The 22-year-old front-rower crashed over for a remarkable hat-trick, racking up 74 points – the highest fantasy haul of the week – and claiming Player of the Week honours in just his debut season.
Sae-Ta’ufo’ou’s performance in Moana Pasifika’s thrilling win over the Waratahs at North Harbour Stadium was not only memorable, but historic. He becomes the first front-rower and only the second forward all season to win Fantasy Player of the Week, joining elite company alongside Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea.
The young prop’s explosive running and eye for the try line caught Fantasy managers by surprise, with just 0.7% having him in their squads.
With Sae-Ta’ufo’ou’s rise, Moana Pasifika becomes just the second team after the Chiefs to produce multiple Players of the Week in 2025.
Despite the loss, the Waratahs featured heavily on the fantasy leaderboard with Joseph Suaalii (70) and Triston Reilly (66) taking out second and third place for the round. Suaalii’s impact continues to grow week by week, while Reilly’s electric pace gave Fantasy managers another reason to keep him locked in.
Elsewhere, Damian McKenzie showed exactly why he’s a must-have. In the week he re-signed with New Zealand Rugby, the Chiefs playmaker continued his sensational form, topping the overall Fantasy scoring chart with 410 points – averaging an incredible 68.3 points per game.
And don’t forget Carlo Tizzano. The Western Force flanker has become a Fantasy staple in 2025, adding another 62 points to his tally this week. With 11 tries to his name and 47.7% of managers backing him, Tizzano leads all forwards with 365 points (avg. 52.1) and is one of the breakout stars of the season.
But for now, Round 8 belongs to Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou – the rookie prop turned Fantasy giant-slayer.
Weekly leaders:
RD 1: Damian McKenzie, Chiefs (104)
RD 2: Quinn Tupaea, Chiefs (98)
RD 3: Ardie Savea, Moana Pasifika (83)
RD 4: Max Jorgensen, Waratahs (82)
RD 5: Macca Springer, Crusaders (127)
RD 6: Harry Potter, Western Force (102)
RD 7: Kini Naholo, Hurricanes (102)
RD 8: Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou, Moana Pasifika (74)
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