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ASX’s Next Generation Fantasy Rugby platform reveals its Team of the Tournament for the Six Nations
Leading virtual sports exchange unpacks the real winners and losers at the Six Nations; revealing exceptional Antoine Dupont was not even the best scrumhalf in the tournament
You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, but ASX Sports’ Fantasy Rugby results certainly sharpen any analysis and shine a light on the real stars of the Six Nations, pricking a few “bubble” reputations along the way.
Antoine Dupont has again earned himself plaudits left, right and centre for his exceptional performances throughout France’s Grand Slam Six Nations campaign, captaining Les Blues to their first title since 2010 – and it’s certainly hard to argue with any of the praise heaped on the 25-year-old wonder.
Since the competition’s final round, Dupont has been named one of three players – alongside Gregory Alldritt and Josh van der Flier – contending for the official title of the Six Nations Player of the Championship and while it would take a brave man to bet against Le Ministre de L’Interieur taking home the gong for a second time following his triumph in 2020, it’s worth noting that at least from a statistical point of view, Dupont wasn’t the best performing scrumhalf in the competition, let alone the best player.
With the Six Nations coming to an end over the weekend, so too has the inaugural competition of ASX Sports’ Fantasy Rugby. From Round 1, powered by data from Rugby Analytics. Users have been able to invest in the players they think will produce the most dividends (or points) in any given match and, while there were always going to be a few obvious standouts throughout the five rounds of action, some of the top performers may come as a surprise to even the most astute of investors.
Six Nations ASX Sports Fantasy Rugby Team of the Tournament:
- Cyril Baille (France) – $68
2. Dan Sheehan (Ireland) – $63
3. Kyle Sinkler (England) – $45
4. Tadgh Beirne (Ireland) – $44
5. Maro Itoje (England) – $46
6. Anthony Jelonch (France) – $93
7. Michele Lamaro (Italy) – $73
8. Toa Halafihi (Italy) – $72
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland) – $112
10. Marcus Smith (England) – $143
11. Gabin Villiere (France) – $110
12. Jonathan Danty (France) – $54
13. Gael Fickou (France) – $82
14. Damian Penaud (France) – $94
15. Stuart Hogg (Scotland) – $63
Five of the six competing nations are represented in the ASX Sport Fantasy Rugby Six Nations Team of the Tournament with the title-winners boasting five inclusions in the chosen XV – which is based entirely on dividends earned throughout the competition.
In the front row, France’s Cyril Baille and England’s Kyle Sinkler have earned the coveted propping spots alongside Irish hooker Dan Sheehan while Italy’s loosehead Danilo Fischetti narrowly misses out.
Tadhg Beirne and Maro Itoje have claimed top honours in the second row but it’s an all-continental affair in the loosies with Anthony Jelonch the top-performing No 6 and the Italian duo of Michele Lamaro and Toa Halafihi rounding out the forwards.
Despite Dupont’s heroics throughout the tournament, he has narrowly missed out to Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park as the top scrumhalf of the competition. Gibson-Park’s $112 worth of dividends earned over his five matches in the No 9 jersey placed him as the second-best performing player overall while Dupont ($98) and Scotland’s Ali Price ($85) both found themselves in the top 10 players overall.
The top performer throughout the competition has also unsurprisingly landed himself a spot in the Team of the Tournament in the No 10 jersey: England’s Marcus Smith. Smith raked in a mammoth $143 worth of dividends putting him well clear of the second-place Gibson-Park. With England scoring just eight tries in their five games, the boot of Smith was a crucial points-earner for Eddie Jones’ men – and that’s reflected in his massive takings for the competition.
Surprisingly, the second-top flyhalf, Johnny Sexton, managed a relatively meagre $64, making him the 20th-best points-earner overall.
There were plenty of strong performers in the midfield this year but it’s the French pairing of Jonathan Danty and Gael Fickou who excelled. While inside centres struggled to record points (Danty’s $54 fell well short of the top 20 performers), there was huge competition at No 13 with Fickou narrowly pipping Owen Watkin and Garry Ringrose, while Josh Adams’ appearance at outside centre against Ireland also made him eligible for the Team of the Tournament in that position.
Unsurprisingly, the outside backs were the best-performing group thanks to their penchant for accumulating line breaks, beaten defenders and tries. Gabin Villiere’s always impressive showings earned him the left wing spot as well as the third-best player overall while it’s his French teammate Damian Penaud who has claimed the right wing, and fifth place overall. At fullback, Scotland captain Stuart Hogg has taken out the honours.
Despite Wales’ not managing any spots in the XV, they can at least take solace in the fact that Watkin and Adams managed appearances in the top 20 players but it shouldn’t come as a shock that it’s the champion French who boast the most players in that group, thanks to their six men in the Team of the Tournament coupled with Gregory Alldritt narrowly missing out to Halafihi at number 8.
While the Six Nations may be over for another year, there are plenty of competitions to keep savvy investors interested in the weeks and months ahead. The ASX Sports Super Rugby Pacific fantasy competition is well and truly up and running for those with an interest in the Southern Hemisphere while there will be more opportunities to look forward to as the year progresses.
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Cubeia, a Sweden-based iGaming software solutions provider, has unveiled the latest addition to its Originals Studio, Turbo Crash – a fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled game designed to test players’ instincts.
