De Allende takes centre stage
Vodacom Rugby App review – after round 11
With Springbok captain Jean de Villiers incapacitated, young Damian de Allende has made a good case to occupy the vacant number 12 jersey for the national side, during the 2015 Vodacom SupeRugby competition.
Team selections are often subjective and while de Allende has impressed all and sundry, the statistics taken from the Vodacom Rugby App confirms his domination in the midfield this season.
In his third season playing at the highest level, the 23-year-old de Allende has emerged as one of the biggest talents in South African rugby.
De Allende’s presence in the midfield has been instrumental in the DHL Stormers’ campaign so far this season.
The elusive runner’s class this season is backed by his domination of the Defenders Beaten category after 11 rounds in the premier tournament in the Southern Hemisphere.
The big strong centre has had the better of the opposition on 40 occasions to top the category with the fleet-footed Israel Folau of the Waratahs in second place with 34.
Behind them are Waisake Naholo (30) of the Highlanders, Hurricanes wing Jualian Savea (28), and Charles Piutau (27) of the Blues.
De Allende demonstrated his abilities to bamboozle the opposition in his side’s victory over the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town over the weekend.
He cracked the top-five for Round11 with the four defenders he beat along with Francois Hougaard (Bulls), Harold Vorster (Lions), Joe Pietersen (Cheetahs) and Pierre Spies of the Bulls.
The Chiefs’ Tim Nainai-Williams topped the category with eight, while Bulls lock Jacques du Plessis sharing second place with Ma’a Nonu (Hurricanes), Sean McMahon (Rebels) and Tom Marshall (Chiefs) with six each.
De Allende’s 13 Clean Breaks is the fourth best so far this season behind Waisake Naholo of the Highlanders with 16.
The Crusaders’ Nemani Nadolo occupies second place with 15, while James Lowe of the Chiefs and the Hurricanes’ Julian Savea sharing third spot with 14 each.
He also makes it into the top-10 in terms of Carries with his 95 for eighth place compared to category leader Folau with 129.
De Allende is not without his faults and if he wants to become the finished product he will have to work on his defence.
He has missed the fourth most tackles so far this season, slipping 19 for an unwanted blemish behind his name.
The Missed Tackles category is crowded with South African players with six players from our shores at the top of the rankings.
Cheetahs flyhalf Joe Pietersen tops the category missing 23 with the Sharks’ Mouritz Botha (22) and Torsten van Jaarsveld (21) following behind him.
Vodacom Rugby App statistics:
Defenders Beaten (overall):
1. Damian De Allende (Stormers) – 40
2. Israel Folau (Waratahs) – 34
3. Waisake Naholo (Highlanders) – 30
4. Julian Savea (Hurricanes) – 28
5. Charles Piutau (Blues) – 27
Round11:
1. Tim Nainai Williams (Chiefs) – 8
2. Jacques du Plessis (Bulls) – 6
– Ma’a Nonu (Hurricanes)
– Sean McMahon (Rebels)
– Tom Marshall (Chiefs)
3. Damian de Allende (Stormers) – 5
– François Hougaard (Bulls)
– Harold Vorster (Lions)
– Joe Pietersen (Cheetahs)
– Pierre Spies (Bulls)
Clean Breaks (overall):
1. Waisake Naholo (Highlanders) – 16
2. Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders) – 15
3. James Lowe (Chiefs) – 14
4. Julian Savea (Hurricanes) – 14
5 Damian de Allende (Stormers) – 13
6. Cobus Reinach (Sharks) – 13
Missed Tackles (overall):
1. Joe Petersen (Cheetahs) – 23
2.Mouritz Botha (Sharks) – 22
3. Torsten van Jaarsveld (Cheetahs) – 21
4. Damian de Allende (Stormers) – 19
5. Carl Wegner (Cheetahs) – 17
6. Elton Jantjies (Lions) – 18
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