More evidence why Boks won World Cup

SPOTLIGHT: More evidence emerged as to why South Africa ruled the roost at the World Cup in Japan last year.

SANZAAR, in the latest in their series of statistical-based articles, named a Home Team of the Decade.

It follows their Away Team of the Decade – in which they looked at players who performed consistently in home games and away games.

And the two stand-out features: New Zealand dominate the backline and South Africa the forwards.

And it is among the forwards where three key players for the Springboks – Pieter-Steph du Toit, Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff feature this week.

The Bok forwards in the ‘away’ team were Rudolph Snyman, Marx and Kitshoff.

The backs that featured in the home and away teams are Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett.

Overall New Zealand enjoys the biggest representation – with seven players in the ‘home’ team, with South Africa and Australia providing four each.

Of the seven Kiwi players three are from the Crusaders – which is the best representation from any franchise.

The Lions have two, as do the Stormers and Rebels, and in total 10 teams are represented.

Home Team of the Decade

15 Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)

Gained 200 metres from his 18 carries against the Brumbies in Round 17 2017 – becoming one of only three players in the last decade to make 200+ metres in a Super Rugby home game and the only New Zealand player to do so.

14 Waisake Naholo (Highlanders)

Scored 23 tries in his last 24 Super Rugby home matches, gaining 1,919 metres and beating 90 defenders in that stretch.

13 Jack Goodhue (Crusaders)

Made 10+ carries in seven of his 29 Super Rugby home games; in addition, Goodhue beat 71 defenders and made 255 tackles in such fixtures.

12 Samu Kerevi (Reds)

Has beaten 4.7 defenders per game at home in the last decade, the most of any player in that time (minimum 10 games); he’s also made 10+ carries on 31 occasions, and gained an average of 59 metres per game.

11 George Bridge (Crusaders)

Averaged 68 metres per game on home turf in Super Rugby; Bridge also made 49 clean breaks and beat 82 defenders in that span.

https://youtu.be/EXp5nNDUZGY

10 Beauden Barrett (Blues)

Scored the most points (671) of any player on home soil in Super Rugby in the last 10 years, Barrett also made 543 carries and 61 offloads in such fixtures.

9 Will Genia (Rebels)

Made the most (167 v Cheetahs – Round 6, 2011) and second most (144 v Lions – Round 13, 2012) metres gained of any scrumhalf in a Super Rugby game in the last decade; indeed, each of those fixtures was a home game for Genia.

8 Kieran Read (Crusaders)

Made 22 line-out steals in Super Rugby home games in the last decade – the only No.8 to make 20+ in that stretch.

7 Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)

Gained 1,901 metres playing at home in Super Rugby from his 408 carries – only one forward has made more metres in Super Rugby in the last decade in such matches.

6 Jaco Kriel (Lions)

Beat five+ defenders on home turf 11 times in Super Rugby in the last decade – one of only two forwards to reach double figures in this category (Ardie Savea – 11).

https://youtu.be/97SnwaGXL9Q

5 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers)

Averaged 3.6 line-outs won (including steals) per home game in Super Rugby since the beginning of 2019, also making 111 tackles and 74 carries in that stretch.

4 Luke Jones (Rebels)

Averaged 3.3 line-outs won (including steals) across his last 29 Super Rugby home matches – a span in which he also made 253 tackles and averaged 21 metres gained per game.

3 Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies)

Made exactly 19 tackles in two Super Rugby home games in the last decade – only one other prop has achieved this multiple times in that period (Coenraad Oosthuizen – 2)

2 Malcolm Marx (Lions)

Gained the second-most metres (1,119) of any hooker at home in the last decade, made the third-most successful throws per game (9.2) of any hooker to play at least 20 home games, and crossed for a position-high 16 tries.

1 Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)

Made 16 carries against the Brumbies in Round 13, 2015 – no prop has made more in a Super Rugby home game in the last 10 years.

Source: @SuperRugby