As the Premiership season reaches it’s climax with the Aviva Premiership Grand Final at Twickenham with Saracens taking on the reigning champs the Exeter Chiefs, we’ve taken the opportunity to reflect on a fantastic season of Premiership rugby action to look into our team of the season from a fantasy perspective. This is our starting XV of fantasy superstars, all of whom have made a huge impact on Fantasy Rugby Draft, The Rugby Magazine Fantasy Game and RugbyPass fantasy.
Not necessarily the best XV of the season, but the most effective XV from a fantasy perspective, so without further ado, on to the roll of honour…
The FRG Aviva Premiership Fantasy Rugby Team of the Season 2017/18
Props
Mako Vunipola
Saracens Front Row was simply imperious all season. The collective front row was the best value pick in Fantasy Rugby Draft, so it is no surprise that the Fantasy Team of the Season’s Front Row is entirely made up of Saracens players. Mako maintained his usual high standards throughout the season, lethal with the ball in hand with a metres gained per 80 minute stat of 29 (higher than any other prop), a tackles per 80 stat of 11.48 and 23 defenders beaten over the course of the season. He supplemented these brilliant stats with two tries and remains an ever-reliable source of fantasy points.
Vincent Koch
Koch started the season with a glorious breakaway try on opening day against Northampton and never looked back. He supplemented some industrious defensive stats (95% tackle success rate and 11.91 tackles per 80) with some great attacking returns (2 tries, 1 assist, 5 clean breaks & 19.9 metres gained per 80), making him a hugely valuable option.
Honourable Mention: Richard Barrington, Ellis Genge, Greg Bateman
Hookers
Schalk Brits
The ageless Schalk Brits is seeing out a truly magnificent career at the height of his powers. His stats this season beggar belief, 7 tries and 3 assists in just 12 appearances. Averaging 52.04 metres gained per 80, 8 clean breaks 25 defenders beaten, an astonishing 112 passes made and 8 turnovers won and an average tackles per 80 of 16.99. Non other hooker cam close, and this is all the more impressive given he only had 12 regular season appearances. The Premiership will truly be a poorer place without him. Thanks for everything Schalk, bona fide Premiership legend.
Honourable Mention: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Scott Lawson, Jamie George
Locks
Sam Skinner
Often popping up in the back row as well as the second row, Sam Skinner was a consistent and unsung performer throughout the season. An ever reliable member of the team racking up great stats for lineouts won, lineouts stolen, tackles per 80, metres gained, passes made, clean breaks and tackles made. Rarely flashy but always producing great performances all over the field, definitely one to watch for the future.
Don Armand
Categorised in most games as a lock (so in this team as a lock!) but spending most of the season in the back row, the Chiefs talisman was consistently excellent throughout the season. He notched up 6 tries over the course of the season as well as 7 clean breaks, 22 defenders beaten, an average of 17.47 metres gained per 80, not to mention his 80 lineouts won over the course of the season. Eddie may not see his ability, but we certainly do.
Honourable Mention: Sean Robinson, Jeremy Thrush, Maro Itoje
Back Row
Sam Simmonds
The breakout star of the season, Simmonds flew out of the blocks on Round 1 against Gloucester and maintained his incredible potential throughout the season. A potent attacking force with blistering pace and power in the loose, Simmonds recorded Waldrom-esque stats with 12 tries in 15 appearances, 37 defenders beaten and a metres per 80 stat of 48.85 metres, as well as an average tackles per 80 of 14.48. He’s only going to get better, an immense talent.
Jake Polledri
Another breakout star, the Italian international topped a highly impressive Gloucester back row with some great all round performances. He score two tries and was highly effective with ball in hand, with 56 defenders beaten over the course of the season (more than any other back rower), he gained 517 metres in 14 appearances and won 10 turnovers with some excellent tackle stats. A fantastic season.
Jack Willis
Another back rower making a huge impact from nowhere was the Wasps youngster Jack Willis. One of the top tacklers in the league with a 97% tackle success rate and a 16.39 tackles per 80 stat, he was guaranteed points throughout the season. His season was brought to a tragic end with a bad looking ACL injury so all will be hoping he can make a full recovery and continue his excellent growth.