Turbo Crash challenges players to make the ultimate risk-versus-reward decisions in search of astronomical returns. Players place their bets and watch the multiplier soar higher and higher – but timing is everything. It’s possible to cash out at any moment with a single click and every round can be verified for total transparency and trust thanks to its Provably Fair design.
Turbo Crash continues Cubeia’s Originals Studio mission to create operator-first, fully brandable games inspired by its Operator-Up philosophy – built from the ground up around what operators and their players need.
Cubeia’s investment in gamification and community-driven features is reflected in its latest release with challenges, achievements, and duels all available to bring players closer together.
A very successful first year for Cubeia Originals has validated this approach, and with Turbo Crash, the company is setting the pace for what an Originals experience can become as it scales the portfolio further.
Cubeia’s Head of Sales, Caroline Björkman, said: “Launching Turbo Crash as we approach our first anniversary is the perfect way to celebrate how well Originals Studio has established itself in the market. In less than a year, we’ve launched ten distinctive titles – from Mines and Crash to Turbo Crash – and built a portfolio that operators can rely on and players genuinely enjoy.”
The post Cubeia expands Originals Studio with Turbo Crash launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS
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Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, systems, and solutions, is excited to announce the launch of Werewolf It Up! featuring Cash Bank and Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo across the UK and Malta iGaming markets. Packed with captivating visuals and engaging gameplay, this online and mobile slot duo is designed to deliver strong results for operators and offers the best in iGaming entertainment for players.
Werewolf It Up featuring Cash Bank is the Halloween-themed follow-up to Inspired’s smash hit Wolf It Up! Set in a mystical, spooky forest, the game combines fairy-tale charm with thrilling win potential. The base game introduces cash-packed candy symbols and the Bonus Wolf, which together trigger the Cash Bank Free Spins Bonus with eight free spins. A pseudo-persistence mechanic adds further excitement, with collected candies building towards the Lucky Wheel for chances to win one of four Prize Pots.
As with all our games, players can enhance their gameplay with customisable features including Bonus Buy for instant bonus entry, Fortune Spins for boosted hit potential, and Inspired’s Gamble, for potentially bigger rewards. Werewolf It Up delivers spook-tastic thrills, fun features, and a broad appeal for casual players looking to win big this Halloween.
Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo is a 5×3 reel, 20 win-line slot adventure that brings the power of Zeus, the King of the Ancient Greek Gods, to the reels. In a new art style for Inspired, the game blends ancient Greek mythology with fun gameplay features, the game introduces Inspired’s new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, designed to deliver escalating excitement and legendary rewards.
Players collect coins to feed three pseudo-persistent bags, Double Coins, Pot Fill, and Zeus Boost, that unlock epic bonus rounds powered by Inspired’s thrilling Win & Spin mechanic. With expanding reels, escalating prizes, and Zeus himself boosting values, every spin builds suspense toward greater wins. Optional features include Bonus Buy, Gamble, and a new multi-level Fortune Bet that allows players to supercharge their bonus rounds. Zeus Legends of Olympus combines a mythic theme and modern gameplay with Inspired’s signature innovation.
Claire Osborne, Vice President of Interactive at Inspired Entertainment, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil these two exciting new slots, each offering something truly unique for players. Werewolf It Up! is set to be this Halloween’s standout game, blending proven mechanics with spooky, visuals that will have players howling with delight. Our seasonal games have become player favorites, and Werewolf It Up! is a perfect addition to our portfolio of holiday-themed titles. Meanwhile, Zeus Legends of Olympus raises the bar with our brand-new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, kicking off a powerful new series of ancient Greek god–themed content. We’re confident both titles will engage players worldwide and deliver outstanding performance at launch and well into the future.”
The post INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Northern Lights Gaming, the award-winning studio known for blockbuster slot titles such as Unusual Suspects and Bison Moon, has promoted Chris Loftus to CEO.
The promotion comes after Andrew Goodale chose to step away from the studio after more than eight years at the helm to pursue other opportunities.
Chris is a seasoned online slot studio executive with more than 17 years of industry experience and joined Northern Lights Gaming back in April 2025 as Commercial Director.
His career began at Inspired Entertainment, where he spent a decade as Head of Content Operations before moving on to 1X2 Network, where he served as Commercial Director for the leading studio and aggregation platform.
This was followed by a stint as Sales Director at fast-growing game studio Playnetic, where he further expanded his expertise in commercial strategy and business development, before joining the Northern Lights Gaming team.
As CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, Chris brings seasoned insight and an energetic approach to the studio, which has both a strong legacy and ambitious plans for the future.
Robert Henrysson, Chairman at Northern Lights Gaming, said: “We are thrilled to promote Chris to the position of CEO and for him to lead Northern Lights Gaming into the next chapter of its success story.
“Of course, we’d like to thank Andrew for his many years of service and for helping to drive Northern Lights Gaming forward with passion and purpose and wish him well for the future.
“Change always brings adjustments, but our direction and mission remain the same – and that’s to create the very best games and experience in the industry.
“And with Chris leading our incredible team and with a strong product roadmap in front of us, we are highly confident of doing just that.”
Chris Loftus, CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, added: “It’s an honour to have been promoted to CEO of Northern Lights Gaming and to have the trust of the team to steer the ship and continue to build on the incredible progress we have already made.
“The key to success for any studio is to create great games that hit the mark with players, and we have the team and process in place to keep adding epic titles to our portfolio.
“Our product roadmap is packed with truly exceptional games, and we can’t wait to see them leave our production line and for players to fire up the reels.”
The post Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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