Welcome to Stat Attack, a brand new RUPA feature where we look at our members’ performance in the Super Rugby competition with more than a little help from our friends at Opta Sports.
After one enthralling round of competition, we look at each of the Australian team’s upcoming fixtures using statistics from both Round One and also 2015 to highlight what, and who, to look out for!
Brumbies vs. Waratahs (#BRUvWAR), Friday March 4th, 19:45 AEDT.
Brumbies playmaker Christian Lealiifano kicked superbly in his side’s rout of the Hurricanes in Round One, landing more successful shots on goal (8) than any other player in the competition and missing just 1 kick in the process. Last year, the Brumbies were ranked 11th in the competition with goal kicking at 68%, although Lealiifano’s 155 point haul placed him fifth in the competition; if he can keep up the 89% success rate we saw last Friday, he’d be a strong chance to feature at the top of the 2016 list!
Lealiifano’s Wallaby teammate Israel Folau was back this best against the Reds on Saturday, carrying the ball for a Conference-high 94 metres and beating 6 defenders in the process (matched in Australia only by Dane Haylett-Petty!) Folau topped the competition for offloads and defenders beaten in 2015, and was fifth for clean breaks, so back in full flight and good form he represents a major danger man for the Brumbies to deal with.
The Brumbies went at 100% in the lineout against the Hurricanes, one of only 3 teams in the competition to do so in Round One alongside the Blues and Lions, and with both Stephen Moore and Josh Mann-Rea finding the try line they’ll be very happy with the service they’re getting from their hookers.
A free-flowing game appears likely on Friday night, with 6 of the 11 combined tries scored by these teams in Round One coming in the first phase; the Brumbies enjoy a 75% winning record at home against the Waratahs, but haven’t scored over 14 points in the last 4 meetings as they’ve suffered defeat every time.
Reds vs. Force (#REDvFOR), Saturday March 5th, 19:45 AEDT.
Both the Reds and Force come into this game fresh off defeats in Round One local derbies, and knowing the importance of turning things around to get a confidence-boosting win on the board early days. Prior to last February’s 18-6 win, the Reds had lost 2 in a row at Suncorp Stadium against the Force.
This match will see two impressive scrums doing battle, with both teams going at 100% off their own feed in Round One, while for the Reds Saia Fainga’a threw more successful lineouts than any other player in the competition last week with 13 in his one hour on the field.
A lot of talk has centred on the Reds’ new Japanese import Ayumu Goromaru heading into this campaign, but compatriot Hendrik Tui carried the ball into traffic an equal-competition high 17 times against the ‘Tahs and is keen to show what he’s made of in front of his home fans after injury kept him to just 36 minutes of Rugby for the Reds in 2015.
Speaking of returning from injury, how’s the efforts of Western Force skipper Matt Hodgson in Round One against the Rebels; he made a team-high 17 tackles, while fellow forward Adam Coleman won a competition-high 12 lineouts, including one steal.
Keep an eye on the second twenty minute period of the first half as well, as there is likely to be some try time action; both sides conceded 2 in this period last weekend, while only the Stormers (15) conceded more during the same time period as the Reds (13) in 2015.
Bulls vs. Rebels (#BULvREB), Sunday March 6th, 00:00 AEDT.
An easy place to start with the Rebels is with last week’s debutant Reece Hodge, who scored 20 points (including 2 tries!) to be the competition’s second highest point scorer behind the Stormers’ Robert du Preez (23) after Round One. Hodge, fellow Rebels debutant Adam Thomson and Mitch Inman also had two offloads apiece in their win against the Force, as the visitors showed their patience to score all three of their tries from more than four phases.
The Rebels won 15 turnovers in their opening game, more than any other side in the competition, and will be looking to go back to back after defeating the Bulls at AAMI Park in 2015. If successful, it would also be their first ever win on South African soil; this fixture averages 55.25 points per outing, so it’s certainly worth staying up for!
The Bulls hold the unenviable record of being the only side in the competition yet to score a try, and the Rebels will be hopeful that last season’s try-scoring trio from the corresponding fixture Jack Debreczeni, Sean McMahon and Lopeti Timani can repeat those heroics on the high veldt.
Finally a very special mention to former Reds backrower Eddie Quirk, now playing for competition newbies the Sunwolves alongside former Rebels Shota Horie and Keita Inagaki, as well as former Waratah and Fijian International Ben Volavola who is now at the Crusaders.
Quirk led from the front in their encouraging defeat against the Lions in Tokyo, making a team-high thirteen tackles at 100%; his team have a bye in Round Two, before hosting the Cheetahs in Singapore next Saturday.
Volavola made his debut for the seven-time Super Rugby champions off the bench against the Chiefs as did fellow former Waratah Michael Alaalatoa, and both will be hoping to again be involved as they host the Blues and former Rebel Male Sau on Friday night in Christchurch.
