or whatever his name is. And they've got some, they've got some, a few lads that are just except Gardener or stuff. They've got some quality lads that are just so quick.

Carl: He was, I think it was last, last Six Nations as well, that there was the lad that played for France and everything just went through his channel and B re couldn't even get fucking near the ball 'cause the lad was gone. He was like an mess just disappeared. So. I, I, he's an exceptional TA if they go through his channel.

Carl: I just don't think that's the only option they've got. Now they've got enough. They this, I think they'll probably win this tournament. France, I think they've got a little bit more depth than they had in the [00:20:00] previous ones in the right spots. I think England, uh, probably for the first time as an English man, we can probably say.

Carl: They're gonna put up a decent show and I don't, I still don't think we'll come out on top. I just think, 'cause the way the draw of the home and the way will probably work in against us. I don't, I don't think Ireland are where they were. I, I, I just, I, I just don't think you can look past France, in my opinion.

Carl: And they just, they look devastating across the pitch. They've got so many options that can only be a positive for them. But. Paul, I think that's a pretty half decent squad mate. To be fair, for a bloke that doesn't like fantasy rugby. 

Polly: I'll take it. That's a compliment from Carl. 

Carl: Yeah. 

Polly: Don't happen very often.

Carl: No, I think Keller has a one of them. I don't think Shean will always start either. I think they might rotate that. So you'll still get points from Kelleher being the super sub, but it's not as many so. Yeah, 

Polly: I think, I think that hooker [00:21:00] position's really tough though. 'cause, you know, um, I think if you'd gone for Jamie George, I don't think you, you know, currently he's playing, he just announced seven or eight, 

Carl: just announced his retirement, isn't he?

Polly: Is he 

Carl: the 2027 World Cup 2027 World Cup and he's, he's knocking it on the edge side. Fair play to him. 

Polly: Yeah. So, you know, but I know you, he, he's gonna play 60, 70 minutes as well, so it's not a bad, you know, do you think a lot option think, 

Carl: do you think he's a starting hooker for England? 

Polly: I, I, I, it depends. It, I, you know.

Polly: We will see. 

Kent: Do you think Karen Dickies a starting hooker for England? 

Carl: Fuck me. We're we're all fucked. Like you might as well just give the six nations away then. I, 

Polly: I, I think him, I think George coming off the bench though is not a bad option either way. But you know, if you think back to when he was captain, that was part of the problem.

Polly: England couldn't close a game out in the last 30 minutes 'cause they take the captain off. You know, 'cause you know, you lose your leadership, which is well, which is why when, now [00:22:00] when you look at it, he is a toy's on the pitch for nearly 80 minutes every single game. Because you've gotta maintain that level of leadership on the squad.

Polly: On the, on the park, um, you know. 

Kent: Ji, when was the last time of In a Lions or in a England game? Tournament. He actually missed a minute. 

Carl: He got injured, didn't he come, he come off during the, one of the Lions games as well. He was off during the, he got, he got crocked, but I think, did he get crocked in the summer as well?

Carl: He, there's not many games he's missed, to be fair to him. He is, uh, predominantly, uh, at least a 60, 70 minutes unless he's, something's hanging off him. So it, it is a pretty much guaranteed pick. Obviously England aren't not gonna pick your captain. It's not like that's not gonna get picked. So this is where we've obviously, as we've said, you've kind of gotta pick for the whole tournament rather than who's on form.

Carl: Um. Do you want me to do Kiev's one? And then we jump [00:23:00] with Buster or Buster and then ke 

Polly: let's, let's see how many Irishmen he's got in his squad. 

Carl: Then we got, we've got seven minutes of Kent Wisdom left, supposedly. So we will see what we can e out of Kentos. So 

Polly: that, and he loses his glass slipper. 

Carl: That's it.

Carl: He turns into a 

Kent: pumpkin. 

Carl: Let's turn back into the pumpkin. So Keith had to send me a screenshot. I'm not sure why there's the porn hub sign at the bottom, but that's a different conversation. Uh, he has gone Keenan Bbar and Stockdale. Is his back three. 

Kent: Did did he, did he just miss out on players? Did he not, did he turn, not turn the filter on or something for the other, other players in the back?

Kent: Three. 

Carl: Um, he must have, he must have thought he was on a budget. I'm not sure what's got. He's um, he's then got melon me, Ando, same as most of us. And then Jomo. 

Polly: I like that. That's not a bad shout though, you know, to be fair, 

Carl: I [00:24:00] think he, that's a huge call. 'cause he can what he, he can play 1230. Has he played at 10 as well for Bath?

Carl: Briefly. Mm.

Carl: He's not gonna play at 10. He's not gonna play it. Well this is an injury crisis. But like if you, if you've got Yeah, 

but 

Polly: which 10, what? All seven tens have gotta get injured before that. He's put in a squad. Do you know what I mean? 

