Super Fantasy Rugger
With Super Rugby kicking off today, we’ve launched our very own Fantasy league. You can set up your own competition with friends, or join the public leagues, where we’ll be giving away spot prizes during the season. You can join at any time as we’ll be running both overall and weekly leagues. Sign up free at Fantasy Rugger.
The game has real time stats and facts on every player in Super Rugby & we’ll be writing up summaries each week giving you an insight into the top performers. Here are a few suggestions from our contributor Christopher Duffy:
Outside Back
The vast number of potent attacking threats across the Super Rugby competition makes this position extremely difficult to choose. The Kiwi sides are renowned for their lethal finishing on the wings and it is tough to look past the Chiefs, Damien McKenzie. He topped the stats in 2016 Super Rugby season for clean breaks, defenders beaten, metres gained, and carries alongside 3rd place ranking for tries scored. Likely to be popular, he should still be well worth a place in the squad.
Centre
The Queensland Reds failed to find any form last season but the same cannot be said for some of their players. In a side that was struggling for consistency and form, Samu Kerevi stood out as an exceptional player. Despite the Reds failings, he managed to clock up some impressive statistics with 62 defenders beaten and 988 metres gained. All of this outside a pack that was struggling for momentum and a back line without leadership. Imagine what Kerevi can achieve this year playing on the shoulder of Quade Cooper and a forward pack marshalled by Stephen Moore and George Smith.
Flyhalf
Reliable goal kicker or try scoring machine? It’s hard to decide what to have in place at flyhalf. Thankfully the Barrett family of New Zealand created a rugby player capable of being precisely both of those things. If Beauden Barrett can continue the sensational form that saw the Hurricanes claim the title last season, then he will be a vital part of any team. Not to mention he was the top point score of 2016 with 223 points.
Scrumhalf
Looking around the competition, there are plenty of exceptional scrumhalves on show. One that may go under the radar due to injury is Martin Landajo. The Argentine 9 epitomises all that was great about the Jaguares in their opening season. He orchestrates their fast paced, free flowing game and is not shy when getting involved in the attack. Expect him to back all guns blazing in a few weeks once he recovers from injury.
Back Row
Ardie Savea would barge his way into most back rows, especially on the back of his performances last season. The Hurricanes flanker topped the tackling stats making a massive 205 tackles on his way to securing the Super Rugby trophy. Coupled with his attacking threat, Savea will once again be thrusting his name into the selection pot for the All Blacks this year. With it being a Lions Tour year, expect many of the Kiwis to be working harder to wear the New Zealand jersey in June.
Second Row
South Africa seems to have a production line of imposing second row players capable of dominating line outs and destroying opposition scrums. Pieter-Steph Du Toit will be joining his Springbok teammate Eben Etzebeth in the Stormers side. Either of these man mountains would be a worthy pick, but Du Toit edges it as he has a major point to prove that he can be consistently as good as Etzebeth. His line out presence (3rd highest takes in 2016) is a vital cog in his development.
Hooker
Purely because he can’t be chosen in the outside backs, Dane Coles must be selected at hooker. Coles has revolutionised the position of hooker as he has pieced together the two composites that fans and coaches looked for. A strong set piece and a presence around the field. Coles can scrum, hits his line out throws and then sprints off to make metres with ball in hand and show a touch of razzle dazzle with sidestep and passes worthy of any player.
Prop
Best to make use of this prop before he boards the plane for France. Charlie Faumuina will compete in this Super Rugby season before heading off to the Top 14 and Toulouse. This devastating All Black can play both sides of the scrum, hits hard and makes metres. He will be a huge loss the Blues so utilise whilst he’s still a part of Super Rugby.
Hopefully this gives you some more ideas on selection for Super Rugby 2017 Fantasy Rugger. Follow us throughout the season for more tips on who to pick and see if you can beat my team.
Statistics courtesy of SANZAAR Rugby
You can also catch every single Super Rugby game this season live on RugbyPass.com across selected
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments