The latest instalment of our weekly pre-match updates where we analyse the weekend’s lineups, crunch the stats and see what the bookies are thinking to help you optimise your lineups for peak performance this weekend! By the time you finish this article you should have all the insight you need to score big fantasy points this weekend.
Potential mismatches
Like last week, Round 13 offers up some fairly tight looking matches with one stand out opportunity for big fantasy returns and that is at Welford Road where an out of form Leicester are looking to put some difficult few weeks behind them for the visit of London Irish. In the eyes of the bookies, it is the stand out fixture of Round 13 and is the only game that the bookies are offering a handicap greater than 10.
In Paddy Power’s eyes the most nailed on games this weekend with a projected winning margin greater than 10 is…
- Leicester to beat London Irish with a margin of 17 points
Elsewhere, Sale Sharks welcome Harlequins to the AJ Bell and should let home advantage tell. The in-form Exeter Chiefs head north to take on Newcastle and the bookies expect them to continue their unstoppable momentum. The remaining three matches seem too close to call with the bookies struggling to separate Worcester v Bath, Northampton v Gloucester & Wasps v Saracens.
Top 5 most likely to score (Odds via Paddy Power – 4/6 matches with odds confirmed)
- 1 Nick Malouf (Leicester) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 1.9
- 2= Ken Pisi (Northampton) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.25
- 2= Denny Solomona (Sale) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.25
- 4= Adam Thompstone (Leicester) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.29
- 4= Jason Woodward (Gloucester) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.29
- 4= David Halaifonua (Gloucester) – Anytime tryscorer odds: 2.29
Expected to go well
*Players who are starting favourably out of position (i.e. Hooker in back row, Centre on wing, etc.)
Recommended captain pick in bold
FRONT ROW
Vincent Koch (Saracens)
Rob Vickers (Newcastle)
Jack Yeandle (Exeter)
Beno Obano (Bath)
Logovi’i Mulipola (Leicester)
Mako Vunipoloa (Saracens)
Tom Dunn (Bath)
Tatafu Polota-Nau (Leicester)
LOCKS
Will Spencer (Worcester)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Matt Garvey* (Bath)
Michael Fitzgerald (Leicester)
BACK ROW
Sione Kalamafoni (Leicester)
Zach Mercer (Bath)
Mark Wilson (Newcastle)
Sam Simmonds (Exeter)
Thomas Young (Wasps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
SCRUM-HALF
Ben Youngs (Leicester)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Dan Robson (Wasps)
FLY HALF
Gareth Steenson (Exeter)
George Ford (Leicester)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
CENTRES
Ian Whitten (Exeter)
Byron McGuigan* (Sale)
Ryan Mills (Worcester)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester)
OUTSIDE BACKS
Olly Woodburn (Exeter)
Josh Adams (Worcester)
Charlie Walker (Harlequins)
Christian Wade (Wasps)
Jonny May (Leicester)
Under-the-radar pick
Sione Kalamafoni – Kalamafoni started the season on fire but suffered an unfortunate injury which has stunted his season somewhat. He now has a few games under his belt and is starting to get back into the swing of things, and with an average metres gained of 33m per match, an average of 14 tackles made per match and with 7 defenders beaten in the Premiership games he’s played in this season, the back rower should be in line to give the struggling London Irish a very tough day at the office. He has a relatively low ownership in The Rugby Magazine game, and looks to be available as a free agent in a number of Fantasy Rugby Draft leagues, and if he is then pick him up!
If you want some more sources to help you finalise your decisions, go to our resources page where you’ll find all this year’s Aviva Premiership fantasy games, all the stats sources, injury news, team news, fantasy relevant rugby betting odds and tons of other useful information.
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