Carl: Well it's happened before, mate. People get food poisoning. Who knows what, what happens at Penny Hill Park?

Polly: To be fair though, I like Maximo in the centers. I think I, I think he was brilliant. The last, that last brilliant player. 

Carl: I think he, I think he's better than Ollie Lawrence. I'm gonna put it out there. 

Polly: Yeah. Yeah. But I don't, I, I can't say anything bad about Ollie Lawrence until the day. 'cause every time I say something bad about Oy Lawrence, he then has a blinder and scores a try.

Polly: So I wait for the day and then I'll say something about Oy. You say it 

Carl: now, he might have a good tournament. 

Polly: Oh yeah. Well I just think he's like the slowest 13 in the world. 

Carl: I think I've got more agility than him. 

Polly: Well, that's pushing it. Do you know what I mean? 

Kent: I was close to putting Freeman in my team.[00:25:00] 

Kent: 'cause again, that ability to play multiple positions in the center where they're trying, who 

Polly: knows is right. He, he's, he's gone for the non-start in 10 for England, though. Oh, no, that's right. Sorry. We're not sure. George Ford. 

Carl: Is he gone? He's gone for the drop. He's gone for the drop drop goal, won't he? So George Ford and DuPont.

Carl: At nine and 10. I, I don't, obviously DuPont was a banker Ford. I, I honestly think Ford starts 

Polly: I agree as well. 

Carl: After I think 

Polly: he'll, 

Carl: because after that November, I think he's done exceptionally well at. Obviously in the prem, he's kept his form. It is not like he's gone back and disappeared like he normally does.

Polly: He manages that back line really well 

Carl: and obviously if they've got the likes of a Jona in there and other other players across the back line, I think they gel bet with Ford. Marcus is obviously there for. For the [00:26:00] impact, and I think Finn Smith is probably still a little away from being in the conversation.

Carl: But again, England, doing England, we seem to manage to kill certain positions off and kill their optimism and Finn Smith seems to have dropped down the order for. I don't think he's done anything wrong. Really. Just 

Polly: No, I think that's 'cause they go for the, 'cause England are gonna go for a six two split on the bench.

Polly: Yeah. They'll put Marcus Smith on the bench because he gives you, he gives you that option to cover everywhere. 

Carl: Yeah. Uh, 

Polly: whereas Finn Smith is, is designated 10, you know, if you put Finn Smith on the bench, he's only coming on at 10 

Carl: mm. 

Polly: You know, um, so it's a light light like for light replacement. So, you know, um.

Polly: I, I, I think, yeah, we, we can go into that six Nations team and I think it'd be interesting to see who he picks, but, you know, maybe he might make some bold decisions for change. 

Buster: Do you think the centralized contracts will have any play [00:27:00] in, um, who gets picked in the first in starting teams? 

Polly: It shouldn't do, 

Carl: but it will.

Carl: But 

Buster: it'll, 

Polly: but I think it will. Yeah. 

Buster: Yeah, see that's, that's what I was thinking around like the Ollie Lawrence and, uh, a jomo debate and like you said, with Marco Smith getting picked, they're on centralized contracts, so I feel like they're gonna have to be in the starting team. I dunno whether that's gonna be accurate or not.

Buster: That's just how my brain thinks about it. 

Polly: Well, 

Carl: I 

Polly: mean, still think they're stuck in the dark ages by not being able to pick some of the best players in the world, you know? Yeah. Oh, they don't happen to be, you know, Jack Willis just doesn't happen to play in England and he plays in, you know, one of the best leagues in the world and he is one of the best sevens in the world.

Carl: And then obviously, oh 

Polly: wait a minute, 

Carl: Tom will can't, Tom Willis is going the opposite way as well. And he is been told he is not, he is not gonna get picked 'cause he is gonna France. And like he's still playing in the prem and probably one of the best options that he got to bolster that back three. But [00:28:00] that is, that is England.

Carl: Uh, right front row. He is gone. Genji, he is gone. She and captain. And then he is gone. Ferrari, 

Polly: just, I think it's purely for the pace. 

Carl: I don't think Ferrari is getting picked at it, at starter. Um, 

Polly: I I'm glad you got that Busta. I'm glad someone else was having a little Chuck. 

Carl: I got, 

Polly: I got it. A bad joke. 

Carl: I got it.

Polly: Put that, come on. Just give us a break. 

Carl: I, I got it. I just thought he might have picked Lamborghinis. But 

Buster: didn't mean that was Paul. 

Polly: Uh, hey, 

Carl: um, 

Polly: that's what it should be. 

Carl: So he's gone. Ferrari, I'm not sure he is gonna get picked every game. So brave choice there. He might have, uh, Keith might've already lost one.

Polly: Oh, shock. Look who he's got in the second row. 

Carl: And funny enough, yeah, he is gone. Uh, he is gone. A togi and tig burn. Imagine if somebody else had picked those two. That [00:29:00] would, uh, that would spice up the life, wouldn't it? 

