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Super 14 - stats, week 1

Tuesday 19th February 2008

Law Change: There was an average of 21 free-kicks per game in the opening round of the Super 14

The stats change this year with the partial introduction of the Experimental Law Variations into the Super 14.

We shall later compare Super 14 stats with Six Nations stats as a kind of audit of the ELVs.

There is no doubt that for the ELVs to work players have to change their minds, hearts and souls. Comparing the match in Durban between the kicking Sharks and the Force with the match in Bloemfontein between the running Lions and the Cheetahs would show starkly the difference in possibility.

The weather played a serious part in wet Christchurch when the Crusaders played the Brumbies. And it was hot and sweaty in Durban.

We shall also discuss some interesting incidents later but here we shall give some statistics around possession.

We shall also produce tables which we shall keep running during the Super 14.

'Stoppages' is the total of penalties, free kicks, line-outs, scrums and their infernal resets, and drop-outs.

Sanctionary Cards

There were three cards - for Jamie McIntosh (Highlanders), Ma'a Nonu (Hurricanes) and Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs). There was, which is noteworthy, no yellow card for a tackle infringement, though Wikus van Heerden may have been close. Some players may have been lucky not to be carded - Anthony Tuitavake (Blues), Pedrie Wannenburg (Bulls) and Sireli Naqelevuki ((Stormers).

Recipients:

Jamie McIntosh (Highlanders)
Ma'a Nonu (Hurricanes)
Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs)

Cited and Suspended

No-one

(i) Crusaders vs Brumbies

Penalties conceded

Crusaders: 3
Brumbies: 7

The Crusaders did not concede a penalty in the second half.

Line-outs

The first line-out in the match came after 30 minutes.

Crusaders: 17 (3 quick)
Brumbies: 10 (3 lost)

Scrums

Crusaders: 11 (3 reset, 2 collapses, 1 lost)
Brumbies: 11 (3 reset, 4 collapses, 3 free kicks, 1 lost, 1 wheel)

Free kicks received

Crusaders: 6 (3 scrums, 4 tackles)
Brumbies: 9 (1 mark, 1 scrum, 2 line-outs, 5 tackles)

(Free kicks to scrums

Crusaders: 1
Brumbies: 1)

Drop-outs

Crusaders: 0
Brumbies: 2

Stoppages: 82

(ii) Reds vs Highlanders

Penalties conceded

Reds: 9
Highlanders: 5

Line-outs

Reds: 11 (3 lost, 1 quick)
Highlanders: 9 (2 lost, 1 penalty)

Scrums

Reds: 9 (4 reset, 4 collapses)
Highlanders: 8 (3 reset, 2 collapses, 1 penalty, 1 free kick)

Free kicks received

Reds: 5 (2 scrums, 3 tackles)
Highlanders: 11 (1 scrum, 9 tackles, 1 +10)

(Free kicks to scrums

Reds: 2
Highlanders: 4)

Drop-outs

Reds: 1
Highlanders: 3

Stoppages: 78

(iii) Sharks vs Western Force

Penalties conceded

Sharks: 7
Western Force: 2

The Force were not penalised in the first half.

Line-outs

Sharks: 16 (1 lost, 1 quick)
Western Force: 18 (5 lost, 3 skew)

Scrums

Sharks: 10 (1 reset, 1 collapse, 1 free kick)
Western Force: 7 (3 reset, 2 collapses, 1 free kick)

Free kicks received

Sharks: 11 (1 scrum, 2 +10, 8 tackles)
Western Force: 9 (2 scrums, 1 mark, 6 tackles)

(Free kicks to scrums

Sharks: 3
Western Force: 0)

Drop-outs

Sharks: 1
Western Force: 4

Stoppages: 80

(iv) Blues vs Chiefs

Penalties conceded

Blues: 11
Chiefs: 4

Line-outs

Blues: 8 (1 quick)
Chiefs: 9 (1 skew, 1 quick)

Scrums

Blues: 11 (3 reset, 4 collapses, 1 free kick)
Chiefs: 7 (5 reset, 8 collapses, 1 free kick)

Free kicks received

Blues: 8 (3 scrums, 6 tackles)
Chiefs: 9 (1 maul, 8 tackles)

(Free kicks to scrums

Blues: 3
Chiefs: 2)

Drop-outs

Blues: 2
Chiefs: 3

Stoppages: 65

(v) Waratahs vs Hurricanes

Penalties conceded

Waratahs: 3
Hurricanes: 6

Line-outs

Waratahs: 11 (1 penalty, 1 quick)
Hurricanes: 10 (2 lost, 2 quick)

