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Our team builder and stats pages have been updated with all the squads for Round 5
🔑 Key information
⏰ The Round 5 deadline is 2:00pm on Saturday ahead of Ireland v Scotland.
🤕 Simone Ferrari, Scott Cummings, Gregor Brown, Tom Curry and Anthony Jelonch will miss the final round.
❌ Oscar Jegou has been suspended for 8 weeks following his eye gouge against Scotland.
🏴 England make one change for Paris. Tom Curry has been replaced by Ollie Chessum, with Chandler Cunningham-South coming onto the bench.
🇫🇷 Yoram Moefana and Pierre-Louis Barassi start in the centres. Charles Ollivon starts at 8 with Temo Matiu starting at 6 for his first cap. Émilien Gailleton, Joshua Brennan and Hugo Auradou make the bench.
🍀 Dan Sheehan returns, Ronan Kelleher drops to the bench. Josh van der Flier swaps with Nick Timoney. Jacob Stockdale drops out of the matchday 23 with Tommy O’Brien coming in to start. There’s a spot for Bundee Aki on the bench.
🇮🇹 Muhamed Hasa replaces Simone Ferrari in the starting line up. Federico Ruzza replaces Andrea Zambonin in the starting line up with David Odiase promoted to the bench. Alessandro Fusco starts at 9 with Stephen Varney coming onto the bench.
🏴 Scotland’s backline is unchanged, but Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist and Max Williamson start. Alex Craig, Magnus Bradbury and Kyle Rowe are on the bench.
🏴 Wales name an unchanged XV, with Blair Murray coming onto the bench in place of Louie Hennessey.
⏮️ Here’s our Round 3 Recap for top performers & price changes.
🔮 Round 5 Predictions
To help you see which way these games might go, we’ve checked the Rugby4Cast algorithm.
💡 Predictions tell you which teams might be scoring points with the ball (tries, assists, metres made), but also without the ball (tackles, breakdown steals).
Predicted results
🍀 Ireland 29–20 Scotland
Scotland head to Dublin for at most a title decider, and at least a Triple Crown. Which team will be cheering on England come 8pm?
Last year’s result: Scotland 18–32 Ireland
Last years POTM: Sam Prendergast
🏴 Wales 19–26 Italy 🇮🇹
Wales host an Italy team that are chasing a record 3-win campaign after beating England for the first time ever last week.
Last year’s result: Italy 22–15 Wales
Last years POTM: Lorenzo Cannone
🇫🇷 France 31–22 England 🏴
The near-unstoppable force of France are favourites for the title, with the very movable object of England in the way. Can England finally come good, or Charles Ollivon claim his first ever Six Nations title (how has that possible?).
Last year’s result: England 26–25 France
Last years POTM: Fin Smith
🙏 Must-haves & Budget Picks
Must-haves
Thomas Ramos 🇫🇷 (19.1★) and Louis Bielle-Biarrey 🇫🇷 (17.8★) are always safe picks, bound to score high at home with a title on the line.
Tomasso Menoncello 🇮🇹 (16.6★) inspired Italy to a win against England last week, scoring a try in a MOTM performance. Keep him for Wales.
At least one of Caelan Doris 🍀 (13.6★) and Jack Conan 🍀 (13.6★) should make it into your team. They have xPs of 27.9 and 35.5 respectively.
For the other back row positions, at least one of Lorenzo Cannone 🇮🇹 (15.2★), Manuel Zuliani 🇮🇹 (13.1★) or James Botham 🏴 (10.5★) should make it into your back row.
Tadhg Beirne 🍀 (15.1★) and Dan Sheehan 🍀 (16.4★) is instrumental to Ireland’s set up as they look to beat Scotland in Dublin.
Rhys Carre 🏴 (11.3★) is now a must. Don’t pick him and you risk many others going above you. If he blanks, it’s no big deal.
Budget Picks & Differentials
Can’t quite make your salary cap stretch, or just want some differential picks?
Nick Timoney 🍀 (10.5★) has the highest xP out of anyone for this round (43.9). Most people will go for Conan or Doris. Big opportunity?
Filling that final Back Three spot will be tough… Will it be Kyle Steyn, Louis Lynagh or Louis Rees-Zammit?
🖥️ The Computer’s Team
Here’s the team with the highest Expected Points (xP) tally.
💰 Team cost: 213.8★
📊 Expected Points (Starters): 390.8 points
©️ Captain: Jack Conan 🍀 (35.5 → 71 xP)
🚀 Super Sub: Nick Timoney 🍀 (11 → 33 xP)
Total xP: 459.3 points
Probably a little too England-heavy… What do you think of this team?
🏉 The Oval Office’s Round 5 Team
💰 Team cost: 230★
📊 Expected Points (Starters): 364.6
Total xP: 420.6 points
This week we’re focusing on players that are most likely to play 80 minutes, with a bit of a punt on Jack Conan. Charles Ollivon coming off early last week was tough, so we thought we’d avoid players that are at risk (wherever possible).
With many likely to go for Kyle Steyn, we’ve gone for Louis Lynagh as a differential (and against a team in Wales that gives away more points than Ireland). Sione Tuipulotu is almost nailed on to play the full 80, whereas Tom Jordan replaced Huw Jones last week, and Bundee Aki poses a risk to Stuart McCloksey’s playing time.
Captain
We’ll either go for Thomas Ramos 🇫🇷 (19.1★) or Louis Bielle-Biarrey 🇫🇷 (17.8★). If you think LBB scores two tries, go for him. If not, stick with Ramos.
Alternative captain picks:
Super Sub
It’s Mickaël Guillard 🇫🇷 (13★) with 8.9xP
Other options include:
Nick Timoney 🍀 (11★) = 11xP
Michael Milne 🍀 (6.9★) = 10.3xP
Baptiste Serin 🇫🇷 (9.2★) = 9.7xP
Chander Cunningham-South 🏴 (10.5★) = 9.6xP
Émilien Gailleton 🇫🇷 (11.7★) = 9.5xP
Mickaël Guillard 🇫🇷 (13★) = 8.9xP
Henry Pollock 🏴 (14★) = 8.4xP
Blair Murray 🏴 (10.4★) = 8.1xP
Hugo Auradou 🇫🇷 (7.6★) = 7.9xP
Leonardo Marin 🇮🇹 (9.1★) = 7.9xP
Ronan Kelleher 🍀 (12.8★) = 7.2xP
Tommaso Allan 🇮🇹 (10.4★) = 7.2xP
Magnus Bradbury 🏴 (8.5★) = 7.2xP
Bundee Aki 🍀 (11.1★) = 7xP
Peato Mauvaka 🇫🇷 (11.9★) = 6.9xP
Olly Cracknell 🏴 (7.7★) = 6.9xP
Tommaso Di Bartolomeo 🇮🇹 (8.8★) = 6.9xP
Kyle Rowe 🏴 (7.6★) = 5.6xP
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🤞 Good luck & see you for a final Recap early next week.