Kent: Now that I've seen Evan's Preco in my team, I've gotta jump off. 

Carl: Good on board anyway.

Carl: See that Ken? So Beno an obvious one. He's gone. 

Polly: Is he gone for walkie? 

Carl: He's gone walkie as well, which I don't think's a starter, which is a brave choice. Uh, and then he is gone 

Buster: trip the other day. 

Carl: Doesn't mean he'll start for France and he's 

Polly: gone for 

Carl: Vander. No Vander flair. 

Polly: Vander Flair. Sorry. 

Carl: Vander Flair who flair didn't even start for the lines.

Carl: Does, does and doesn't start for. Ireland. 

Buster: Oh, I think he has a good tournament. 

Carl: I hope he, I really rate him. I think he's an absolute machine at the breakdown and I think got really wasted by not being used by the Lion. I've, I've got a lot of time for that pick. I just don't see him playing gaming game out.

Carl: So Captain, obviously Washin, his [00:30:00] super sub is Jamie Dobby. Which I'm assuming Scottish. I'm not a hundred percent sure who that is. 

Buster: That's, that's quite a clever pick. I quite like that. 

Carl: Do you think because I'm, 

Buster: he's, 

Carl: I'm not, 

Buster: I'm AO mate. 

Carl: Is he? 

Buster: He is mustard around the breakdown. Yeah. He's like a little sort of Danny Care risk sniper around the breakdown.

Carl: What? They're nine 

Polly: gram off, is he? 

Buster: Yeah. 

Carl: I think Ben White is probably gonna be probably their start. Yeah, I think he's 

Polly: the, he's a guy coming off the bench. 

Carl: What's his, am I think of the right person? 

Polly: Yeah, but you're right, Ben White will start. So if he's put him on the bench, he'll probably come on and play me the last 20, 30 minutes.

Polly: You never know. 

Carl: Only 4% of people have picked him. She's been picked by 60% of people. Ramos DuPont, 

Polly: 59% of 

Carl: people. Yeah. Bl bere at 59. Ramos is at 61. Um, Henry Pollock is [00:31:00] actually picked at like 80%. 80% of people have pickpocket, uh, sorry. It's drop now. 49%. But it was a lot. It was like when I looked early, it was like 80% of people had picked Pollock in their squad.

Carl: Okay, so that's currently Kent, Keith, and Paul. Buster, do you wanna do yours? 

Buster: 15. Same as everyone. BLB. I've gone a little bit different on the wings. I've gone Faye Boso. 

Carl: Mm. 

Buster: And I've gone Tommy Freeman, you've gone 

Carl: two eng two English as well. Wow. 

Buster: Yeah. 

Carl: Okay. 

Buster: I, 

Polly: I like, I'm backing the boys. I, I like it, but I, I just, I wasn't sure that fa were both are more than 

Carl: one game.

Polly: I think. I think Tommy Freeman will play more than one game. Yeah. But I just wasn't confident that Phosa would too. Um. But I like don't give, I genuinely, I think both of those two [00:32:00] players are really exciting and Fabo has just been, I think, you know, he is the player that England have been looking for, you know, finally to replace the, the, the Mad Frock that is Johnny May.

Polly: So 

Buster: I've picked like. Majority of players I've picked because A, I like 'em, and B, everything on form. So they're not necessarily the smartest choices, but I've gone for something slightly different. That's not bull, that's, 

Carl: that's not the bullic way. That's uh, that's everything. Anti don't pick 

Buster: players on, you say that, but Warwick picks two people.

Buster: He likes and sticks with him for a whole tournament. So, 

Carl: but 

Buster: maybe not the people you like and Freeman, they might get blood, they might get, yeah. Good point. Yeah. He might get 80 minutes, six times. 

Polly: Yeah. 

Carl: Guy Redwan got injured. Just I'll drop that in there. Mm-hmm. I, I think he could have been, I don't 

Buster: think he would've got picked.

Carl: Oh, I dunno. I think it'd been hard to not invite him into the squad. 

Polly: I, I think, I think I agree with Buster though. 

Carl: I don't think I've 

Polly: also, Steve knows who he likes. 

Buster: Yeah. And it's centralized [00:33:00] contracts thing as well, isn't it? 

Polly: I know what I like. Yeah. And he's being pushed around by 97 sausages in red trousers.

Buster: Mm-hmm. But also with the Freeman, the Freeman argument, obviously he plays different positions now as well, doesn't he? So played, 

Carl: played center, if he needed et cetera as well. He can play across the back if they really get desperate, then they, uh, 

Buster: into the centers. Then I've gone for the Italian Monticello.

Buster: Rate him. I think he plays every game. I think he gets 80 minutes every game. Um, carries hard, makes a lot of meters, turns a lot of ball over as well. I just think he'll score well. And then I've gone for someone that, no one's picked yet. I've gone for, uh, the Porter, the Frenchman. 

