News

Autumn Nations Series Fantasy: Round 3 preview

RiekoIoaneSB20221920
Everything is still to play for heading into Round 3 of Autumn Nations Series Fantasy Rugby.

Everything is still to play for heading into Round 3 of Autumn Nations Series Fantasy Rugby.

BenJ31 tops the general standings with 1619.9 points, having usurped KOOM into first position after a stellar Round 2.

Behind the two front-runners sits Tom who rocketed up from 19th into third after last weekend.

But it could all change with six cracking games on Saturday and Sunday and plenty of points to be won.

STAR QUALITY

Rieko Ioane is the dearest option available to Fantasy managers, wiping out 18.1 from your 270-star budget.

But the outside centre has picked up an average of 36.1 points and could face his toughest challenge yet when the All Blacks visit Twickenham on Saturday evening.

Fellow countryman Ardie Savea is the third most expensive, setting you back 17.7 stars, but his average of 61.3 points is up there with the best performers so far.

Johnny Sexton, Gregory Alldritt and Stuart Hogg make up the rest of the top five priciest players, but you’ll find none of them in the top 50 average points-getters.

TOP TARGETS

Fantasy managers have been paying close attention to this weekend’s fixtures, with Wales and Ireland players making up four of the top five most selected in the last 48 hours.

Louis Rees-Zammit and teammate Josh Adams are one and two respectively, as Georgia travel to Cardiff looking for their first ever win over the Welsh.

Below the aforementioned Ioane are Ireland forwards Tadhg Beirne and Josh van der Flier who line up against Australia who haven’t won in Dublin for nine years.

FLASH IN THE PAN?

The four players with the highest average points have all played just one match.

Italian star Ange Capuozzo racked up a stunning 85-point haul against Australia, thanks to two tries, 80 metres carried and three line-breaks.

But will the 23-year-old have the same impact against South Africa on Saturday?

Aaron Smith is back in Ian Foster’s starting XV for their trip to Twickenham and the scrum-half is third with 73.7 points from the fine 55-23 win over Wales

Mark Telea didn’t feature in that Round 1 victory but keeps his place after a storming debut against Scotland that won him a total just shy of Capuozzo’s tally – 84.8.

But Nick Timoney won’t add to his 67.8 points he earned against Fiji, after the loose forward missed out on Andy Farrell’s 23-player squad for the visit of Australia.

UNBELIEVABLE BARGAINS

Emiliano Boffelli is the fourth most dropped player in Autumn Nations Series Fantasy Rugby in the last 48 hours, even though his price has dropped from 15.4 to 13.8.

Argentina’s kicker won’t have it easy against Scotland on Saturday, but if he is allowed chances from tee, expect him to take full advantage.

Meanwhile, Mack Hansen’s value has gone in the opposite direction to Boffelli’s, from 10.9 to 13.3.

But given the Ireland winger has an average of 57.4 points from wins over South Africa and France, bringing him in for the match against his country of birth is a no brainer.

SPRINGBOK SUPERSUB?

If your Supersub makes it onto the pitch, their points are tripled and South African lock Eben Etzebeth might be the perfect choice.

The Sharks forward is sure to come on for the Springboks’ clash with Italy in Genoa, and his 31.9 points average is the third best amongst his teammates.

No South African has made more tackles than Etzebeth and his 114 metres carried is the by far the most of anyone in Nienaber’s pack.