The Rugby Magazine Fantasy Game 2021/22

[switchskier]

Care over Quirke is a frustration. Was so close to going the other way. Have relegated Lloyd out if the 23 so you should probably start him, especially as I think he'll score better from fullback.

[Peej]

Of my three 9s I stated the one that scored the least. Genge had a quiet game when I needed a big score. Now that the Lions etc are back in the mix, the difference in quality is becoming more and more obvious

[Scrumhead]

Agreed - although with the AIs round the corner, I’m hesitant to invest too heavily in likely test players. As it stands, I have 10 who could conceivably get called-up for their countries which is over a third of my current squad!

Had a good week though and up to a season high of 23. Just need to keep that going now.

[Shiny]

That’s this week written off then. More red dots than an explosion in a paint ball pellet factory. My top 5 scorers all rested and my starting props are both on the benched by their clubs. Funny old game innit?

[Peej]

Actually not been too badly affected this week. I sold two big name duds, brought in four players, and have money in the bank. Nearly went for the 20 point hit on Simmonds but decided this close to the Autumn it might just not be worth it.

[Scrumhead]

I’m fine this week. It’s next week that will be the killer.

I know I’ll be going in to it with a minimum of 9 players missing (internationals + Falcons on a bye week), which isn’t a good starting point with a squad of 29.

If selection goes my way, I might be OK. If not, it could be a bad week on the horizon so I’m trying to make hay this week to compensate …

[Scrumhead]

Anyone with Saints backs absolutely laughing tonight. I have 0 Saints in my squad and both my Worcester players (Heinz and Lawrence) dropped out late on so I had no skin in tonight’s game.

Selection forced my hand a bit but I’m heavily reliant on Quins, Tigers and Saracens this weekend.

[Peej]

I had two Saints players, who seemed to barely touch the ball and must have been decoys.

Overhauled by a few big scores this week. In the strange position of wanting Sarries to bury my team today so that my score gets anywhere near being respectable

[Tigersman]

On 434 this week with Malins and Earl to play

[Peej]

I have Dom Morris but he so far seems determined to not touch the ball

[Peej]

Ah now he's getting his hands on it. And instantly dropping it

[Scrumhead]

Had a good week and up to 20th as it stands (might change when the scores turn blue) but so frustrated I didn’t have the cojones to pick Malins as captain. Went for Simmonds as the ‘safe’ option and he put in the worst 80mins I can remember him having (from a fantasy POV anyway).

[Peej]

Absolutely savaged this week!

[Shiny]

Initial 506 points this week. I love international windows.

[Scrumhead]

Nice. 518pts for me ATM which will be my best week so far this season but I’ll wait until the points settle before I celebrate.

[Peej]

Phenomenal, well done gents. I have had a shocker. Even took a 20 point hit to bring in Luke James thinking that Sale outside backs would score big. They did not. Even Orghre as captain couldn't save me

[Scrumhead]

I think everyone was surprised by the Worcester vs. Sale result. Oghre as captain was an inspired choice though.

[Peej]

Inspired choice or blind luck? My form suggests the latter, however much I might claim the former!

[Scrumhead]

Lost 16pts over night so scored 502pts for the second week running. I’ll need to keep that up to make any ground on the leaders. The guy in first is 177pts ahead of me which is going to be hard to overhaul.

[Puja]

I had 8 players still to play this weekend and was hoping for some big scores to help my round out. It's only been 35 minutes of the match and already 3 of them have gone off injured and another two have been checked over very carefully by the physios before limping on.

Puja

[Peej]

Think that was my highest score of the season but still couldn't hit 500. Closed some gaps though.

[Scrumhead]

I’m on 510 ATM which would be my best week of the season.

I shouldn’t complain, but so frustrating when it could have been a lot better.

My plan this round was to sign a prop and a hooker - either Hoskins and Dolly or Hislop and Thacker. I went with the latter combination which (at the point of writing this) has 31 points vs. the 80 scored by the other pair …

I chose not to go with Dolly on the basis of the bye week for Tigers next round which TBH, wasn’t a good enough reason.

Then I picked Thacker to start on the week my other two hookers, McGuigan and Oghre had stellar scores. 12 points vs. 40+ for the other two was definitely sub optimal.

Add to that Fifita picking the week I made him captain to have a quiet one rounded off a frustratingly inept week of bad decisions.

[Peej]

And yet all ending up on 510 after that isn't bad!

[Scrumhead]

Dropped to 501pts, but rose to 15th overall. I’ll take that but he gap at the top keeps getting bigger. I feel like those people are immune to making mistakes!

[Peej]

487 points, but still only enough to rise two places in our league. I'm 500 points behind you!

I'd have cleared 500 this week had Dingwall not dropped out late, I think. Swapped in Luke James, who was benched, but he still only got 0. Then I had three bench players and a gap on my bench too.