Carl: Nice. 

Buster: He has been mustard.

Buster: I've been watching, uh, European rugby and he has been unreal. I've actually doubled down on him. I've made him my captain. 

Carl: Have you? 

Buster: Yeah, 

Carl: I just, I [00:34:00] just haven't seen him do it in a France shirt. I, I really rate him as well. I think he's an exception. Yeah. I just not, he has not. Done it in a friendship. Maybe fi not there.

Carl: I 

Buster: think he has, he scored, he's, he's scored quite a few for France. 

Carl: Not, not in the, not the level that he could, but I think if FI's not there, I think sort of fi levels out. Those channels. So I think that might open up the freedom. I think it, it might work out well, mate. I think he's a, I, I agree with you.

Carl: He is a great talent. 

Buster: I also, like when I watch him play, he's a, he's very fast center as well. Mm-hmm. So when you've got like DuPont breaking game lines and bbl, Bowery breaking game lines, and he's running support. Supporting lines. He, he scores a lot of tries from those positions. I just, I just think that he's gonna have a good tournament.

Buster: So 

Carl: while we, 

Buster: sorry, I've thought down on him while I'm n that 

Carl: while we're on that question then, right. Obviously with the, your focus now on a center who plays 10 for France, there's a, there's a big argument isn't into 

Buster: Max Fit [00:35:00] 

Carl: and to Max Fit. There's a big argument that J Base is the best that best that best in the world at the minute.

Carl: And then you've got Ram Ramos Ramos, play 10 always. Rams is Bear, 

Polly: but Ramos is playing 15 at weekends anyway, you know he, but that's where Saw still, he can still play 

Carl: ten four and he has played a lot of 10 there. 

Polly: Yeah. And he is, yeah. But when he plays 10 defensively, he just goes for a little wonder 

Carl: when, no, he just turns into a fucking turtle, 

Polly: don't 

Carl: he?

Carl: Or turn 

Polly: escape. Hmm. It's like a, an usher this way. 

Buster: I, I think for DuPont, it doesn't matter. 

Carl: Do you not? 

Buster: I think, 

Carl: do you think J Bay works well alongside DuPont, or is nothing to Mac the perfect fit for that? 

Polly: I think the Pont goes 10. He, he does it on weekend. He did it on Sunday. 

Carl: It could happen easily, but I don't think, will 

Polly: they put, they put the, the gar, is it lager, the Garrett 

Carl: quality as well, 

Polly: correct.

Polly: Yeah. Who, who [00:36:00] would probably start for most, you know, yeah. Most nations. And they put him on at nine and then do Pon goes to 10 and it's like, oh, there you go. Um, it's just where the DuPont's got nine 80 minutes in his legs, you know? 

Carl: Is the pond a 10 10 at the national level as well? 

Buster: See 

Polly: he's on the 

Buster: bench.

Buster: That question you just raised, Polly. The, uh, dust, the point of, uh, 80, 80 minutes at international leg level in his legs is why I didn't pick him as captain. I had him as captain, and I just thought to myself, especially, I think France are gonna be really dominant this year just by look, by watching. Top 14 European rugby, the level of what they're playing at just supersedes everyone else.

Buster: I think at the moment. I think they're gonna be a really dominant force, and I think if they're, if they're. 20, 30 points up. Halftime. I think you're seeing him coming off a lot 'cause he's gonna be protected. 

Polly: Well, we'll [00:37:00] see. I dunno. I, I, 

Carl: I, I, I, I agree with you. He will only get a, a fixed. 50, 60 minutes, but I think he's already caused enough carnage and got enough points to not worry about those last 20.

Buster: So that's my, that's my little mad pick. The porter is my captain. Uh, of course I've got Finn Russell and Anton de Pont in my, uh, 

Carl: obviously 

Buster: nine and 10. Uh, so starting in the front row then I've actually gone the same as you Paul. I've gone for Sheti, I've been watching him play for Saints, and he is mustard mate.

Buster: He's a proper, proper prop. Big fan of him. I think he carries hard as well. He makes a lot of meters, chops, everything. I think he's really good player. And then I've gone for a little wild card on the other side. I've gone for, and I dunno whether he'll start, I've gone for a Reese car, the Welshman. 

Polly: Okay.

Buster: 'cause he has been my, as well, I, I don't even 

Polly: know who he is. 

Buster: No, no. I can't [00:38:00] remember. He plays for, was he? Uh, 

Polly: I haven't, I haven't watched any that, those that, that I just, I couldn't go anywhere near a welshman at the moment in terms of the, for the Six Nations, um, I just. I don't know. I think, don't get me wrong, sometimes when p teams are back to the wall and, and they get, if they can galvanize that squad and they can get those guys working, you know, and if they can get 'em playing together, then, don't get me wrong, I think they can challenge anyone on their day.

Polly: There are so many, there are so many holes for 'em to line up. There's so many things that have to go well. Everything has to sit right. 

