Global fans crowned in 2025 Fantasy Rugby Championship battle

Six weeks, countless team changes, and one global leaderboard - that's how the 2025 Fantasy Rugby Championship played out, and on Thursday, they crowned their winners.

Players from around the world tested their rugby smarts, their nerves, and their tactics - all in one big tournament.

In first place, we have Will Christensen (OdiesFFN): a proud New Zealander now living in the United Kingdom. Christensen beat a global field to the top spot.

He says his success came down to picking steady players who would play most of the game, and then taking a smart risk later on.

“Firstly, I would look at players I think are going to get 60+ minutes…," AllBlacks.com reports. "If they were consistent and scored well every game, most times I would tend to stick with them.

“From the beginning, I planned to utilise my Co and Triple Captain … I thought from a two-week break the players would be fresh … and it paid off.”

Christensen adds that going from 16th place before the final round to finishing first was a surprise.

“There was a lot of cheering in the household … but the nerves were tested.”

He says his prizemoney will go towards a memorable outing, catching Wales vs the All Blacks in Cardiff on 22 November with friends, and some towards his wedding.

Photo/allblacks.com

In second place is Rowan Horwitz (Ben-10) from South Africa. He focused on picking forwards who score tries or are mobile (like a flanker playing at lock) and backs who would benefit from favourable conditions and kicking duties.

He used his Triple Captain on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in Round five, a move that paid off big time. He also plans to use his winnings to buy a big-screen TV and take a family holiday.

Third spot goes to Chantal Ipser (Mama Ipser) from Cape Town, South Africa, who joined the competition through a family league started by her sons.

She led her family group from round one, and then found herself in the top three globally. Her simple strategy? Use autopick early, then only change injured or non-starters.

“In our family league, I led from the first round … I was surprised how well I was doing overall.”

She’s already looking forward to next year: “Most definitely. It’s been so much fun,” she says.

For Pacific communities, this year’s Fantasy Rugby Championship reflects a game that shows how knowledge of rugby, local pride, and global connections can mix and reach new audiences.

As fans in the Pacific and around the world take part, tools like this help build visibility for our players, our supporters, and our stories.

Register for Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific 2026 here.