Rugby Championship Fantasy - Who to pick in your forward pack
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.
In Part 1 we will build the perfect pack for Fantasy followed by the backs in Part II.
Props
The foundation of your team will be the front row, but don’t expect massive hauls of points from them. Look for steady and reliable earners who will play long minutes and have a track record of staying healthy.
Whilst Wallaby sensation Taniela Tupou ($5.3m) is known for scoring amazing tries and is a dynamic force in hand in Super Rugby, he will probably be used as an impact player on the bench. Same goes for Waratahs prop Tom Robertson ($5.1m) who would otherwise be a great buy but only received minimal minutes from the bench in last year’s Rugby Championship. Keep these two on your radar if the Wallabies have any front row injuries.
Scott Sio, Tendai Mtawarira and Ofa Tuungafasi are the most likely starters week in, week out.
Steven Kitsoff ($4.5m) is a dark horse who started only once last year but still managed to play 216 minutes coming off the bench, not much less than starter Tendai Mtawarira (263 mins).
The Crusaders pair Owen Franks ($6.0m) and Joe Moody ($6.8m) look set to get significant game time along with Ofa Tu’ungafasi who was one of the few players to start every game for the All Blacks.
2017 starters
South Africa – Tendai Mtawarira (5 starts), Coenraad Ooshuizen (3 starts)
All Blacks – Ofa Tuungafasi (6 starts), Nepo Laulala (5 starts)
Wallabies – Scott Sio (6 starts), Sekope Kepu (4 starts)
Argentina – Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Enrique Pieretto Heilan
Hookers
The premiere ‘buy’ will be Malcolm Marx ($6.5m) who is an undoubted freak of nature likely to rack up points across the board in positional categories (scrummaging and lineouts) but also attacking stats like tries and clean breaks.
Marx is the perfect hooker for a Rugby Championship Fantasy team and should be the cornerstone of your front row. Only injury could de-rail this pick.
The Sharks Akker van der Merwe ($4.3m) is the kind of player you want to keep in reserves as Marx insurance. He won’t see much game time unless Marx goes down, but if he does van der Merwe will end up a very valuable pick.
With Dane Coles ($6.5m) still recovering from a long-term injury, he is a risky buy. Codie Taylor ($6.2m) should be your pick if you want an All Black hooker.
Last year’s Wallaby hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau started four games but spent two behind the now-retired Stephen Moore. He looms as the primary option for Cheika but with the emergence of Brendon Paenga-Amosa, the Wallabies situation is unclear and worth staying away from until teams are named.
Argentina’s captain Agustin Creevy is sure to be a reliable option but with Marx available, you couldn’t pass on him for Creevy.
2017 Starters
South Africa – Malcolm Marx (6 starts)
All Blacks – Dane Coles (5 starts), Codie Taylor (1 start)
Wallabies – Tatafu Polota-Nau (4 starts), Stephen Moore (2 starts)
Argentina – Agustin Creevy (6 starts)
Locks
Sam Whitelock ($7.1m) is coming off a tremendous season with the Crusaders but Brodie Retallick ($6.8m) is a cheaper option who may provide more value. Retallick proved more in attack with more offloading and tackle busts whilst Whitelock hammered out 33% more tackles in defence.
Retallick also proved to be a more frequent lineout target in last year’s Rugby Championship. Both are quality players, but Retallick gives more bang for your buck here. The All Blacks will rest both at some stage, with Scott Barrett to benefit with a couple of starts. You will need to keep another starting lock in reserves to prepare for that.
With Eben Etzebeth ($7.1m) supposedly making a return to the Springbok fold, you can’t go past him. The South African is central to the lineout and is sure to receive a heap of carries off 9. He won’t be cheap but will provide consistent performances throughout the tournament.
If you need to save cap room, opt for the cheaper Argentinian pair of Guido Petti or Matias Alemanno.
2017 Starters
South Africa – Eben Etzebeth (6 starts), Franco Mostert (4 starts), Lodewyk De jager (1 start), Pieter-Steph du Toit (2 starts)
All Blacks – Brodie Reallick (4 starts), Sam Whitelock (4 starts), Scott Barrett (2 starts), Luke Romano (2 starts)
Wallabies – Adam Coleman (5 starts), Rory Arnold (3 starts), Izack Rodda (2 starts), Rob Simmons (2 starts)
Argentina – Guido Petti (4 starts), Matias Alemanno (4 starts), Tomas Lavanini (3 starts), Marcos Kremer (1 start)
Flankers
Big names in the flanker department could well deliver small fantasy rugby performances. Michael Hooper ($8m) and David Pocock ($8.5m) will give you consistent starts but won’t score as many fantasy points as some of the other available flankers. Siya Kolisi ($7.0m) is also overpriced and should be avoided.
The best strategy is to target dynamic flankers that possess X-factor in attack, and keep a rotating stable of loosies. Pick these guys up when they get a start – Ardie Savea ($6.4m), Shannon Frizell ($5.5m) and Jean Luc Du Preez ($5m).
Frizell and Du Preez, in particular, could end up being the buys of the season if they get at least 3-4 starts. With only Warren Whiteley as a specialist Number 8 in the Springbok squad, and Duane Vermuelen unavailable, Du Preez could potentially spend time at the back of the scrum.
If you can’t find a dynamic flanker starting, Pocock and Sam Cane ($6.8m) will offer reliable performances.
Pablo Matera ($6.3m) is an undervalued pickup for someone who started all 6 games for the Pumas last year and can anchor your second row. He ended up sixth in carries, fifth in offloads and fourth in tackles in the tournament last year and is a high value buy. Javier Desio if starting is a big part of the Pumas lineout, and could be a versatile flanker option if in the lineup.
2017 Starters
South Africa – Siya Kolisi (6 starts), Jean-Luc Du Preez (1 start), Francois Louw (2 starts)
New Zealand – Sam Cane (4 starts), Liam Squire (4 starts), Ardie Savea (1 start), Matt Todd (1 start), Vaea Fifita (2 starts)
Australia – Michael Hooper (6 starts), Jack Dempsey (2 starts), Ned Hanigan (4 starts), Sean McMahon (6 starts)
Argentina – Pablo Matera (6 starts), Javier Desio (3 starts), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (3 starts)
Number 8
Kieran Read ($8m) is a big money spend like Malcolm Marx, is a must-have.
The All Blacks captain is strong in every area of the game as well as being the All Blacks most targeted lineout jumper last season by some margin. If he can stay fit and play all six games again, he will be well worth shelling out for.
The Wallabies double-openside arrangement in the back row makes looking for an Australian Number 8 a bad option. Caleb Timu is listed as a flanker, while available options Lukhan Tui and Pete Samu may only spend time on the bench. If Samu gets a start, he could be a valuable quick flip for one week.
If you can’t afford Read, your only other option is Warren Whiteley ($7.0m) or newcomer Rodrigo Bruni ($5.3m) for a regular starter.
2017 Starters
South Africa – Uzair Cassiem (5 starts)
New Zealand – Kieran Read (6 starts)
Australia – Sean McMahon (6 starts)
Argentina – Tomas Lezana (5 starts), Benjamin Macone (1 start), Leonardo Senatore (1 start), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (2 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
AI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
58 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to comments