November Tests, Week 1 - Stats
A thrilling start
Guy Fawkes Day, and Tests exploded in Europe with the promise of more to come – and what an exciting start at Cardiff, to be followed by a seven-try match at Twickenham..
We will discuss the matter of time in Cardiff and a TMO decision in London, and will discuss other matters of law arising from the match between Wales and Australia and the match between England and Wales.
Cards
There was just one – a yellow card for Chris Masoe for an infringement at a tackle, one of several by New Zealand and at a time when England were attacking eagerly.
Nathan Sharpe, in view of the recent directing about boots on players on the ground, may have been fortunate not to get a card. Stephen Larkham and Matt Giteau may also have been a trifle fortunate for their tackles, one of a spearish nature and one of late obstruction.
(i) Wales vs Australia
Penalties conceded
In this section we record the times a team was penalised.
Total number of penalties: 13
Wales: 4
Australia: 9
NB: In the second half Wales did not concede a single penalty.
The reasons for the penalties were as follows:
* = points conceded
Wales:
Tackle/ruck: 3 (Shanklin, Gough, Ryan Jones)
Off-side: 1 (Shanklin*)
NB: Shanklin's penalty at the tackle led to a try by Matt Giteau.
Australia:
Tackle/ruck: 2 (Blake*, Vickerman)
Off-side: 2 (Rogers, Tuqiri*)
Scrum: 1 (Blake*)
Discipline: 4 (Sharpe – stamping, Rogers – punching, Larkham* – late obstruction, Baxter* – collapsing maul)
Australia missed two penalty kicks at goal.
Getting possession – line-outs, scrums, free-kicks, drop-outs, turn-overs
In this section the figures represent the number of times you get to play with the ball.
Wales:
Line-outs: 19 (4 lost)
Scrums: 8 (7 reset, 1 free kick)
Free-kicks: 1 (line-out)
Drop-outs: 2
Australia:
Line-outs: 16 (2 free kicks, 1 skew)
Scrums: 6 (5 reset, 1 penalty, 1 free kick, 1 wheel)
Free-kicks: 3 (1 line-out, 2 scrums)
Drop-outs: 0
(ii) England vs New Zealand
Penalties conceded
In this section we record the times a team was penalised.
Total number of penalties: 19
England: 8
New Zealand: 11
NB: The penalty countt at half-time was 4-2 in New Zealand's favour.
The reasons for the penalties were as follows:
England:
Tackle/ruck: 4 (Sheridan*, Sanderson*, Moody, Cohen)
Off-side: 2 (Moody*, Kay*)
Discipline: 2 (White – high tackle, Grecock* – puilling hair)
New Zealand:
Tackle/Ruck: 7 (McCaw 3, Masoe 2, Jack, Muliaina)
Scrum: 1 (Dermody)
Discipline: 1 (Mealamu – air tackle)
Each side missed a penalty kick at goal.
Getting possession – line-outs, scrums, free-kicks, drop-outs, turn-overs
In this section the figures represent the number of times you get to play with the ball.
England:
Line-outs: 14 (2 lost, 1 penalty)
Scrums: 10 (4 reset, 1 free kick, 1 penalty)
Free-kicks: 5 (2 marks, 3 scrums)
Drop-outs: 1
New Zealand:
Line-outs: 13 (1 lost, 1 skew)
Scrums: 5 (3 reset, 3 free kicks)
Free-kicks: 1 (scrum)
Drop-outs: 1
Some totals
Stoppages (total of line-outs, scrums with resets, free kicks, penalties, drop-outs):
Wales vs Australia: 80
England vs New Zealand: 76
Tries scored:
Wales vs Australia: 2 + 4 = 6
England vs New Zealand: 3 + 4 = 7
Kicks (other than kick-offs, drop-outs, conversions and penalties, including kicks out of hand)
Wales vs Australia: 31 + 22 – 53
England vs New Zealand: 21 + 22 = 43
