FANTASY SUPER RUGBY 2019 – ROUND 9 IN REVIEW

Sorry beloved readers - had a big week before the long weekend that has just been and didn't get around to posting the Fantasy Super Rugby Round 9 review. I am still posting it a week later because a) I am thorough I had already written half of it and mainly b) because it will irritate me to no end when scrolling through the articles to see the gap between round 8 and 10!!! There were some great games in round 9 and some massive fantasy news for managers (Israel Folau & Damian McKenzie GONESKIS!).

So all be it an abridged version (mainly sliced together from the notes we make to record our podcast) here you go. The Fantasy Super Rugby ROUND 10 review to follow tomorrow.

PLAYERS IN FOCUS

Our three players in focus for Fantasy Super Rugby 2019 round 9 were a man who's fast becoming a household fantasy name, the Crusaders Sevu Reece with another century (108 points to be exact) making it three from four 100 point scores this year. Matias Orlando got the rub of the green in one helluva Jaguares performance, bagging himself a hatrick and 83 points. Rounding out our top three was the Chiefs dependable centre Anton Lienert-Brown who got stuck into everything as per usual but sadly will his performance in this one will be remembered by the highlight reel of Ma'a Nonu absolute steam rolling him for a crucial Blues try. The Chiefs ended up with the win however and Anton came away with 82 fantasy points.

Sevu Reece was the fantasy man of the round outdoing his previous best of 106 with 108 points in round 9. He made 8 runs for 108 meters, 5 LINE BREAKS!! (25 points!!), 9 Tackle Busts!!! (27 points!!), 2 offloads, 1 try, 1 try assist, 3 turnovers won & 5 tackles.

Matias Orlando brought home the bacon for fantasy managers this week with 83 points! This was from 9 runs, 2 line breaks, 3 tackle busts, 2 offloads, 12/15 tackles, let's not forget the 3 tries and he also won a turnover.

Anton Lienert-Brown fantasy super rugby season continues to roll on as expected! he scored 82 points from 9 runs, 2 line breaks, 7 tackle busts, 5 offloads, 13/15 tackles, 1 try assist and won a turnover.

SUPER RUGBY TEAM FANTASY SCORES

See how your fantasy team compared against the Super Rugby teams themselves.

TEAM STARTING XV FULL TEAM (23) Blues 528 630 Chiefs 527 622 Crusaders 580 656 Highlanders 398 461 Hurricanes BYE BYE Brumbies 514 565 Rebels 377 469 Reds 344 431 Waratahs BYE BYE Sunwolves BYE BYE Bulls 634 702 Lions 382 497 Sharks 381 466 Stormers 454 539 Jaguares 486 540

ROUND 9 FIXTURES

BYES: Hurricanes, Waratahs, Sunwolves

Crusaders 43 - 17 Highlanders, Christchurch

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• Ben Smiths 150th Super Rugby cap - Bender looked as spritely as a 20 year old out there and the man could do no wrong in this one. Bagged himself a try in another performance to remember.

• Highlanders dominated first 25 mins!

• Crusaders got away with murder, penalties and missed calls at crucial times!!

• In the end the men from Christchurch just too good.

Team Stats: Possession & Territory went the way of the Crusaders in the first half & Highlanders in the second. Carries: 121 - 114 Run Metres: 492 - 371 Line Breaks 22 - 10 Missed Tackles: 28 - 36 Offloads: 19 - 9 Penalties conceded: 18 - 6 (Crusaders got away with murder!)

Fantasy Stats: FMOM: Sevu Reece (108 pts) - 8 runs for 108m, 5 LB, 9 TB, 2 O, 1 T, 1 TA, 3 Turnovers won, 5 Tackles Richie Mo'Unga (74 pts) - 10 runs, 2 LB, 7 TB, 4 Offloads! 8/10 tackles Ben Smith (61 pts) - 11 runs, 3 LB, 9 TB, 1 T David Havili (59 pts) - 11 runs, 3 LB, 5 TB, 1 O, 1 T, 1 TA Braydon Ennor (55 pts) - 11 runs, 2 LB, 2 TB, 2 O, 1 T, 1 TA Elliot Dixon (49 pts) & Josh Ioane (45 pts)

Rebels 24 - 41 Stormers, Melbourne

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• Stormers defense was beastmode!

• Rebels couldn't finish off the back of long phases of attack. Semisi Tupou butchering two try scoring opportunities.

• Stormers took their opportunities, played with great line speed and counter attack was on point.

Team Stats: Possession: 68% - 32% Time in opp Half: 74% - 26% Carries: 154 - 70 Line Breaks: 8 - 13 Run Metres: 369 - 449 Missed Tackles: 33 - 22

Fantasy Stats: FMOM: Dillyn Leyds (68 pts) - 8 runs, 3 LB, 8 TB, 1 O, 1 T, 1 TA Isi Naisarani (63 pts) - 20 runs, 3 TB, 2 O Will Genia (63 pts) - 13 runs, 1 LB, 3 TB, 1 T Ruhan Nel (57 pts) - 6 runs for over 110m, 4 LB!! 3 TB, 2 T Bongi Mbonambi (49 pts) & DDA (47 pts)

Chiefs 33 - 29 Blues, Waikato

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• Similar story to the Rebels vs Stormers, Blues couldn't finish and the Chiefs took their opportunities and capitalized on the limited possession they had.