Buster: He's an absolute meatball as well. Um, he, he starts with s week in, week out, and I was thinking in, in that position, they don't particularly score very highly anyway, do they?

Buster: Props. Not since 

Carl: killed off all the scrum penalties and stuff that you used to be able to get on this game. 

Buster: Yeah. So I felt like it was some pro used to 

Polly: give penalties away all the time and it was like, oh crap, [00:39:00] 

Buster: I, it was a bit of a risk, but it's a bit of a safe risk that one, 

Polly: Hey look, why not? It's something different than it.

Buster: Well, I've done the same thing in the second row. So who, 

Carl: who's your hooker? Sorry, I must've missed that. Who was your hooker? 

Buster: Oh, she, sorry. Yeah, Dan. She, 

Polly: yeah. 

Buster: Um, I've gone side burn, but I've gone d Jenkins. 

Carl: How about 

Buster: just because I've been watching him turn 

Carl: turnovers. Turnovers, mate 

Buster: be mate. The turnovers. He is a machine.

Carl: He got some huge points last season when they were bang off 

Buster: Wednesday. Turnovers win. Really good points, don't they? Yeah. I just, I don't know. Just fancied him. Yeah, I've gone for the liability. I've gone Sam Underhill, I just, I love the way he plays the game he's been carrying Unreal. He's not gonna start this season.

Buster: He, um. Chops everything. Then he turnover machine 

Carl: gonna get 

Buster: injured. I dunno, I just hope, I, I hope more than anything that he gets a lot of game time. 

Carl: [00:40:00] But he, he, he's gonna get injured recording the Netflix documentary mate. Like, it is just not, it is just, 

Buster: I know it's a risky one. It is a, 

Polly: I genuinely, I genuinely think that England are a better team when he is on the pitch.

Carl: I think he's exceptional, but I, he just can't even fit. It's a shame. 

Buster: When I went to Twickingham, I parked in the Tesco and, uh, we bumped into him in the car park, was like, oh, hi. She went all, went all, uh, flirty with him. 

Polly: But I, I just, I just think that England team with it, you know, if you put him in that team.

Polly: You have to, you then you're making up for the differences. That's where your second rows are, are a big, you know, that's where Marrow has to carry, do a little bit more carry, and that's where, you know, I, I'm still not entirely sure who he's gonna start with next to Togi. I think it'll probably be Cole's, who's been absolutely brilliant as well.

Polly: But then Chem it, Ollie Chem. But he, he loves playing Ollie Chem at [00:41:00] six. So 

Carl: I think he loves, 

Polly: he loves, he loves 

Carl: having that thinks Chem will be on a bench as an option to play back row or. Or, um, or the second row, it'll be his, uh, 

Buster: you reckon? 

Carl: Yeah. Well, the 

Buster: lights are cunning himself and that I don't, 

Carl: it'd be as an think it'll be as an option for all of them.

Carl: But he doesn't always like Cunningham Smith either. He doesn't like to play him. 

Polly: He's, he's been pushing him into the second row to be, you know, they've been exposing him into the second row to allow the option for him to come off the bench. 'cause otherwise you've got, you know. You want guys coming off the bench.

Polly: You ideally, you, you, you want three back rows on the bench. 

Carl: Yeah. 

Polly: You know, and you want one of them to be able to cover the second row if you get an injury. So it's, that's why if you have chem in, in Coles, chem can play in the back row. You can play six, um, and then curry at seven. Early eight. 

Buster: Yeah. First, 

Polly: or you know, no doubt he'll choose Curry at eight or, or something else like that.

Polly: You know, you have no idea. [00:42:00] He get, he, he understands it more than I do. He understands it more than us gets paid a shit load of money to do it as well. So, uh, sometimes I think we should all just shut up and let him get on with it. But then it's boring, isn't it? Ball, we're not talking about sport. It's crap.

Buster: I've got Ben Earl on the other side and I got Caleb Doris in the middle 

Carl: Solid. 

Buster: Super sub, uh, who'd you think 

Carl: Pollock 

Buster: Look past him. Mustard, didn't he? 

Carl: There's some brave choices in there, Buster. I love it. 

Polly: I like it. It's different. 

Buster: I think the big risk is the captain, isn't it? Because I'm sacrificing potential.

Polly: I don't, I I dunno, I, I, I, I think that there's. I don't like that Captain. I don't like that triple points for your captain. It doesn't make any sense to me. 

Carl: It's only 'cause you can't pick a captain against Points, Polly. That's, that's the only reason why you don't like it. It 

Buster: where he snaps his leg in game one.

Carl: Uh, right. Come 

Polly: on in, Carl. Who have you got? 

Carl: At least [00:43:00] me, don't it. Right. So come on. Well, we've 

Polly: got, I've got a funny feeling that, that it's 60% the same as other people. 

Carl: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Polly: And there'll be a couple of little differences, but not massive. 

