Super Rugby Fantasy round one: Must-haves and avoids

Super Rugby Pacific Fantasy has only been out since last Friday, but there’s already been plenty of discussion around the league about whom to pick, who’s too expensive, or which friend you’ll beat in the mini-league. 

Each registered Super Rugby Fantasy player has a $100m budget to build their squad before they can join open leagues created by people worldwide, or join a private league with some of your friends.

Once you pick your 15-man squad, you’re able to select a captain for the round, who scores double points for one game only.

Four New Zealand players have withdrawn from the Fantasy game for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific, headlined by Caleb Clarke pulling out for personal reasons.

Here are some “Must haves” and “Avoids” for your team in round one of the competition.

Fixture

Super Rugby Pacific

Crusaders

33 - 25

Full-time

Hurricanes

All Stats and Data

Must-haves

Will Jordan – Crusaders – Price: $9.5m

This isn’t a hot take, but Will Jordan is in for a big opening game this weekend in Christchurch for the Crusaders. The Super Rugby Fantasy scoring system suits his play style, as tries, try assists and line breaks earn you the most points.  The Crusaders will be looking to attack the Hurricanes with their firepower backs, meaning Jordan will see lots of the ball in open play. Jordan’s electric pace and fast footwork could gain valuable Fantasy points in round one. 

Timoci Tavatavanawai – Highlanders – Price: $7.5m

The Highlanders co-captain for 2025 has one of the more favourable matchups this weekend in round one, making the outside back a hard player to miss out on. Tavatavanawai’s ability to win turnovers for his side will be valuable points for your fantasy team, considering his other avenues of scoring will be meters gained, line breaks, defenders beat and try involvements. Tavatavanawai’s been named in midfield for their matchup against the Waratahs, likely giving the powerful Highlanders back more time with the ball.

At $7.5m, Tavatavanawai is a steal for the price, which can open up budget to spend elsewhere.

Cameron Roigard – Hurricanes – Price: $7.5m

For one of the best running halfbacks in the game, $7.5m is definitely cheap for what Roigard is worth. Roigard has a knack of popping up at the right place at the right time, scoring tries in many different ways. His crisp passing and elite running game will see the No.9 pick-up points galore, especially if the Hurricanes are on the front foot. 

Ardie Savea – Moana Pasifika – Price: $7.5m

The All Blacks star is priced highly at $7.5m for a loose forward, but enough to enable you to splash out and spend big in other, more exciting areas of your squad. Savea is the main man for Tana Umaga’s side this year, which will allow him to have his hands on the ball more than usual. Savea has the power game to get himself all of the big attacking stats, but you’re also getting a workhorse who will play big minutes and make a heap of tackles throughout round one against the Western Force.

Honourable mentions: Mark Telea (BLU), Billy Pollard (BRU)

Avoids

Rieko Ioane – Blues – Price: $8.5m

This prediction could easily turn pear-shaped if Ioane can hit the ground running in week one against the Chiefs at Eden Park. But as the most expensive midfielder available in the game, the tough matchup against the Chiefs and limited pre-season minutes could see Ioane not provide the points warranted to the price tag. With much cheaper options in this position, Ioane can be passed upon until a more favourable matchup.

Ethan De Groot – Highlanders – Price: $4m

Ethan de Groot will be a popular choice in many people’s round one Super Rugby Fantasy teams, but the All Blacks prop will come up against a new and improved Waratahs squad, up against Wallabies props Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou in the scrum, which will be a tough task. With the prop’s main points being scored from scrum victories, the points upside for De Groot in round one could be limited.

Xavier Numia – Hurricanes – Price: $5m 

Numia, who was one of the standout players in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific competition is one of the highest-owned props this year and is up against some of the best props this weekend in Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell. There’s no reason why Numia can’t pick up where he left off last season, but it might take him slightly longer to get going with a slightly difficult matchup round one.

Honorable mentions: David Havili (CRU), Dalton Papal’ii (BLU).

Note: Reds players are unavailable to pick week one on Super Rugby Fantasy due to their round one bye.

Here are the specific performance scoring categories:

Playing 1-60 minutes: 1 point

Playing 61+ minutes: 2 points

For each try: 15 points

For each try assist: 9 points

For each conversion: 2 points

For each missed conversion: -1 point

For each penalty goal: 3 point

For each missed penalty: -1 point

For each drop goal: 3 point

For each missed drop goal: -1 point

Yellow Card: -5 points

Red Card: -10 points

For each turnover forced: 4 points

For each interception: 5 points

For each lineout won on own throw: 1 point

For each lineout steal on the opponent throw: 5 points

For each lineout error (includes handling error, not straight or lost outright): -2 points

For each tackle made: 1 point

For each tackle missed: -1 point

For each defender beaten: 2 points

For each offload: 2 points

For each line break: 7 points

For each line break assist: 5 points

For every 10 metres gained: 1 point

For each penalty conceded: -1 point

For each error (knock on or forward pass): -1 point

For scrum won outright (awarded to entire front row): 3 points