The Rugby Magazine Fantasy Game 2021/22

[Scrumhead]

The new season is up and running at: https://therugbymagazine.com/fantasy/launcher

I say the same every year, but it really is the best fantasy game out there and provides lots of talking points for us here too. If you haven’t played before. 50% percent of the proceeds from the game go to Restart Rugby - all the more reason to give it a go!

A couple of tweaks for this season:

- Budget reduced to £6m to mirror reality (player pricing adjusted too)
- Tighter control on positions - no more playing Dombrandt at lock …

The Rugby Rebels league will be up and running as usual. See you there!

[Puja]

I say the same every year, but it really is the best fantasy game out there and provides lots of talking points for us here too. If you haven’t played before. 50% percent of the proceeds from the game go to Restart Rugby - all the more reason to give it a go!

Seconded. For anyone thinking of playing, it is free to join in* and really good fun - rather than the usual fantasy games where points are only scored for tries and penalties (and you just have to guess who's going to be on the end of moves), this one uses OPTA stats to score points for things like tackles, metres made, clean breaks, turnovers, etc, so it really is a challenge to see who knows their rugby onions. Be great to see a few more of the opinionated people on here give it a go!

The Pujover Tries is now signed up again. The tightening up on the player positions is going to be a massive difference and it's going to be harder to keep big names with the need for a larger squad and a smaller cap. Hopefully that'll drive some more variation amongst the teams.

Puja


*Although if you have a spare £10, the premium membership is very worthwhile. Gives you access to all the OPTA stats, as well as making it easier to pick your team by telling you who is and isn't playing that weekend.

[Scrumhead]

The Pujover Tries is now signed up again. The tightening up on the player positions is going to be a massive difference and it's going to be harder to keep big names with the need for a larger squad and a smaller cap. Hopefully that'll drive some more variation amongst the teams.

Yep. This was the intention. The teams were getting too similar and I used Dombrandt as an example he was often being picked at lock (including by me) despite never having played there in his pro career. There are lots of similar examples - we might all think Simmonds is really a flanker/centre in disguise but I don’t think he has ever played on the flanks for Exeter. Certainly not recently anyway.

Tightening it up means you have to choose Dombrandt or Simmonds rather than the easy option of picking both.

*Although if you have a spare £10, the premium membership is very worthwhile. Gives you access to all the OPTA stats, as well as making it easier to pick your team by telling you who is and isn't playing that weekend.

The upgrade works out at less the 50p per round and with half of it going directly to a players’ charity, it’s a small gesture to support this game and rugby in general.

[Puja]

The Pujover Tries is now signed up again. The tightening up on the player positions is going to be a massive difference and it's going to be harder to keep big names with the need for a larger squad and a smaller cap. Hopefully that'll drive some more variation amongst the teams.

Yep. This was the intention. The teams were getting too similar and I used Dombrandt as an example he was often being picked at lock (including by me) despite never having played there in his pro career. There are lots of similar examples - we might all think Simmonds is really a flanker/centre in disguise but I don’t think he has ever played on the flanks for Exeter. Certainly not recently anyway.

Tightening it up means you have to choose Dombrandt or Simmonds rather than the easy option of picking both.

Very much in favour. Although my main wish for the game is for the price changes to be more dynamic - it's great to have picked an underrated player for £150k and be chortling when he's doing well, slightly less so when the rest of the league piles in at £160k. The prices should go up and down more significantly, to my mind.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Agreed. I think Ed has written something like that in to the code.

[Shiny]

Oooohhhhhhh. I’m in. Should be an interesting season with the new changes they have added along with the lions players probably unavailable until after the autumn internationals. To anyone thinking of joining I say go for it, don’t worry about not doing very well, that’s my job. I also recommend the extra £10 for the extra features.

[FKAS]

Yeah why not though I will forget to update my team regularly.

Bye weeks are going to make squad planning particularly interesting.

What's the code for the Rugby Rebels League?

[Scrumhead]

Don’t worry, we won’t let you forget.

Links as follows: https://therugbymagazine.com/fantasy/pr ... ac3e187845

Unique token: 79ac3e187845

[FKAS]

Thanks.

[Puja]

Bye weeks are going to make squad planning particularly interesting.

Oh shit, I hadn't even considered that. That *is* going to make life very much more difficult to plan around. Could be that you need a big enough squad that it's just not possible to keep a big hitter like Simmonds in your team anymore.

Puja

[FKAS]

Bye weeks are going to make squad planning particularly interesting.

Oh shit, I hadn't even considered that. That *is* going to make life very much more difficult to plan around. Could be that you need a big enough squad that it's just not possible to keep a big hitter like Simmonds in your team anymore.

Puja

Ha yeah I created the provisional squad with a couple of Waspies in and then realised they'd be no use for week 1. I've diversified the squad so that I'm not reliant on anyone side otherwise on their bye week you're left without a full squad.

[Scrumhead]

Yeah. It’s definitely not to add a big element of additional difficulty.

It depends on squad size, but if you have a small squad of 28 and 5/6 of players from any one club side, you’re potentially starting down the barrel of not being able to put out a 23. On the other hand, we’ve probably all been in the annoying situation of selling a player we wanted to keep to make a couple of signings that then only add about 10 points …

At least with bye weeks, we know they are coming, unlike the unpredictable COVID cancellations (that will probably still happen from time to time).

[Peej]

The bye weeks will cause chaos. I'm finding it really hard to build a squad. Have taken the decision that it's basically pointless having Lions or England players

[switchskier]

It is definitely harder this year to put a decent squad together. What are the rules on returning lions players? Will I regret not getting Simmonds and stashing him for s few weeks? Does it apply to Smith who didn't really play?

[Peej]

My understanding is that it applies to all players, regardless of how much they played (cue Sarries finding a loophole), which means none of them should play until Round 4. After that it's Europe, then internationals, and so there will also be EPS rest periods etc.

[Scrumhead]

Yep. I’m employing my usual tactic of mostly ignoring the test players. Even more so this season.

It remains to be seen whether Smith (likely) and Sam Simmonds (unlikely IMO) are away with England but I don’t think it’s worth buying any expensive players who can’t earn you any points until round 4 at the earliest - particularly considering there are bye weeks to contend with.

If Simmonds continues to be out of favour with England I’ll definitely be buying him though.

[Scrumhead]

Don’t forget to pick your squads tomorrow! Best of luck and may the best side win.

[Puja]

Best of luck and may the best side win.

Thank you; I shall.

Already had to change a chunk of my squad cause Bristol and Saracens have picked the wrong players. Good signs...

Puja

[Scrumhead]

I think that goes for most people.

I think I’m pretty there, but I dare say I will be frantically making changes at 7.40 tomorrow night.

[Magic_sponge]

Just picked my team, first time doing it. I'm sure I'll make all the first-timer mistakes, but had fun picking it if nothing else!

Massively impressed with how well it's put together!

[Scrumhead]

Yep. Very slick site/app.

I honestly think it’s the best fantasy platform I’ve seen for any sport. Shame no-one at Premiership Rugby seems interested in licensing it.

[Puja]

Just picked my team, first time doing it. I'm sure I'll make all the first-timer mistakes, but had fun picking it if nothing else!

Massively impressed with how well it's put together!

New blood! What's your team name?

Puja

[Magic_sponge]

"Red Zone Deficiency"... Creativity not necessarily my strong point!

[Peej]

Their page has crashed - lots of people making changes havign got pre season calls wrong!

[Shiny]

Their page has crashed - lots of people making changes having got pre season calls wrong!

Yup, that was me, my bad. The tightening of positions has played havoc with my plan for second and back row now I have seen the teams announced.