Carl: You're probably not far off, mate, so I don't think many of these are gonna be surprises.

Carl: So. Starting at the top, we've got Tommy Freeman, b Bere, and Darcy Graham. 

Polly: I like Darcy Graham. 

Carl: I really rate him. He's always, I think he's good. He's always done me a solid in until he retires. I think he'll always be in my fantasy team. Um, he always seems to get tries. They've obviously got Italy in that first game.

Carl: I think he'll rack up some points there. Hopefully. I think that'll be a bit of a back and forth between the two teams. I think Bill Bere will be quiet in the first game, potentially. They've got Ireland, andt, they, I mean obviously England have got Wales, so I'm hoping Freeman gets his free reign and actually as a, as a go, [00:44:00] obviously men and cello, I don't think many could look past him.

Carl: The only other option would've potentially been Brex. Like we used to always pick Brex as well, just for the different, but men and cello's, just a different, different gravy. And then Hugh Jones, I, I still think he'll score tries. The only other one that in the bat line that I could have potentially looked at was Vanda mva, but I'd have only been picking him for the England game.

Carl: 'cause the only one that he fucking scores tries in, um, everything else would've been a waste of time. So that's, that's where I'm at on that 

Buster: few people saying, Vanda MVA ain't gonna get a game, mate. 

Carl: I, I, it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't, doesn't play. I, I don't, I, I still think Darcy Graham starts. Most of the, but he could get, he could get injured as well.

Carl: He, he loves an injury. Did it in the lines, what within 10 minutes of his debut on there as well, whatever it was, and not ideal. So potentially a risky one there. But I think when Darcy Graham's [00:45:00] on fire mate, you, it is hard to stop him scoring tries against most teams. So that's my opinion. Finn Russell at 10 and obviously DuPont at nine.

Carl: I've Captain DuPont. 'cause I still think those 40, 50, 60 minutes that he plays, he puts too many points on the board or he is involved in too many bits to, to turn away. Uh, I've gone Loren Lorenzo Canone for Italy, always good turnovers gets the occasional try here and there a tackling machine. Um, always done, always done me a solid previously in fantasy.

Carl: Pretty much plays every game. Starts all the time. 

Buster: Why has he got a Red Cross on it? Carl, is he injured? 

Carl: No, no. I'm literally loitering over the top of it. Oh, right. 

Buster: So, 

Carl: uh, Wayne Wright rate, I've gone for the same idea as Buster with the Welsh David [00:46:00] Jenkins pick. Turnovers is gonna be, they're gonna be constantly under the pump, tackles turnovers, defensive.

Carl: So 

Polly: would you have gone for Morgan then? 

Carl: No, I would've gone for Rafael. Or Rafael. I 

Buster: would've gone Morgan, 

Carl: I would've, obviously Morgan would've been picked, but. I, I'd have poten potentially gone Tommy ruffle. 

Polly: Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. 

Carl: I I, I, I'm thinking for points like Morgan doesn't get many points. Yeah.

Carl: Like Tommy ruffle seems to do all the dirty work that gets the points in my opinion. Um, and then the, my second row I've gone Joe McCarthy. And Maji. I think McCarthy starts in the, in the second row. I think they, Ireland looked a lot better with him and obviously with him at the the line out [00:47:00] as well. I think he naturally fits in pretty well.

Carl: That's also a risk, 'cause sometimes he don't always get picked. So a risky one, but I think. I'll be surprised if he doesn't get picked. And then Genji Sheen, obviously they speak for himself. And then I got Cyril Bay. 

Polly: He's one of my go-to props in Six Nations. And I, I just, I thought I'd push it. That's what I went for Fietti.

Polly: But I, you know, Cyril Bay's just been brilliant. He's always, he's always good. He's also ha pretty good for a yellow card every now and then. 

Buster: I thought Fabian Gao leaves him on the bench. 

Carl: No, he was, he was injured. He was returning back. So, but either way, even if he comes off the bench, he normally gets a try.

Carl: He normally gets something. So there, it'll get, it'll be get, he'll be involved in the games in one way or the other, whether it's fucking 20 minutes or 60 minutes. I don't, I don't know, but I still think he's probably gonna, I just don't think there's many other prop options out there that you're gonna probably get a good [00:48:00] return to.

Carl: What. You actually probably picking 

Polly: 30 

Buster: minutes out of that. That might be, that might be a really good pick. 

Carl: And then a huge, a huge curve ball with a super sub like nobody else has picked him at all. So, um, Henry Pollock, 

Buster: who's your hooker? 

Carl: She and she, and fucking hell. So yeah, that is our. Six nations do or die picks?

Carl: We're still waiting for Adams. 

Buster: I think out of all five of us, we've all picked different captains, haven't we? 

Carl: Nah. 

Buster: The Pont, 

Carl: I've gone De Pont. 

Buster: Louis. B-L-B-R-E. 

Carl: Who did who? Who did Ken pick? 

