Super Rugby Pacific statistics: Mark Tele’a sets the pace on attack while there’s a three-way tie in the try chart

Blues flyer Mark Tele'a.
After six rounds of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, Planet Rugby takes a closer look at the players who are key to the exciting rugby on show and who leads the rest in the respective individual statistics categories.
Top try-scorers
There’s a three-way tie in this category after the weekend’s matches with Fijian Drua centre Iosefo Masi, Brumbies flyer Corey Toole and Reds hooker Matt Faessler sitting pretty at the top of the charts on six tries apiece.
Toole and Faessler did not add to their tally in Super Rugby Pacific over the weekend but Masi drew level with the aforementioned duo when he crossed the whitewash in the Drua’s victory over the Western Force in Lautoka on Saturday.
Runners-up:
All Blacks wing Mark Tele’a and Wallabies full-back Tom Wright are the big movers here this week after impressive try-scoring performances in Round Six. Tele’a was rewarded with a hat-trick of tries in the Blues‘ win over Moana Pasifika while Wright scored a brace as the Brumbies edged out the Reds in Brisbane.
They are level on five tries scored and join Cortez Ratima, who dotted down for the Chiefs against the Crusaders, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Highlanders), Hoskins Sotutu (Blues) and Josh Flook on that tally.
Top points-scorer
Although he wasn’t in action over the weekend, Chiefs playmaker Damian McKenzie is still sitting pretty at the top here on 64 points.
However, the gap has closed considerably with Drua fly-half Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula now just four points adrift after finishing with a 16-point contribution in his side’s triumph over the Force.
Runners-up:
Not far behind the leading duo is Blues fly-half Stephen Perofeta, who added 10 points against Moana, while the Waratahs’ Tane Edmed and the Brumbies’ Noah Lolesio occupy fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Top tackler
Crusaders tearaway Tom Christie is setting the pace as he has already made a whopping 127 tackles after six matches played and his total for the season was helped by his effort in the defending champions’ victory over the Chiefs in which he made 16 hits.
Runners-up:
Christie’s Crusaders team-mate George Bell has narrowed the gap at the top as he finished that game with 21 tackle completions which moves him up to 101 hits made for the season.
Rounding out the top three in this department is Western Force openside flanker Carlo Tizzano, who has made 95 tackles so far.
Top carrier
Super Rugby Pacific Team of the Week: Resurgent Crusaders lead the way
After crossing for a hat-trick of five-pointers, it’s not surprising that Blues flyer Tele’a is setting the pace here as he was leading the way in this category for his team against Moana with 13 carries made in the game.
Mark Tele'a be bumpin' 🕹️#SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/1heYgB7fRT
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 2, 2024
That means he has already made 80 carries for the campaign and will be determined to extend that lead when the Blues host the Force, who are bringing up the rear on standings, this weekend.
Runners-up:
Hot on Tele’a’s heels are a trio of forwards with Reds second-row Seru Uru occupying second position with 78 carries while his team-mate, number eight Harry Wilson, and Hurricanes back-row Peter Lakai are in joint third place with 70 carries apiece.
Most defenders beaten
No surprises as Telea is leading the pack here as well but he is joined in top spot by Drua speedster Selestino Ravutaumada, who, like Tele’a, has also beaten 29 defenders so far this season.
Runners-up:
Not far behind them are Masi and Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, who have beaten 26 opponents each while Toole, Cam Roigard (Hurricanes) and Andrew Kellaway (Rebels) are in joint third place after beating 25 defenders apiece.
Running metres
The All Blacks are setting the pace on attack but although Tele’a is once again amongst the leaders in this category, he does not occupy the top spot as the Chiefs’ Shaun Stevenson leads the way with 522 metres gained.
Although the Chiefs lost to the Crusaders, it was not due to a lack of effort from Stevenson as he completed 133 running metres in that fixture.
Runners-up:
Another All Black, Caleb Clarke of the Blues, is in second position (469) while Toole is next best with 451 metres gained while Telea has to be satisfied with fourth spot after gaining 448 metres.
Most line-outs won
Just like last season the Brumbies’ Wallabies second-row Nick Frost is at the forefront of this category and he currently tops the charts with 29 lineout takes so far this season.
It’s a tight tussle at the top with Reds co-captain and flanker Liam Wright occupying second position with 28 lineouts won.
Runners-up:
Not far behind Wright is Melbourne Rebels utility forward Lukhan Salakai-Loto, who has won 24 lineouts, while the Highlanders’ Fabian Holland is in fourth place with 20 takes.
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