Led by New Zealand Rugby in collaboration with Rugby Australia, Unión Argentina de Rugby, SA Rugby and SANZAAR, this is the first official Fantasy game for the Southern Hemisphere’s premier international competition, The Rugby Championship (TRC).
Global pre-registration for the game starts today, 10th June, with the game officially launching in August ahead of TRC starting. Fans will have the chance to draft their ultimate XV from the best players across New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina, and to compete for bragging rights all tournament long.
New Zealand Rugby’s General Manager of Brand and Marketing Kerry McKenzie, says the expansion of Fantasy into the international test space marks a significant step in building deeper connections between fans and rugby.
“We’ve seen outstanding engagement in Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific in its first year. Bringing that same energy to The Rugby Championship opens up a huge opportunity to connect with fans in the four Rugby Championship nations,” said McKenzie.
“This is about creating new ways for fans to follow their favourite players and test their rugby knowledge against mates, colleagues, and the global rugby community.”
The game will have similar attributes to Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific, so the 70,000 Fantasy SRP players should have a head start, however over the coming weeks, budding players will be able to start learning more about how the game will work.
Rugby Australia’s Director Commercial & Marketing, James Durbin echoed the excitement, noting the unique storytelling and rivalry that Fantasy enables. “Fantasy rugby brings fans closer to the action. They’re thinking about player stats, matchups, and form in a whole new way.
“It’s a fun, competitive, and social layer that complements the live games and builds momentum week to week.”
Miguel Dupont, Unión Argentina de Rugby’s Commercial Director noted: “Rugby has always been about pride, identity, and connection in Argentina.
“We are excited to see how Fantasy engages fans with the tournament in a more interactive way - not only supporting Los Pumas but learning about and celebrating great players across all nations. It’s a powerful tool to grow our rugby culture and bring more fans into the game.”
Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, said: "South African fans are some of the most passionate and knowledgeable in the world. They love to debate selections, analyse performances, and back their instincts.
“Fantasy Rugby Championship gives them the perfect platform to put their rugby IQ to the test. It’s exciting to see this innovation in the international game.”
With new faces and familiar stars set to light up the tournament, fans can now pre-register and be first to play at www.playfantasyrugby.com/rugby-championship