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Six Nations specials betting tips
- James Lowe top tournament try-scorer – 2pts @ 7/1 with William Hill
- Elliot Daly top tournament try-scorer – 1pt EW @ 80/1 with SpreadEx
- Rio Dyer top Wales try-scorer – 1pt @ 5/1 with BetVictor
- Under 86.5 tournament tries – 2pts @ 5/6 with Betfred
Rugby betting sites are awash with Six Nations-related specials markets as the event draws ever closer and we’ve been through the try-scorer odds to see what gems can be unearthed.
Focusing on the top try-scorer, it’s worth bearing in mind that the majority of winners come from the back three.
The Six Nations does throw up the occasional surprise winner, such as France flanker Charles Ollivon in 2020, while there have been years when several players have shared the accolade.
But more often than not, the top try-scorer comes from the more obvious sources with France’s Damian Penaud finishing in top spot or a share of first in each of the last two years.
The Bordeaux wing is in the form of his life, scoring 19 tries in his last 15 appearances for Les Bleus and he's the favourite in the Six Nations odds to retain his individual accolade.
However, there’s some decent talent behind him in the market and it may be worth opposing Penaud this year.
Lowe can clear high bar
Most betting sites have Ireland’s James Lowe listed as second favourite in the top try-scorer market and with good reason having consistently delivered for Andy Farrell’s men the last two years.
He’s scored three tries in each of the last two editions of the Six Nations, which was good enough to see him finish in a share of first place with Penaud and Gabin Villiere in 2022.
He shoulders some extra responsibility amongst Ireland’s backline this year in the absence of Mack Hansen and Keith Earls and that may result in him getting a few extra opportunities to go over.
The 31-year-old hasn’t played too much rugby since the World Cup, featuring twice for Leinster after a break, so should be fresh.
Farrell has a tendency to keep Lowe on for the entire 80 minutes – he played every minute in Ireland’s Grand Slam campaign last year – and it would be a major surprise if he didn’t play a major role for a dominant Irish team.
Six Nations Tip 1: James Lowe top tournament try-scorer – 2pts @ 7/1 with William Hill
Daly may deliver at a big price
England haven’t supplied the tournament’s top try-scorer since Jonny May in 2019 but there’s plenty of hype surrounding Northampton wing Tommy Freeman entering the Six Nations.
The 22-year-old has been electric for Saints, scoring 11 tries in 19 appearances, and has been handed a start by Steve Borthwick for Saturday’s game against Italy.
A clash with the weakest team in the competition is a chance for Freeman to take hold of the No 14 shirt, but his odds of 14/1 to be the Six Nations’ top scorer are far too short for a player without an international try to his name.
Starting on the opposite wing to Freeman on Saturday is Elliot Daly, a proven Test match performer who has scored 18 tries for his country. Yet he’s as big as 80/1 to top the try-scoring charts with certain bookmakers.
SpreadEx are one such bookmaker offering 80s and each-way terms that will see them pay out on the top four at a quarter of the odds. Other bookmakers are offering more places but at half the odds for Daly, who is a Borthwick favourite.
He started five times for England at the Rugby World Cup and while he’s in the team just as much for his kicking ability as his try-scoring, he’s shown he can finish when the moment calls for it.
His place in an England team that’s spoken about wanting to entertain looks more secure and he may prove a worthwhile long shot.
Six Nations Tip 2: Elliot Daly top tournament try-scorer – 1pt EW @ 80/1 with SpreadEx
Dyer to step into spotlight for Wales
A depleted Wales team are hoping some new heroes will arise in this year’s Six Nations with a mass exodus, coupled with some badly-timed injuries, leaving them short on star power.
The loss of Louis Rees-Zammit from the backs will be keenly felt with the NFL-bound speedster having been groomed to be the poster boy of Welsh rugby.
He leaves behind a backline that’s heavily reliant on Josh Adams finding some form after an injury-hit season.
Adams is the favourite to finish as Wales’ top try-scorer in the Six Nations, but there are a couple of rising stars at bigger prices that could be snapping at his heels.
Mason Grady has impressed for Cardiff this season, scoring five tries, but hasn’t yet earned Wales coach Warren Gatland's trust just yet amid concerns over his defensive skillset.
Gatland looks to be a bigger fan of Rio Dyer, who caught the eye with his performance in last year’s Six Nations, ending the tournament with two tries and twice as many line breaks as any other Welshman.
Two tries was enough to make him Wales' joint-top try-scorer alongside Liam Williams in a team that's struggled to create openings at times.
In a Wales team without a dominant pack, the backs will need to be sharp. It may not take many tries to be the team’s top scorer given Wales are expected to struggle, but Dyer may oblige at 5/1.
Six Nations Tip 3: Rio Dyer top Wales try-scorer – 1pt @ 5/1 with BetVictor
Try total regression on the cards
Last year we saw the most amount of tries ever in a Six Nations tournament with 91 being run in at an average of just over six tries per game.
That average climbed further during the World Cup with 6.77 tries per game being scored amid an explosion of attacking rugby. Of course, the average was helped by some one-sided pool stage wins for rugby’s big nations, but the smaller teams are certainly more open to having a go than in previous years.
The same is true in the Six Nations with Italy throwing caution to the wind last year. However, it feels like the tournament is due a bit of try regression.
Italy have a more pragmatic coach now in Gonzalo Quesada, while Wales may struggle to stamp their authority on matches and score. Perhaps England will be more expansive, but Borthwick’s coaching resume says otherwise and France are missing their chief creator Antoine Dupont.
Last year’s try explosion eclipsed the previous best total of 86 by five tries, and yet betting apps have set this year’s total tournament try line the previous high mark of 86 tries.
That feels a little high, even with momentum shifting towards a more attacking style of rugby, and it’s worth keeping in mind we saw just 77 tries in 2022.
Only three times in Six Nations history has the tournament seen 80-plus tries so we’re siding with the under for our final Six Nations specials tip.
Six Nations Tip 4: Under 86.5 tournament tries – 2pts @ 5/6 with Betfred
Free bet offers for the Six Nations
The 2024 Six Nations get underway on Friday night when France host Ireland in Marseille and keen to get involved in the excitement surrounding the tournament, several new betting sites are running rugby-related promotions.
For example, Parimatch have boosted the price on England to win a first Six Nations title since 2020 from 6/1 to 100/1. To take advantage of the offer, bettors will need to open an account with Parimatch, make a deposit of £5 and opt in to the promotion.
Bettors can then place a maximum of £1 on England to win the Six Nations. If Steve Borthwick's men do win the tournament, bettors will receive £2 in cash and £99 in free bets as per the terms of the welcome bonus.
Please check the terms and conditions before signing up and remember if you do decide to bet on the Six Nations, gamble responsibly.
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
