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Rugby Championship Fantasy – Building a star-studded backline
With the start of the Rugby Championship this weekend brings a new edition of Fantasy Rugby with RugbyPass. With a salary cap of $150 million to spend on a squad of 25 players, here are some of the best buys and undercover value picks.
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Halfbacks
Beware of halfbacks like Aaron Smith ($7m) who are world-class at the position but may not bear much fruit in fantasy. The system values running halfbacks who will clock up more carries, line breaks and offloads.
That means Faf de Klerk ($6.3m) and Will Genia ($6.5m) are high value buys at a reasonable cost. Genia in particular is coming off one his best Super Rugby seasons and shapes as a key player for the Wallabies.
With limited opportunities for bench players like Nick Phipps and TJ Perenara to start, going with two quality starters is a good strategy to cover for any injury possibility.
2017 Starters
South Africa – Ross Cronje (4 starts)
New Zealand – Aaron Smith (5 starts), TJ Perenara (1 start)
Wallabies – Will Genia (6 starts)
Argentina – Tomas Cubelli (3 starts), Martin Ladanjo (3 starts)
Flyhalves
Beauden Barrett ($8m) has retained his All Blacks starting position but based on his cost, is overvalued for Rugby Championship Fantasy. His form in Super Rugby took a dip which lead to calls for Richie Mounga to start.
Based on Super Rugby form, both Mounga and Damian McKenzie averaged significantly more fantasy points than Barrett so if he is rested for either one, they could prove a smart pickup. McKenzie could start at fullback at any time during the season so is worth picking up as your backup flyhalf for $6.5m.
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You need to find a quality starter so Bernard Foley and Nicolas Sanchez are both affordable and goalkickers who are likely to score just as well as Barrett in fantasy. Neither player has any real competition for their position so will be reliable starters every week.
The wildcard is the Springbok flyhalves, Elton Jantjies, Damian Willemse and Handre Pollard. With Jantjies under pressure to be the starter, who knows how many starts will be given to each player.
Willemse ($4.8m) is a dirt-cheap bargain if he is given the 10 jersey at any stage. His electric running game will rack up plenty of fantasy points and will be a great short-term buy.
2017 starters
South Africa – Elton Jantjies (6 starts)
New Zealand – Beauden Barrett (6 starts)
Wallabies – Bernard Foley (6 starts)
Argentina – Nicolas Sanchez (5 starts)
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Centres
Jack Goodhue ($5m) is the buy of the season at such a low cost with high fantasy scoring potential. Goodhue averaged in the top five in fantasy scoring for any centre in Super Rugby. He has just been named to start in the opening test so is a must-have addition to your midfield.
Ryan Crotty ($6.8m) is a reliable buy that will partner Goodhue this weekend and will likely start most of the All Blacks matches. If you are looking for one midfielder who will consistently play, lock down Crotty. Avoid picking Sonny Bill Williams ($7m) who will miss the opening couple of weeks with injury.
Wallaby Reece Hodge ($5.6m) is a cheap buy that will likely see a lot of game time on the wing or as a makeshift centre. Whilst Kurtley Beale will play nearly every game at 12, he is overvalued at $7.8m.
There is insane fantasy value with the Springboks, with cheap players that scored very well in Super Rugby. Lukanyo Am ($4.6m), Andre Esterhuizen ($4m) and Damian de Allende ($5.4m) are worth looking at, but much will depend on Rassie’s selections. With two games first up against Argentina, a number of these cheap buys could start.
With most teams likely to run a variety of midfield combinations during the Rugby Championship, you will too. Manage the cost and pick guys from the bargain bin, rotating in and out each week.
2017 starters
South Africa – Jesse Kriel (6 starts), Jan Serfontein (6 starts)
New Zealand – Sonny Bill Williams (6 starts), Ryan Crotty (4 starts), Anton Lienert-Brown (2 starts)
Wallabies – Tevita Kuridrani (5 starts), Samu Kerevi (1 start), Kurtley Beale (6 starts)
Argentina – Jeronimo De La Fuente (5 starts), Matias Orlando (5 starts)
Wingers
Rieko Ioane ($8m) is the splash buy in a solid group of wingers. The All Black is worth the dough, however, with strong Super Rugby numbers coming into the Rugby Championship. At the end of a backline where he will no doubt flourish, Ioane is a great addition.
Waisake Naholo ($7.2m) has been named to start and will be a force when in the team, but could lose time to Ben Smith in the rotation. The Wallabies Dane Haylett-Petty ($6.2m) shapes as a reliable starter but with questions over the Wallabies backline, Marika Koroibete ($7.1m) could be a risk.
The Springbok trio of Aphiwe Dyantyi ($6.4m), Makazole Mapimpi ($5.3m), Lwazi Mvovo ($5.8m) are all game breakers that could bag loads of fantasy points, but who stays in the lineup the most is uncertain.
The best value buy is Argentinian Emiliano Boffelli ($5.8m) who started all six games last year for the Pumas. Boffelli is a fantasy winner, coming off a big Super Rugby season he will score higher than average points each week and be a valued backline addition.
2017 starters
South Africa – Courtnall Skosan (6 starts), Dillyn Leds (2 starts), Francois Hougaard (2 starts),
New Zealand – Rieko Ioane (6 starts), Waisake Naholo (4 starts), Ben Smith (2 starts), Nehe Milner-Skudder
Wallabies – Henry Speight (4 starts), Curtis Rona (1 start), Dane Haylett-Petty (1 start), Marika Koreibete (2 starts), Reece Hodge (4 starts)
Argentina –Emiliano Boffelli (6 starts), Ramiro Moyano (3 starts), Santiago Cordero (1 start), Matias Moroni (4 starts)
Fullbacks
Wallaby superstar Israel Folau ($8.5m) headlines the fullback selection pool but he comes with the most expensive price tag in the competition. He is a proven fantasy workhorse though, and if you have the cash then you can feel safe making this buy.
If you don’t have quite as much salary cap left, South Africa’s Willie Le Roux ($7.1m) is a touch cheaper but will provide similar quality, as will Ben Smith ($7.0m) who will either play fullback or wing.
Tom Banks won’t likely see any game time unless Folau is injured, while Jordie Barrett has already been left out of the first test. Warrick Gelant ($4.8m) is a value buy as a substitute provided he is used when Le Roux is rested.
2017 Starters
South Africa – Andries Coetzee (6 starts)
New Zealand – Damian McKenzie (6 starts)
Australia – Israel Folau (6 starts)
Argentina – Joaquin Tuculet (5 starts)
Think you can build a Super team? Join The Rugby Championship Fantasy now and you’ll stand to win $1000s in prizes! It’s not hard: https://fantasytab.
Comments on RugbyPass
What a dagg in more ways than one
5 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
5 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
38 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to comments