• Play of the game was an insane Sean Wainui piece of skill, picked up the ball with a juggle kick at pace to break the line and put Lachlan Boshier in for a try.

Team Stats: 37% - 63% possession The pace of the entire game was insane - it honestly felt like they were playing 7s! 27 offloads! 18 by the Chiefs, 9 by the blues 22 TB to 38 17 - 12 TB Run metres: 374 - 619!!

Fantasy Stats: FMOM: Anton Lienert-Brown (82 pts - 9 runs, 2 LB, 7 TB, 5O, 13 tackles) CHIEFS: Lachlan Boshier (59pts) BLUES: Melani Nanai (79pts - 20 carries, 152m), Nonu 70 pts, Reiko Ioane 51pts

Brumbies 31 - 20 Lions, Canberra

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• Lions started with a fast Dyanti try in the corner

• Lions out muscled by bigger Brumbies who were playing with a bit more cohesion.

Team Stats: Run Metres was even Turnovers 6 a piece Clean breaks 8-10 Tackle Busts: Brums 41 - 30 Lions Tackle Success: Brumbies 81% - 68% Lions

Fantasy Stats: FMOM: Aphiwe Dyantyi (63 points) 1 try, 110 metres, 2 clean breaks, 5 tackle busts, 1 offload Tevita Kuridrani (60), Toni Pulu (59), Tom Banks (56), Joe Powell (51), Allan Alaalatoa (49)

Sharks 17 - 51 Jaguares, Durban

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• Domingo Miotti looked the goods in his debut start at flyhalf, kicked 7/8.

• Curwin Bosch absolute heat starting at fullback. Two tries!!

• Pablo Matera with the chip and chase for himself running in for a try.

• Matias Orlando hat trick! Winning the battle with Moroni for the starting 13 jersey?

Team Stats: Sharks lead all the stats (TB, LB, Offloads) Possession & Territory: 65% - 35% (75% - 25% First Half) Carries 141 - 85 Run Metres: 516 - 335

Fantasy Stats: FMOM: Matias Orlando (83 pts) - 9 runs, 2 LB, 3 TB, 2 Offloads, 12/15 tackles, 3 tries, 1 turnover won Pablo Matera (78 pts) - 9 runs, 3 LB, 3 TB, 1 O, 10 TCK, 2 T, 1 Turnover Curwin Bosch (76 pts) - 17 runs, 4 LB, 6 TB, 130+m, 1 O, 1 TA Emiliano Boffelli (49 pts) - 5 runs, 2 LB, 4 TB, 2 TA Tomas Lezana (43 pts) & Hyron Andrews (42 pts)

Bulls 32 - 17 Reds, Pretoria

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• Lizo Gqoboka killing it with a 52pt 3 round average.

• Hande Pollard ran straight through eighth man Scott Higginbotham for a try.

• Kerevi doing Kerevi. Carrying the reds and really the only potent attacking weapon. Two tries from him individually busting tackles and the breaking the line.

• RG Snyman an absolute weapon. First game of the 2019 season for him back from injury and perhaps played the game of his Super Rugby career. Line breaks, tackle busts and offloads at will!

Team Stats: Possession 50/50 Yet 666-229 run metres 35-18 LB21-3 Offloads 18-35 missed tackles Bulls: 9/12 - 75% lineouts and ⅗ - 60% scrums

Fantasy Stats: FMOM: RG Snyman (69pts - 12 runs, 3LB, 4TB, 3O, 5 Lineouts) Bulls: Jade Stighling (60pts), Paul Schoeman (59pts), Burger Odendaal (55), John-ben Kotze (55pts) Reds: Samu Kerevi (67pts)

PROP: Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies) - 49 points Karl Tu'inukuafe (Blues) – 49 points

HOOKER: Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers) - 49 points

LOCK: RG Snyman (Bulls) – 69 points Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Reds) – 48 points

BACK ROW: Pablo Matera (Jaguares) – 78 points Isi Naisarani (Rebels) – 63 points Lachlan Boshier (Chiefs) & Paul Schoeman (Bulls) – 59 points

SCRUMHALF: Will Genia (Rebels) – 63 points

FLYHALF: Curwin Bosch (Sharks) – 76 points Hon mention: Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders) - 74 points

CENTRES: Matias Orlando (Jaguares) – 83 points Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) – 82 points

OUTSIDE BACKS: Sevu Reece (Crusaders) – 108 points Melani Nanai (Blues) – 79 points Dillyn Leyds (Stormers) – 68 points