Super Rugby Pacific Fantasy: The ten players to buy amid the first major bye period

Thu, Mar 27, 2025, 2:28 AM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson

Round Seven of SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific has managers scrambling for trades with a bunch of big guns.

Damian McKenzie, Quinn Tupaea and Mark Tele'a are amongst the players on teams set to miss this week due to the bye.

Watch every game of SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific live and on-demand via Stan Sport.

On top of this, Sevu Reece, Harry Wilson and Kyren Taumoefolau were not named for this weekend.

With managers needing to make mass changes, Rugby.com.au throws out some players to target.

Asafo Aumua

Aumua starts for the first time in 2025 and gives managers a first look at what he can bring.

The All Black feels built for Fantasy production with his freakish speed and strength.

He's always good for a break on the egde and is a big threat for rolling maul tries.

Kini Naholo

Naholo faces a big opportunity to test young gun Archie Saunders in his debut.

The powerhouse winger has been an inconsistent scorer but rebounded with a 52-point haul last week.

Naholo has the capability to go big again against a rotated Waratahs squad.

Harry Potter

Potter is in red-hot form after his 102-point effort against the Fijian Drua.

The Force flyer bounced off tickets for fun to launch into seventh in total points for outside backs.

With a host of big-name options out, time to consider the 'wizard'.

Andy Muirhead

In typical Muirhead fashion, the Brumbies winger has flown under the radar to be sixth overall for point-scoring.

The winger has racked up the points thanks to five tries and a further three try assists to be fourth for outside backs, ahead of the likes of Tele'a and Tom Wright.

There's nothing to suggest he won't go big against a Highlanders side that gave up 41 points to Lachlan Anderson.

Nic Dolly

Dolly went massive on the weekend to become the top-ranked hooker.

The Western Force's rolling maul has become a massive weapon and Dolly has been the big benefactor, averaging 43 points per game.

The Force's scrum is as solid as any out there, meaning Dolly has a high floor to go with the capability of going back.

James O’Connor

The former Wallaby is the biggest winner out of the Crusaders' reshuffled side to face Moana Pasifika.

Moana are fresh off giving up 84 points to Damian McKenzie and with an all-star backline still picked, there's plenty of potential for a big score.

Nathan Hastie

Hastie is another unsung star of Fantasy after winning the starting job at scrumhalf ahead of Folau Fakatava.

Outside of Cam Roigard, Hastie is the highest-scoring scrum half playing this weekend, yet he has 5.3% ownership.

The Brumbies have had scrumhalves score 40+ fantasy points against them in two of their last three games.

Rob Leota

Leota stormed back into Fantasy relevance with a 62 point performance against the Brumbies.

The back-rower is a big weapon for the Waratahs on the edge, scoring and setting up a try last week.

He'll fancy another one this against the Hurricanes.

Tom Hooper

Hooper offers a point of difference in the second-row after his selection at blindside flanker.

He struggled against the Waratahs last week, but his previous scores of 41 and 30 have him amongst the elite in the position.

Macca Springer

Springer is a try-scoring freak on the edge, scoring six in two games.

Whilst the winger is heavily reliant on tries for points, there's a big opportunity against Moana Pasifika.

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