Buster: B-L-B-R-E? He, 

Carl: yeah. Who did you pick as your Captain Pole? 

Polly: Bill Bere? 

Carl: Yeah. Maybe on, um, who went? She, uh, Keith. [00:49:00] 

Buster: Yeah, 

Polly: Kent as well.

Carl: He went, she as well. Did he? 

Polly: Yeah. 

Carl: Uh, so not quite, but, 

Buster: so there's four different captains for between five of us. It'd be interesting to see who Adam's picked. Yeah. That's what's gonna make the difference in the score, isn't it? 

Carl: That and the super sub. I, I still think the super sub's critical, and I think that's why I couldn't look past Pollock.

Carl: Because he'll get, he'll get put in any position that will just cause mayim. And he seems to always get a try. 

Polly: I dunno. I, I think that the back row for England is so, you know, he picks Pollock because, you know, Pollock is doing to rugby. What, you know, David Beckham did to football in the nineties to a degree.

Polly: Um, it, he's put poll's putting it in. Pushing it further off the back pages and closer to the front. You know, everyone loves to wait a pantomime villain, don't they? 

Carl: Do you not think he's a good player though? 

Polly: I, I, I think he is a good player. I just, I don't, I [00:50:00] don't know if he is as, as good as we want him to be.

Buster: I, I think he's got a bit of X factor. I do. 

Polly: Yeah. No, I agree. I, I, I'm, I'm not disagreeing. I think that X factor is absolutely cr crucial to rugby nowadays. And, you know, uh, and he has created, the fact that everyone keeps talking about him is the whole point, isn't it? That's the, you know, you know, the conversation piece.

Polly: But he does seem to be in the right place at the right time, you know? Um. Uh, he can also be shut down in games. I think. I agree with you coming off a bench though, and you know, in the, in the day and age of rugby we've got nowadays, is that him coming off the bench? Is it, it changes it up. It's a different, you know, when you look at those South African players coming off the bench, they're just absolute beasts, aren't they?

Polly: They're putting seven players off the bench into that pack, um, that are. Just designed to scrummage and, and be horrible round the [00:51:00] breakdown. Whereas he creates that little bit of extra space. You'll see him loitering on the wing and you know, he's got some, he's got a level lot of pace on him. Um, I just think by doing that, what do you lose out defensively?

Polly: Is he as strong as like an Underhill? You know, is he defensively as strong as Tom Curry? No. Does he carry like bennel? 

Carl: Not yet, 

Polly: no. So, you know, it, it's, it's, I don't, I don't, I don't even know if his line out what his line out options like as well. So 

Carl: he still, he still never started for England. Still never started.

Carl: He is only ever come off the bench. So he, there's plenty of time mate like, fuck me. Like to have that amount of talent at that age and have that opportunity wherever he ends up with it. Fair fuck soon. And he, 

Polly: well, I, I think that putting rugby 

Carl: in 

Polly: the 

Carl: right light, 

Polly: and that's one of the reasons is that, you know, the rugby's changed nowadays is that you don't need to be able to play 80 minutes.

Carl: So obviously it's just me and you [00:52:00] left pole. Everyone else has had to jump off. Final 

Polly: Tony, half 10. 

Carl: Uh, it's half 11 here in Spain. So, um, final thoughts mate. I think we've all gone cut the wild cards. I think we've all gone. Fairly mainstream to try and get through the, through the tournament. 

Polly: Like I said to you, I said, you know, I think it would've been nice to try and work out a team with less point, you know, less, you know.

Polly: Stars or, or whatever it is to purchase it. And then you would've had to really go a little bit left field and, you know, uh, and thought about it long-term wise. But, you know, by having so many points, it's a case of, well, actually, I can just kind of almost go and pick out the, the, the players that I know that are definitely gonna start, we can, we out.

Polly: Um, 

Carl: I think we could, we can still look at doing that with the, the weekly one. I think we can sort of. Limit that a little bit more, but I think, 

Polly: I think you limit it loads and, and it, it means that they, [00:53:00] they have to go and do their research as well. You can't just go, I'm gonna pick in. Mm. You know? 'cause at the end of the day, if the reduced amount of stars, you turn around and go, well, do I really want marto you or am I gonna go for a Welsh lock?

Polly: Who's gonna, you know, maybe get some turnover ball in the line out? Or am I gonna go for an Italian scrum off? Or, you know, you, you kind of, that people will then go right. Who do I definitely wanna pick and then try and scramble a team around it so everyone picks the same, everyone picks the same five players, the same five star players, and then it's the other 10 players that are completely different because it's like, oh actually I think he might play this weekend, or I think he might play this weekend.

Polly: And it just, it just, it's a little bit, but it's a little bit different in it. So, yeah, 

Carl: we got a bit, I 

Polly: think, uh, 

Carl: bit of time to refine that one. Um, last one then. How do you see. The six nations. Finishing with the six teams, what order? 

