If you are reading this blog you are probably a fan of Fantasy Rugby. While Fantasy NFL and Fantasy Football are long part of the sporting mainstream, Fantasy Rugby is still growing and growing, and gaining exposure as part of the worldwide growth of the sport. The number of fantasy rugby games on the market are growing and the Rugby fan has never been better catered for top quality fantasy games. So in the first of a series of interviews with the individuals behind the games, we catch up with James “Hutch” Hutchison, one of the minds behind SuperBru, to talk Fantasy Rugby and specifically the upcoming Super Rugby Season…
FRG: In a nutshell, give us an overview of the Superbru fantasy rugby game…
You need to pick a squad of 23 players, and then set a starting lineup each week, including selecting a captain, whose points will be doubled, and a designated kicker. Between each round, you’ll have a number of transfers to manage your squad around selection, injuries and bye weeks.
FRG: What makes it different to other fantasy rugby games?
We put a priority on creating a fun game. It’s relatively straightforward to select a team of players that you are excited to watch in action, and owning them in your fantasy team enhances your enjoyment of following Super Rugby. This appeals to the more casual fan, who does not need to know which second row is likely to play 80 minutes for the Reds every week. However, it’s not easy to select the best players in any given week, and there is still reward for analysing the scoring system and identifying which players are making the most running metres, beating defenders and missing the fewest tackles. This should cater for the more analytical-based fantasy managers, making Superbru a fun game for the whole office. We also have live scoring on the website and app, unlike many other games, and that makes it a great companion for watching Rugby as you can see the fantasy points rolling in in real time.
FRG: Why are there no player prices and financial market typical of other salary cap style games?
We have debated this at length, but there is no escaping the fact that adding player prices, budgets and a financial market creates additional complexity in the game. This appeals to hardcore Rugby fans, who like to spend time crafting a squad, identify a bargain and demonstrate their deep knowledge of the game. However, it is less appealing for those with more of a casual interest in the sport who don’t have hours to spend creating a squad, and who feel like they won’t be able to compete with more knowledgeable fans and so don’t bother playing. The challenging element of being a fantasy manager is certainly still there thanks to the limited number of players from a certain team and the restricted number of transfers you can make per round. In a RWC year especially, it won’t always be easy to have a full XV, and careful squad management will be rewarded.
FRG: How is the Superbru daily fantasy game different from the main fantasy game?
In the daily fantasy game, you pick 5 players for each day of Super Rugby action, from the teams taking part on that day. There is no squad to manage or weekly transfers – it’s about predicting which players will perform best on each match day, and it is designed to give people an interest in as many fixtures as possible.
FRG: Any tips for any new players who have never played Superbru fantasy rugby before?
A good rule of thumb is to fill your team with Kiwis and whichever team is playing the Sunwolves.
FRG: Any bold Predictions for the 2019 Super Rugby season?
There’s a chance that a Kiwi team won’t win this year, because they don’t have huge squads and there will be lots of rotation and resting of All Blacks in advance of the Rugby World Cup.
FRG: Which players will be the first names on your teamsheet in your 2019 Super Rugby Superbru fantasy team?
Outside the usual Kiwi flyers such as Rieko Ioane, George Bridge and Waisake Naholo, I’ll be looking at some of the Lions players for their kind run of fixtures over the first several weeks.
FRG: What’s coming next for Superbru?
We’re already gearing up for the Rugby World Cup, which will be the biggest ever tournament on Superbru. We have a few good sponsorships and prizes in the pipeline, and it’s going to be huge.
You can play SuperBru here, learn about the Super Rugby Game here, and follow Hutch on Twitter here.
Found this interesting or useful and looking for more Fantasy Rugby news, tips and advice? Follow @frugbygeek on Twitter, Like us on Facebook or sign up to the newsletter below to get fantasy rugby news delivered straight to you!