Honourable Mention: Zach Mercer, Taulupe Faletau, Ben Curry
Scrum Half
Willi Heinz
Moving into the backs, Heinz was a driving force for Gloucester throughout the season. His stats were consistently excellent in all areas over the course of the season with 4 tries, 8 assists, 16 clean breaks, a huge 29 defenders beaten, an average metres gained per 80 of 32.87 and over 1000 passes made. His consistency is what propelled him into this XV ahead of some stiff competition.
Honourable Mention: Nic White, Dan Robson, Faf de Klerk
Fly Half
Owen Farrell
Despite not being available for the Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations, in his 13 regular season appearances Farrell demonstrated quite clearly why he rated as one of the best in the world. 3 tries and 8 assists as well as an exemplary performance off the tee with 30 penalties, 39 conversions and a drop goal to boot. He simply oozes class whenever he plays, another stellar season.
Honorable Mention: AJ MacGinty, George Ford, Toby Flood
Centre
Henry Slade
Another class act, Slade continues to pull the strings at Exeter. Comfortable all over the back line, Slade enjoyed another outstanding season with 2 tries, 5 assists, a number of kicks as well as 35 defenders beaten and a metres gained per 80 of 47.81. A consistently high quality performer.
Byron McGuigan
Deployed on the wing for Sale for most of the season but categorised in most fantasy games as a centre, McGuigan put in some sensational attacking performances over the course of the season. With 12 tries, 26 clean breaks and 27 defenders beaten to his name as well as an average metres gained per 80 of 71.03, he will surely find himself a first round pick in Fantasy Rugby Draft next season (especially if he is categorised as a centre again).
Honorable Mention: Mark Atkinson, James Wilson, Josh Matavesi
Outside Backs
Olly Woodburn
Some genuinely top class performances this season have lead to huge clamour for an England call up for Woodburn, however Eddie has not been tempted as yet, and to be fair, Exeter Chiefs are probably happy with this given some of his stats this season. 8 tries, 3 assists, 37 clean breaks, 60 defenders beaten and an average of 94.08 metres gained per 80. He’s a huge attacking presence and remains one of the most feared wingers in the Premiership.
Jonny May
Jonny May has had an excellent first season in Leicester colours. He adapted to life at Welford Road extremely quickly racking up tries for fun. He ended up with 9 tries in 15 appearances, 26 clean breaks, 53 defenders beaten and an average of 81.17 metres gained per 80, and Leicester fans will be hoping for even more next season in what appears to be a very exciting Tigers back line.
Jason Woodward
Having impressed at Bristol last season, Woodward flow out of the blocks at Gloucester with a memorable match winning try against the reigning champs Exeter on the opening night of the season and he kept the form up throughout the season. He ended up racking up 5 tries, 5 assists, 30 clean breaks, 52 defenders beaten and an average of 94.97 metres gained per 80, more than any other full back.
Honorable Mention: Liam Williams, Christian Wade, Vereniki Goneva
Thank you
Thank you to all those who have supported this blog in its first season. We launched last September for the start of the Premiership season, and it is the feedback of you which keeps me going. We’ll be back next season raring to go to help you dominate your fantasy rugby leagues. Thank you!
And the winner is…
This year we ran the Fantasy Rugby Geek season on the inaugural season of The Rugby Magazine fantasy game. Sam Walsh took an early lead and never looked back all season. Congratulations Sam!
Love Stash???
In addition to stocking all of the kit for the new season, Lovell Rugby are currently running some great weekly deals, where there are some amazing bargains to be had, as well as the remainder of their end of season sale with up 80% off all kinds of great kit including rugby boots, international & club rugby shirts, protection, coaching, training, nutrition and rugby leisurewear. Don’t sleep on these amazing deals and get over to Lovell Rugby!
Looking for more Fantasy Rugby insight and Resources?
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 Gallagher 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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