Mvovo has “Vooma”
14 APRIL 2014: Cell C Sharks speedster Lwazi Mvovo proved this weekend he was equally adept in the last line of defense as on the wing. There had been questions whether director of rugby Jake White made the right decision to shift the flyer from the wing to fullback.
Statistics taken from the Vodacom Rugby Stats App shows Mvovo was on fire in that position in his side’s Vodacom SupeRugby victory over the Lions. Not only did Mvovo swing the match in his side’s favour with a brilliant individual try but he was also instrumental in other aspects of play. Mvovo topped two of the categories on the App, while he ranked second in another in the ninth round of the competition.
This weekend he was ranked first in the defenders beaten bracket on seven, while the Crusaders’ Nemani Nadolo was equal on five with Sharks centre Sibusiso Sithole, Teboho Mohoje of the Toyota Cheetahs and with his team-mate Cornall Hendricks fifth with four.
Mvovo is also among the top performers in terms of clean breaks and shares the spoils with Nadolo, the Force’s Nick Cummins and Rod Davies of the Reds with three line breaks.
While Mvovo has shown he had an impressive turn of speed, the statistics also suggest that he also went the distance on Saturday. He covered an impressive 154 metres against the Lions and he ranks second behind Cummins’ whopping 183m.
Also making an appearance among the leaders from the weekend is Sharks captain and hooker Bismarck du Plessis. Du Plessis made five turnovers against the Lions to lead that category with Matt Hodgson of the Force second with three.
The Lions’ Derick Minnie made it into the top-five with the two turnovers he made against the Sharks.
The statistics also point out that Vodacom Bulls stalwart Victor Matfield has not lost his luster in the lineouts. Matfield, once revered as the best lineout exponent in world rugby, took 13 lineouts on his the Bulls’ own throw. His nearest rival, Luke Jones of the Rebels took seven over the weekend with the rest following with six and lower.
Know your rugby and go to vodacom.co.za/rugby to download the App and follow the SuperGees at @vodacomrugga.
Round-9 Stats:
Try assists:
1. Piet van Zyl (Bulls) – 2
2. Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs) – 1
3. Alby Mathewson (Force) – 1
4. Asaeli Tikoirotuma (Chiefs) – 1
5. Bernard Foley (Waratahs) – 1
6. Francois Uys (Cheetahs) – 1
Penalty goals:
1. Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes) – 6
2. Gareth Anscombe (Chiefs) – 5
3. Colin Slade (Crusaders) – 4
3. Francois Steyn (Sharks) – 4
4. Marnitz Boshoff (Lions) – 4
4. Mike Harris (Reds) – 4
5. Jason Woodward (Rebels) – 3
Conversions:
1. Aaron Cruden (Chiefs) – 5
2. Colin Slade (Crusaders) – 4
3. Elgar Watts (Cheetahs) – 4
4. Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Bulls) – 2
5. Nicholas White (Brumbies) – 2
Metres Run:
1. Nick Cummins (Force) – 183m
2. Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks) – 154m
3. Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) – 134m
4. Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders) – 126m
5. Rob Horne (Waratahs) – 103m
Clean Breaks:
1. Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks) – 3
2. Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders) – 3
3. Nick Cummins (Force) – 3
4. Rod Davies (Reds) – 3
5. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs) – 2
Carries:
1. Bernard Foley (Waratahs) – 20
2. Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) – 20
3. Quade Cooper (Reds) – 19
4. Jurgen Visser (Bulls) – 16
5. Willie le Roux (Cheetahs) – 15
Defenders Beaten:
1. Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks) – 7
2. Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders) – 5
3. Sibusiso Sithole (Sharks) – 5
4. Teboho Mohoje (Cheetahs) – 5
5. Cornall Hendricks (Cheetahs) – 4
Turnovers Won:
1. Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks) – 5
2. Matt Hodgson (Force) – 3
3. Adam Coleman (Force) – 2
4. Derick Minnie (Lions) – 2
5. Elliot Dixon (Highlanders) – 2
Lineouts won on own throw:
1. Victor Matfield (Bulls) – 13
2. Luke Jones (Rebels) – 7
3. Jake Schatz (Reds) – 6
4. Brodie Retallick (Chiefs) – 5
5. Wilhelm Steenkamp (Force) – 5
Overall stats after Round 9:
Points:
1. Marnitz Boshoff (Lions) – 121
2. Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders) – 109
3. Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes) – 103
4. Quade Cooper (Reds) – 94
5. Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Bulls) – 88
Penalty Goals:
1. Marnitz Boshoff – 27
2. Lima Sopoaga – 26
3. Beauden Barrett- 19
4. Jacques-Louis Potgieter – 18
5. Johan Goosen – 18
Drop goals:
1. Marnitz Boshoff 6
2. Jacques-Louis Potgieter 3
3. Angus Roberts 1
4. Johan Goosen 1
5. Louis Fouche 1
6. Quade Cooper 1
Metres run:
1. Willie le Roux 638m
2. Jesse Mogg 597
3. Julian Savea 546m
4. Ben Smith 518m
5. Jurgen Visser 496m
Loose ball collected:
1. Jurgen Visser 30
2. Jesse Mogg 27
3. Francois Hougaard 24
4. Will Genia 23
5. Willie le Roux 23
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