Round 2 looks to deliver some exciting matchups. Have you got your team sorted?
Every Friday, The Rugby Locker gives you 4 last minute profiles to help you make those hard selection decisions. These four players are identified as players who have the ability to top score the fantasy round, but who also sometimes ‘drop the ball over the fantasy points line.’ So while they bring more risk, this round might also bring their highest return…
The Gold Pick
Stephen Moore
Our recent article profiled the key hookers in The Rugby Championship and Moore is definitely one of them. Moore was the leading fantasy point scorer in the recent Foxtel Super Rugby Fantasy competition – an impressive performance considering he didn’t score 1 try all season and other forwards scored up to 9. Moore does a lot of work around the paddock, averaging 10 tackles and 8 runs a game in Super Rugby this year.
The Silver Pick
Quade Cooper
Cooper makes his much anticipated return to international rugby and to Eden Park. The All Blacks players aren’t the only one’s who’ll be targeting him, with the New Zealand fans sure to make his job hard as well. Last week each flyhalf from the teams scored comparably well in the inside centre position, and Quade should do the same. Cooper will spark the Australian backline and provided he remains pretty error free, should get some consistent fantasy points. It’s a risky pick to a degree because the very nature of Cooper is unpredictable, but that’s what this article is all about…and that’s why he’s our silver pick.
The Bronze Pick
Ben Alexander
Ben Alexander finds himself in the Wallabies starting side this week after Sekope Kepu was ruled out with a knee injury. Alexander has always been a consistent fantasy performer due to his hard working attitude. He made both more tackles per minute and more runs per minute in the Super 15 than any other prop competing in the Rugby Championship. He also has a happy knack for scoring a try and is likely to play 80m…presumably coach Robbie Deans sees James Slipper as a loosehead, otherwise he would have replaced the injured Kepu at tighthead in the starting line up.
The Nose Pick
Francois Steyn
Steyn was undercooked last week in fantasy points, but it’s only a matter of time before he racks up some serious points. He features this week in our Nose Pick section, because it could be his week for some big returns. See why we think Frans Steyn should be in your team.
On a side note…
Here is a list of the best value for money players from Round 1 (points/price).
- T. Leonardi – 0.267
- M. Coetzee – 0.236
- A. Strauss – 0.191
- S. Timani – 0.184
- E. Guinazu – 0.183
- G. Camacho – 0.171
- P. Albacete – 0.147
- E. Etzebeth – 0.145
- M.Steyn – 0.143
- Z. Kirchner – 0.140
Good luck in Round 2!
