The Rugby World Cup stat record Wales broke and where teams got an edge

Dylan Coetzee
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Welsh duo make a tackle split with Ireland team huddle and Italy's Ange Capuozzo heading for a try.

The first weekend of the 2023 Rugby World Cup is in the bank and it was loaded with some brilliant games in the French sunshine.

Victories for the hosts, Ireland, Wales, South Africa, Italy, Australia, Japan and England in the blistering heat headlined the weekend, and with that in mind, Planet Rugby takes a closer look at which teams are leading the way statistically in the different areas of the game, with the help of Opta Stats.

Average ruck speed

An increasingly important statistic to watch in the modern game and one that directly influences the effectiveness on attack.

In the first weekend, it was no surprise to see Ireland have the fastest speed at ruck time with an average of 2.17 seconds, which is absolutely rapid. The world’s top-ranked side strives for that kind of speed, and when they get it, they are an absolute handful.

 

Metres made and gainline success

Part and parcel of Ireland’s success against Romania came in two other categories, which feed into each other.

The Irishmen notched up over a kilometre of ground made with the ball in hand at 1,091 metres, achieved by breaking the gainline 61% of the time – completely underlining their dominance.

Red zone efficiency

At the World Cup, points are absolutely crucial, making it important to capitalise on every entry in an opponent’s red zone (22m area).

Wales were the most efficient last weekend in their hair-raising 32-26 win over Fiji, where they managed an impressive 5.20 points per red zone entry, making the most of only the five times they found themselves in that position.

Carries made and possession time

Wales were forced to make a lot of tackles against Fiji, which is why the Pacific side sits atop the pile in this category.

In the bruising clash, the Fijians notched a ridiculous 176 carries, more than any other team at the weekend. They also held the ball for the longest total period of time at 21:34 minutes.

Defenders beaten and collision success

Italy were rampant at times against Namibia, and it shows in the statistics as they beat the most defenders of any team in round one with a total of 42.

The strides made in that regard are partly owed to their collision success at an impressive 63%, making it hard for the Namibian defensive line to stay strong.

Tackles made and turnovers won

With Fiji having the most possession and the most carries at the weekend, it only meant that Wales had to make a boatload of tackles and that they did.

Three Welshmen notched up over 20 tackles each as the team tallied up to an outrageous 252 tackles in the clash – a World Cup record.

Adding to their brave defence was the highest number of turnovers won, with a total of 11.

Penalties conceded

Discipline on the park is more important than ever as the game looks to tighten up the protection of player welfare, meaning more penalties and cards.

Keep clean, and it puts a team in a good position to win, which is what the hosts, France, managed to do as they conceded just five penalties in their promising win over the All Blacks.

READ MORE: Rugby World Cup: Stats leaders after blockbuster opening weekend

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