Scrums

Waratahs: 9 (2 reset, 2 collapses, 1 free kick, 1 penalty)
Hurricanes: 7 (3 reset, 5 collapses)

Free kicks received

Waratahs: 10 (1 mark, 1 maul, 1 +10, 1 scrum, 6 tackle)
Hurricanes: 11 (1 +10, 10 tackles)

(Free kicks to scrums

Waratahs: 3
Hurricanes: 4)

Drop-outs

Waratahs: 3
Hurricanes: 1

Stoppages: 67

(vi) Stormers vs Bulls

Penalties conceded

Stormers: 4
Bulls: 9

The Stormers did not concede a penalty in the first half.

Line-outs

Stormers: 10 (1 lost)
Bulls: 8 (2 lost, 1 free kick)

Scrums

Stormers: 9 (2 reset, 2 collapses)
Bulls: 5 (1 collapse)

Free kicks received

Stormers: 13 (1 mark, 1 +10, 11 tackles)
Bulls: 13 (1 line-out, 2 marks, 10 tackles)

(Free kicks to scrums

Stormers: 2
Bulls: 0)

Drop-outs

Stormers: 1
Bulls: 1

Stoppages: 52

(vii) Cheetahs vs Lions

Penalties conceded

Cheetahs: 5
Lions: 7

Line-outs

Cheetahs: 14 (2 lost, 2 quick, 1 skew)
Lions: 11 (4 lost, 1 free kick)

Scrums

Cheetahs: 8 (6 reset, 7 collapses, 1 free kick, 1 penalty)
Lions: 9 (1 reset, 2 collapses, 2 free kicks)

Free kicks received

Cheetahs: 6 (1 line-out, 1 scrum, 4 tackles)
Lions: 5 (2 scrums, 3 tackles)

(Free kicks to scrums

Cheetahs: 1
Lions: 0)

Drop-outs

Cheetahs: 3
Lions: 2

Stoppages: 64

Some Match Totals

Stoppages per match

Fewest stoppages: Stormers vs Bulls (52)
Most stoppages: Crusaders vs Brumbies (82)

Tries per match

Crusaders vs Brumbies: 4 + 0 = 4
Reds vs Highlanders: 3 + 1 = 4
Sharks vs Western Force: 2 + 1 = 3
Blues vs Chiefs: 4 + 1 = 5
Waratahs vs Hurricanes: 3 + 0 = 3
Stormers vs Bulls: 0 + 1 = 1
Cheetahs vs Lions: 3 + 3 = 6

Tries per team

Blues: 4
Brumbies: 0
Bulls: 1
Cheetahs: 3
Chiefs: 1
Crusaders: 4
Highlanders: 1
Hurricanes: 0
Lions: 3
Reds: 3
Sharks: 2
Stormers: 0
Waratahs: 3
Western Force: 1

Penalties conceded per match

Crusaders vs Brumbies: 10
Reds vs Highlanders: 14
Sharks vs Western Force: 9
Blues vs Chiefs: 15
Waratahs vs Hurricanes: 9
Stormers vs Bulls: 13
Cheetahs vs Lions: 12

Free Kicks per match:

Crusaders vs Brumbies: 15
Reds vs Highlanders: 16
Sharks vs Western Force: 20
Blues vs Chiefs: 17
Waratahs vs Hurricanes: 21
Stormers vs Bulls: 26
Cheetahs vs Lions: 11

Penalties per Team:

Blues: 11
Brumbies: 7
Bulls: 9
Cheetahs: 5
Chiefs: 4
Crusaders: 3
Highlanders: 5
Hurricanes: 6
Lions: 7
Reds: 9
Sharks: 7
Stormers: 4
Waratahs: 3
Western Force: 2

Free kicks conceded per team:

Blues: 9
Brumbies: 6
Bulls: 13
Cheetahs: 6
Chiefs: 8
Crusaders: 9
Highlanders: 5
Hurricanes: 10
Lions: 5
Reds: 11
Sharks: 9
Stormers: 13
Waratahs: 11
Western Force: 11

Sanctionary Cards per team:

Blues:
Brumbies:
Bulls:
Cheetahs: Y
Chiefs:
Crusaders:
Highlanders:
Hurricanes: Y
Lions:
Reds: Y
Sharks:
Stormers:
Waratahs:
Western Force: