<
>

Fantasy Rugby 2020: ESPN's new, improved and free Six Nations game is now live!

It's Six Nations time again and that means another chance to prove you know more about rugby than all your mates combined with the 2020 edition of ESPN Fantasy Rugby.

Not only can you claim year-long bragging rights over every other rugby fan in your life by proving your managerial smarts and beating them in a private mini-league, entering our free competition means you could also win some serious prizes.

• If you are still yet to sign up, click here to create your team

The good news is, unlike international coaches Eddie Jones, Wayne Pivac or Gregor Townsend, to be in with a chance of winning one of those great prizes, you have the luxury of selecting your side from all six countries. The bad news is, unlike Andy Farrell, ESPN's Fantasy Rugby rules mean you don't have the luxury of being able to pick only Irish players -- not that doing so would be the smart thing to do, anyway.

Weekly winners will get their hands on a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort Series II Noise Cancelling Headphones, while whoever manages their team to the overall title will not only bask in the glory of their pure rugby genius, they will also receive a 12.9" iPad Pro.

Last year's Fantasy Rugby tournament was the best ever, with tens of thousands of international managers signing up to take part, pitting their wits against each other.

In order to get in on the fun, you must first log in to your ESPN account. If you don't already have one, no problem -- you can create one for free quickly and easily by following the on-screen instructions.

There are a few basic selection rules to follow:

Each team must be made up of three front-row forwards, a pair of second rowers, and three in the back row; a scrum-half, a fly-half, two centres and three outside backs.

Remember, you are limited to a maximum of four players from each nation, so make those selections wisely!

You'll need to pick a designated kicker, too, which is vital for getting those points for successful penalties and conversions. Selecting Morgan Parra, Johnny Sexton, and Leigh Halfpenny isn't going to get you extra points unless you choose one of them as your penalty taker.

Don't worry for now if you're torn between Sexton or Romain Ntamack at fly-half, or can't quite make up your mind whether George North and Jonny May would make a better wing pair than, say, Keith Earls and Kyle Steyn. You've got plenty of time before the start of the tournament on Saturday, Feb. 1 to tinker with your side.

You can make as many alterations as you like but once the whistle blows on the opening game between Wales and Italy on Feb. 1 your squad will be locked for the opening weekend of the tournament.

Rest assured, though, you have an escape route if players get injured or perform like Mauro Bergamasco. Throughout the tournament, you will have three free transfers between each round if a player isn't living up to expectations, and you'll get an alert if a member of your team isn't selected for a match.

So what are you waiting for? Time to sign up and show your mates just who has the shrewdest rugby brain in town... not to mention, the world.