By the numbers: Surprising stats from Aotearoa
STATISTICAL LOOK AT SUPER RUGBY: Jan de Koning unpacks the statistics after four rounds of New Zealand’s new domestic competition.
The results are somewhat surprising – as the Chiefs’ numbers are far more impressive than their winless record on the standings seem to suggest.
William Thomas Jordan is so much more than just a potent strike weapon for the Crusaders.
The form of the 22-year-old in the first four rounds of the competition should not surprise those who followed his career since he first burst onto the scene at Christchurch Boys’ High School.
When he made his first-class debut for Tasman in the 2017 NPC season, he scored five tries and was second in the tournament for clean breaks.
He has raised the bar even higher in 2020, as he tops the stats in three categories after just four rounds: clean breaks, defenders beaten and metres carried.
Jordan, also the tournament’s the leading try scorer, is third on the list of most carries.
The surprising detail to emerge from unpacking the stats is just how prominent the winless Chiefs are.
All Black Damian McKenzie is not just the competition’s leading points scorer, he tops the list of carries and is second for metres carried. He also sits a reasonable seventh on the list of defenders beaten.
(Continue reading below … )
Other prominent Chiefs players include Sean Wainui (second on the list of clean breaks and fourth on the list of carries), Quinn Tupaea (third on the list of defenders beaten, fourth on the lost of clean breaks and fifth on the list of carries) and Pita Sowakula (second on the list of carries),
Overall, Jordan tops the list of best attackers by some distance.
We looked at the top five in each category and awarded them points – five down to one.
The Crusaders flyer, Jordan, has amassed 18 points – twice as much as his nearest challenger.
He is followed by two Chiefs players – McKenzie and Wainui, both on nine points.
The Blues duo of Caleb Clarke and Mark Telea, along with Tupaea Quinn (Chiefs) make up the top five – all on five points.
It is not surprising that the defence stats are dominated by teams who have the least possession – Highlanders and Hurricanes
Highlanders flank Dillon Hunt tops the list with 46 tackles in three outings – an average of 15 tackles a game.
He is followed by Reed Prinsep (Hurricanes – 44 from three games), Shannon Frizell (Highlanders – 39 from three), Hoskins Sotutu (Blues – 38 from three) and Lachlan Boshier (Chiefs – 37 from four).
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* Stats provided by Opta Sport