Polly: Oh, I genuinely, I think [00:54:00] if you go really early, shout is, you know, France look.

Polly: I think France looked poor in the Six Auto Nation, but I think they missed their leader and their inspiration. That was a nine. Um, I think there was a little bit stuff going on in, in the squad. Um, but looking at that super four, you know, looking at top 14 and looking at the way they're playing in Europe and, you know, you look at the class that has Bordeauxs been playing, uh, to lose, have been playing and all of those, and you just think, oh, if they can, if can get it right.

Polly: Then I think they could be un, you know, unstoppable. However, I think this year, six Nations is probably the closest one for the last maybe three, four years. I think England and, you know, Ireland, um, are, are definitely massive factors in it. And, and it's gonna be the home or away advantage depending on how they sit.

Polly: I haven't really looked at who's playing where, so I. England can beat everyone. You know, [00:55:00] without a shadow of a doubt. I think they've got the ability to beat everyone. I think Ireland could beat everyone and I think France could beat everyone. So, you know, those are the struggles. Unfortunately, I think, um, Wales will really struggle.

Polly: Um, Italy will do really well this year. 

Carl: Pick one to six. 

Polly: One. Top France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Scotland, Italy, Wales, 

Carl: Scotland, Italy, Wales. I, I'm saying France, England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales. 

Polly: So you think Scotland have dropped off that much 

Carl: a after their performance or 

Polly: do you think Italy have just got better?

Carl: Both. I think this is the prime opportunity for Italy to probably scalp Scotland. I think Scotland have got, they're in full rebuild mode at the minute, and they're in, [00:56:00] what are we what? Just over a year out from the World Cup. So they'll sacrifice this to get ready for the World Cup if, if I was gonna sacrifice a tournament and make sure you come into a World Cup on form.

Carl: This would be the one before that you'd, you'd, you'd try and blood enough players in. I just don't think they've blooded enough in, I don't think they've got a way forward. I don't think they've, like, as Buster said, last 12, 18 months, they've been on a decline rather than. Sort of improving. They've not really brought anyone through.

Carl: The Autumn Internationals was poor. 

Polly: Yeah. I, I don't disagree with you. I think they had a generational team and, and I think they, they missed, they missed so many opportunities and, you know, um. I think if you go back to the arguments that Townsend had with Finn Russell really early on in his career, you know, uh, when he was just started breaking through where you had Stuart [00:57:00] Hoge at 15 and, um, you had a, a, an exceptional Scottish team, um, just poorly managed 'cause they couldn't manage Finn Russell.

Polly: That maybe of, maybe that's on Finn Russell. I don't know. Um, I, I'm not in that psyche, but you look at him now and he's, he, he's. Questionably, you know, one of the most exciting players to watch on the pitch. 

Kent: Mm. 

Polly: Just let's have some weapons for him outside. I, I dunno. I, I think the six Nations, I like the fact that you can't call it, I like the fact that everyone's gonna be questioning how everyone does and, and what's gonna happen, you know?

Polly: I love the fact that England are back in the mix and everyone's talking about 'em after a solid six nations, after a solid autumn to Autumn Internationals and you know, um, like you said, we're what, 18 months, two years away from a World Cup? Um, so 

Carl: interesting. 

Polly: Yeah. You know, and in two years time we'll have South Africa and the Six [00:58:00] Nations anyway, so That'd be all right.

Carl: Pretty much. Yeah. So 

Polly: they'll all be dressed in blue in Scotland. 

Carl: Yeah. For everyone that has joined us, I hope you've enjoyed it. I hope you drop us a message with all the picks that we've made and tell us how stupid we are, or whether you agree. Let us know. We are gonna open, we are not gonna open up this one.

Carl: This one's gonna be for just for the rugby, rugby, TTL, adss, to, to see how we get through the tournament. If you wanna have a try on yourself and then submit your teams, let us know more than welcome to have that. But we are then gonna open up a weekly league, which we're gonna try and do weekly pods, little episodes to talk about our bits.

Carl: We're gonna do a little videos and updates of who we picked, how we're doing. How you lot are doing as well. Shout outs to those that are probably gonna beat us. Shout outs to the ones that are finished bottom as well, so, which Polly will probably be propping up. [00:59:00] But as always, it's great to have anyone that's actually got all the list listened to all the way through this and make sure you like, subscribe, follow, join the league, make sure you get your mates to join the league, and I'm sure we can figure out of actually getting something planned to get.

Carl: On the piss to uh, celebrate the forfeit who finishes last. 

Polly: I think there's a few outstanding, isn't there? 

Carl: There's gonna be one l of a weekend that we've gotta cash 'em all in. And I think I'm in for two, but like there's a few rolling around so this could turn out to be pretty epic. 

Polly: Yeah, and we have got put something together, so we'll put it in a diary.

Carl: Thank you to everyone for joining. Really appreciate it and we will catch you very soon with the further six Nations fantasy content. See