The Year in Numbers

David Skippers
Add as a preferred source on Google

With help from stattos beavering away in various dark, cobweb-ridden, subterranean data storage rooms around the globe, Planet Rugby takes a look at the best – and worst – of 2021 expressed in numerical form.

101 – The amount of miles Leicester Tigers defence coach Kevin Sinfield ran in under 24 hours as he looked to raise money for the MND Association and the Leeds Hospitals Charity. The latter are planning a new care centre for motor neurone disease patients which they will name after former Leeds Rhinos team-mate and close friend Rob Burrow. Sinfield raised over £2m from this latest challenge. Some guy.

21 – The number of tries scored by Exeter Chiefs number eight Sam Simmonds during the 2020/21 Premiership season. That means Simmonds has scored more tries than any player has ever registered during a Premiership campaign. He beat the previous record of 17 which was jointly held by wings Dominic Chapman and Christian Wade.

65 – Jonathan Sexton’s number of points racked up during the Six Nations which made him the leading points-scorer in this year’s competition, averaging 16.25 per game.

13 – Is the number of years former France scrum-half Morgan Parra has spent at Clermont Auvergne since joining them from neighbours Bourgoin. It was announced earlier this month that the 33-year-old will leave Clermont at the end of this season.

102 – Was the points difference between New Zealand and Tonga in a one-sided 102-0 victory for the All Blacks in their mid-year Test in Auckland in July. The men in black dominated from the outset and ran in 16 tries.

25 – The number of Tests it’s taken South Africa wing Makazole Mapimpi to score 20 tries for his country at Test level. Mapimpi’s feat was achieved in the least matches for the Springboks and beats the previous record which was held by Bryan Habana, who notched the mark in 27 Tests.

2 – Represents the number of trophies in Toulouse’s possession after they did the double by winning the Top 14 and Champions Cup titles.

5 – The number of Champions Cup titles won by Toulouse which is more than any other club in the history of the competition. Les Rouge et Noir moved ahead of Leinster after they beat La Rochelle in the 2021 final at Twickenham.

26 – Is the number of weeks Provence scrum-half Ludovic Radosavljevic was suspended for by a National Rugby League disciplinary committee after making racist remarks against Nevers’ Cameroonian wing Christian Ambadiang during a Pro D2 club match in September. Radosavljevic initially received a 52-week ban but that was halved due to the “recognition of his guilt, his clean disciplinary record and the expression of remorse before the hearing.”

5,000,000 – Is the limit, in pounds, Premiership teams can spend on player salaries. The clubs in England’s top flight voted unanimously to temporarily reduce the salary cap, following the significant financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The vote refers only to the salary cap changes from 2021/22 until 2023/2024.

18 – Is how many years the Blues had to wait before winning a Super Rugby trophy again. Their previous triumph in a Super Rugby final came in 2003 when they beat the Crusaders and they ended their long wait for success when they beat the Highlanders in this year’s Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final.

37 – Is how old Springbok fly-half Morne Steyn was when he returned to Test rugby in the Boks’ series decider against the British & Irish Lions in Cape Town in August. Coming on as a second half replacement, Steyn slotted the match-winning penalty against the famous touring team – 12 years after he did the same thing during the 2009 series between these teams.

149 – The number of Tests Alun Wyn Jones has played for Wales – a world record of appearances for a single country. He surpassed the mark set by former New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw when Wales hosted the All Blacks at the Principality Stadium in October. Jones has also played in 12 Tests for the British and Irish Lions.

62 – The amount of minutes South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus ranted for on his now infamous video about the match officials in the British & Irish Lions series. He was subsequently suspended from all rugby activity for two months but with the Springboks on their holidays he’s clearly enjoying his break.

47 – Is how many points Dan Biggar scored for the British and Irish Lions on their tour of South Africa and against Japan this year. That made Biggar the highest points scorer for the Lions in 2021 and he averaged 9.4 per game.

15 – That’s how many tries New Zealand flyer Will Jordan has scored at international level in 2021 and he achieved the feat in just 11 Tests for the All Blacks. That included five against Tonga and a hat-trick against the USA. Jordan’s try-scoring heroics was rewarded when he won World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year award.

16 – Represents the number of teams that are participating in the newly established United Rugby Championship which feature northern and southern hemisphere teams. The league, forged from an agreement between PRO14 Rugby and SA Rugby, kicked off in September. It includes South Africa’s four Super Rugby sides – Sharks, Stormers, Lions and Bulls – who joined former PRO14 combinations Cardiff, Ospreys, Scarlets, Dragons, Leinster, Munster, Ulster, Connacht, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Benetton and Zebre Parma.

3 – The number of defeats registered by the All Blacks in 2021, their worst campaign since 2009. Ian Foster’s charges went down to South Africa, Ireland and France this year in what was a disappointing season that has put pressure on the head coach. They will be looking to bounce back in 2022.

14 – Speaking of which, this was the number of wins in a row for the All Blacks over France before Les Bleus defeated New Zealand in November courtesy of an impressive performance. If they weren’t already, France are now genuine contenders to win the Rugby World Cup on home soil in 2023.

Blues