....Kiwis are Super XV winners

,,,,hows them stats looking mockingbirds.... as the Super Rugby competition readies itself for the playoffs, several Kiwis are already winners....statistically at least.

In numbers gathered by Opta and Sportstec for the New Zealand Rugby Union, New Zealand players lead the way in many areas, including metres gained, tackles, line breaks and more.

Chiefs prop Sona Taumalolo, who has scored eight tries this season, has made 300 metres with the ball in hand this season, more than any other prop in Super Rugby (131 metres more than the next highest). He averages 3.7 metres per carry.

Highlanders wing Hosea Gear has run further with the ball than any player this season with 1,243 metres.

Hurricanes outside backs Andre Taylor and Julian Savea have made the second and third most metres of any wing and fullback this season, running 1046 metres and 904 metres respectively.

Taylor has made more line breaks than any other player with 20 - he has also beaten 36 defenders in the process, the sixth highest in Super Rugby.

Crusaders backs Robbie Fruean (18) and Zac Guildford (18) are joint second in line breaks.

Chiefs second-five Sonny Bill Williams has made 31 offloads this season, 10 more than any other player.

Crusaders flanker Matt Todd has the highest average tackles per game in Super Rugby this season with 13.8 per match.

Highlanders utility back Tamati Ellison has played more minutes than any player in the competition this year having turned out for a total 1,185 minutes so far.

The Highlanders average the most metres made per game (452), they also average the most passes in a match (158).

The Chiefs average the most clean breaks per game (10.1), second and third in this ranking are the Hurricanes and the Crusaders respectively.

The Crusaders have the most successful scrum in the competition, winning 94 per cent of their own ball.

The Highlanders have five players in the top 10 ball carriers. Nasi Manu (197, first), Gear (167, second), Adam Thomson (155, fourth), Ben Smith (132, equal eight) and Ellison (130, ninth).

The Hurricanes average the most points scored in a game, 30.7 points per match. They also average the most tries scored per game, running in an average 3.8 tries per game.

Sitting Bull

A very good analysis and I must congratulate you on your research in the relevant regard.

Problem is stats do not necessarily win games - they can at best be indications of what might happen during matches, as well as expected performances.    On the negative side another issue of defence is pertinent as well.    Attacking players could well be leading in stats - but if they are poor defenders the teams they play for will often enough loose games.

I am unlike others on this Board not really a stats fanatic - and feel that the overall performance and winning of games is what count.   The Chiefs won 12 of 14 games played and they are indeed impressive.   However, they have 301 points scored against them - as against 227 against the Stormers - who also won 12 games out of 14.   In view of their low try scoring rcord - no Stormers will figure in attacking stats - but that still does not mean that they are going to lose in crucnh matches.   I could add to that - on average the number of points scored against all other teams are 120 points more than was scored against the Stormers.   What i am trying to say is that individual stats are not ncessarily match winners - so I would be interested in seeing what really happens on the field of play.

Thanks for popping ou sitting bool's big bloated bubble there Mike. I always said these kiwis need a rugby education and they can count themselves fortunate to be rubbinbg shoulders as it were with folk here who know the game! Bwahahahhahahaha

Sittling bool are you looking forward to Saturdays game agains the crustacians. Have your tranquilisers at hand!

Oi Shitting Bull,

The stats don't reveal anything new as its an indication of how teams play. We know the Kiwi teams are very ball-in-hand, attack-minded and so the stats will reveal that. The stats also have an equal number of Saffas leading the figures, but in different areas of the game and I will mention a few like you did, but I gotta go with Mike here, ie. the team who works their game-plan best on the day will come out on top and the stats will then mean jack- shit.

However, lets now look at the Saffas leading the stats:

Most points:1st -  Morne Steyn - 203; 2nd - Cruden - 198; 3rd - Beauden Barrett - 184

Most tries: 1st - Andre taylor - 10; 2nd Bjorn Basson - 9; Joint 3rd - Mvovo/Taumalolo - 8

Most Penalties: 1st - Morne Steyn - 41; 2nd - Cruden - 40; 3rd - Barrett - 36

Most tackles: 1st - Pocock - 206; 2nd - Marcell Coetzee - 204; 3rd - Matt Todd - 198

Most try assists: 1st - Cruden - 9; 2nd - Kirchner - 8; Barrett - 7

Most linebreak assists: Joint 1st - Will Genia / Willie Le Roux - 11; 2nd - Cruden - 8

Most Pilfers: 1st - Liam Gill - 15; Joint 2nd - Coenie Oosthuizen / Hooper - 10

Most Lineouts: 1st - Sharpe - 77;2nd - Franco VD Merwe - 69; 3rd - Bekker - 67

Most missed tackles: Joint 1st - Barrett / Phipps - 39

So there you go Shitting Bull, I can also let the stats make us sound like were the Super 15 leaders/best.

I reckon the Crusties gonna whip your mighty Chiefies this weekend.....hahaha, lol

....haha green bean....your funny listing a whole lot of kiwis and aussies...Cruden will be leading Steyn on points in a couple of hours as well everything going to plan...leaving your list rather empty of anything worth mentioning....

Sitting Bull

After a rugby-orientated post - you have gone wrong despite my congratulations on your previous effort.   Hope the best side wins - and by the way I have a very high opinion of Cruden as a player.   Will watch the game soon and then make a further assessment of the Chiefs performance.   Maybe you better wait until after the game - before you start bragging. 

My point being Shitting Bull, that Kiwis are not dominating the stats as you seem to think....but we'll wait and see come the Rugby Championship.