The Rugby Magazine - Fantasy Rugby

[Peej]

I'm going to be savaged this week. Only one of my backs subs is actually playing and my second row sub isn't! Call ups and injuries have ruined me. And i took an extra 20 point hit to sign an additional prop.

I didn't realise you could sign more than one player after releasing one, but it's obvious you can thinking about it. Could have made things a lot easier!

Oh well, there's always next week.....

[Puja]

If it makes everyone feel better, I not only paid 20 points to bring in Nick Tompkins, but then made him captain as well on the basis that Sarries would thump Glaws. 14 points and yes, that is including the doubling.

Puja

[Raggs]

Congrats to whoever selected Brits as captain, very smart choice. I took a gamble on making Gopperth kicker and captain, but I could easily see him not doing that well.

[Stom]

Congrats to whoever selected Brits as captain, very smart choice. I took a gamble on making Gopperth kicker and captain, but I could easily see him not doing that well.

When Brits plays and Simmonds doesn't, he's captain. Such a quality player, even at 36!

[Scrumhead]

Yeah. It’s actually a real shame this is his last season. As much as a dislike Saracens, I always enjoy watching Brits play. Tolofua will be a handy replacement for them though.

I’ve gambled on Veainu as captain this week. Sale have been leaking a few tries and I fancy him to have a good game.

For similar reasons, logic told me to select Woodburn as captain in almost certain knowledge that Quins will ship a few tries at Sandy Park, but I just couldn’t do it!!!

[Stom]

I expect Exe will score more points closer in. Waldrom will score for sure. And I picked Lees as I think he's the kind we'll struggle with, especially with Matthews playing.

We'll also struggle in defence at 9 with 2 complete newcomers...

[bitts]

If it makes everyone feel better, I not only paid 20 points to bring in Nick Tompkins, but then made him captain as well on the basis that Sarries would thump Glaws. 14 points and yes, that is including the doubling.

Puja

Made the same mistake of picking him, thankfully didn't make him captain.

Britz was going to be my captain until I suddenly decided Mercer against LI would be a better choice, which i may come to regret.

Isekwe's last-minute promotion was a rare example of last-minute promotions working in my favour, as he was on my bench.

[Scrumhead]

I expect Exe will score more points closer in. Waldrom will score for sure. And I picked Lees as I think he's the kind we'll struggle with, especially with Matthews playing.

We'll also struggle in defence at 9 with 2 complete newcomers...

You could be right there, but I’d say we’ve conceded a lot more tries out wide than closer in so far this season. Also, Matthews has been genuinely good recently (which I never thought I’d say!).

The situation at 9 could be a challenge, but at least Kitto is not a complete newbie as far as the AP is concerned.

[Bloggs]

If it makes everyone feel better, I not only paid 20 points to bring in Nick Tompkins, but then made him captain as well on the basis that Sarries would thump Glaws. 14 points and yes, that is including the doubling.

Puja

I feel like I’ve been 6th since week 2, slowly catching you!

[Scrumhead]

Hmm - mixed bag for me this week. The scores aren’t settled yet but a few good scores will be offset by two last minute drop out 0s and Trinder and Collins scoring so poorly.

[Raggs]

Marchant dropping out hurt me, but as the numbers stand, I'm ranked number 1 in gameweek 8, so I guess I can't complain!

[fivepointer]

Heem getting a hat trick and Hill with 2 today is good news. Top 20 here i come.

[Scrumhead]

I'm hoping this is where my less glamorous squad comes in to its own. Only one of the players in my 23 is on the bench (Genge) but he normally picks up more points than a lot of starters anyway!

The only thing that may scupper me slightly is that the fixture list isn't particularly kind to my squad. Ideally, the majority of my squad would have been playing the weaker sides at home, but it hasn't really panned-out like that.

My second squad which has a lot more star names has been hit pretty hard though. I let go of two players including Liam Williams and had to sign 4 players to get a 23 out. Part of me wonders whether the cheaper players I picked up (Skinner, Thorley and Adams) will justify me spending the extra points. I had a real dilemma with signing a 10, so I went for Steenson as a solid option I thought would kick me a few goals at the very least.

My second squad out scored my first one again - partially as Adams and Thorley really cam through for me.

My first squad always seems to get fuc%ed over by multiple last minute drop outs. I had 3 this week!!!

[bitts]

If it makes everyone feel better, I not only paid 20 points to bring in Nick Tompkins, but then made him captain as well on the basis that Sarries would thump Glaws. 14 points and yes, that is including the doubling.

Puja

Britz was going to be my captain until I suddenly decided Mercer against LI would be a better choice, which i may come to regret.
.

Yep, turns out that was an error. If I'd gone with Britz id have gained on the leaders rather than just held where I was.

[Stom]

Solomona dropped out. I thought it would be good to pick Horne. I picked Lees over Hill...

Not a good week for me, again, despite Brits. I'm not able to gain on anyone, how do people get their picks right so much? I've never been good at fantasy sports, and I don't know what I do wrong, except luck. I even said most of Exe's tries against Quins would be scored by the forwards! I just picked the wrong bloody one!

[Scrumhead]

To be honest, I think a lot of it is picking the right squad in the first place. It’s not a coincidence that my second squad out-performs my first one every week.

That said, my first squad always seems to get the last minute drop outs or the single digit performances. This week, I had Marchant and Barrow no-show, Trinder, Solomona and Collins score really poorly and Veainu choosing the week I make him captain to do nothing!

[Raggs]

Oof, the last minute calculations bumped me down a fair bit .

[Scrumhead]

We despite not entering my second side until Round 4, it’s already ahead of my first side and would be 7th in our league!

[Peej]

Actually that wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be, despite only 12 of my starting 15 actually playing, and 3 of my bench not featuring. Fairly careless from me, but incredibly I've not dropped down the standings.

[Raggs]

I'm screwed this week...

[Raggs]

Sold a sicknote, bought in 3 new players in his place, still have benches and one empty spot on my bench.

[Puja]

My bench is half benched players, but I've not had to pay a transfer fine this week and have a team full of starters, so that's something.

Mind, I've had to asset strip my team of half the big stars the last few weeks so I could sell one and buy 3-4. Slade, Itoje, Hughes - all gone in the name of buying in bulk. Not sure what quality I'll have left once it's all settled down!

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Mine’s not too bad. I don’t have a starting 9 and I have a non-playing prop on the bench but apart from that, I’ve got a decent side out.

I was tempted to draft in Ross Harrison as he’s a reliable points-scoring prop, but I want to save my money as I’m planning on making a more expensive signing once I’ve released another player. No point in dropping 20pts to do it now when the players I’m interested in won’t be playing this weekend anyway.

I went through the same ‘asset stripping’ exercise as Puja with my second side and the players I bought did really well.

[bitts]

Dumped twenty points to bring in Gopperth, so could do with a big game from him.

Like others ive got a bench full of bench players, so it's not going to be a stroller week without some luck.

[Raggs]

I'm hoping Wade get's a few, not sure if he's the best bet for captain or Gopps with kicking.