Riveting Vodacom Super Rugby opening weekend

Feb 29 • General News, Super Rugby • 1349 Views • Comments Off on Riveting Vodacom Super Rugby opening weekend

All Out Rugby Weekly Stats Review: Round 1

If the first round is anything to go by, the 2016 Vodacom Super Rugby competition will be one to remember.
The opening weekend produced chock-a-block action from the historic clash between the Emirates Lions and the Sunwolves in Tokyo, to a classic North-South derby between the Vodacom Bulls and the DHL Stormers in Cape Town.
The next generation of rugby stars made a massive impact over the weekend giving supporters a taste of what to expect not only this season but in years to come.
Vodacom Super Rugby debutante and Stormers flyhalf Robert du Preez topped the Points category on the All Out Rugby App’s Stat Zone with the 23 he contributed to his side’s 33-9 victory over the Bulls.
The match between the Toyota Cheetahs and the Jaguares produced high drama with the Argentine side copping two yellow cards while the teams scored a host of tries with four apiece.
Cheetahs captain Francois Venter was one of the star performers this weekend topping some of the crucial stats.
Venter and Cheetahs flyer Raymond Rhule topped the Metres Run category with the 141 metres they each covered in the match.
The duo was influential in a match that came down to the wire with the Jaguares winning by a point in the end.
Venter beat six defenders which was the second best over the weekend behind the Jaguares’ Santiago Cordero with eight.
Rhule also makes it into the top five in this category with five while he also features prominently in terms of Clean Breaks along with Cheetahs team-mate Fred Zeilinga with three each.
Cell C Sharks winger Lwazi Mvovo leads the pack with four clean breaks in his side’s commanding 43-8 victory in Port Elizabeth.
Venter also made it into the top-five in the Carries bracket with 15 which is two less than the weekend’s leaders Hendrik Tui (Reds) and Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) while the Emirates Lions’ lock Franco Mostert made 17.
Southern Kings flanker CJ Velleman and Matias Moroni of the Jaguares topped won the most turnovers in their respective matches with four apiece.
Last year’s top defender, Lions captain Warren Whiteley, made it into the top five of the tackle category with 17 which is the third best effort over the weekend.
The Waratahs’ Michael Hooper topped the category with 21 while the Bulls’ Jannes Kirsten made the second most with his 18 tackles.

Points:

1. Robert du Preez (Stormers) – 23 points
2. Reece Hodge (Rebels) – 20
3. Jonno Lance (Western Force) – 19
4. Ihaia West (Blue) – 18
5. Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies) – 17

Carries:

1. Hendrik Tui (Reds) – 17
2. Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) – 17
3. Franco Mostert (Lions) – 16
4. Pablo Matera (Jaguares) – 16
5. Francois Venter (Cheetahs) – 15

Clean Breaks:

1. Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks) – 4
2. Martin Landajo (Jaguares) – 3
3. Nick Frisby (Reds) – 3
4. Fred Zeilinga (Cheetahs) – 3
5. Raymond Rhule (Cheetahs) – 3

Defenders Beaten:

1. Santiago Cordero (Jaguares) – 8
2. Francois Venter (Cheetahs) – 6
3. Israel Folau (Waratahs) – 6
4. Dane Haylett-Petty (Western Force) – 6
5. Raymond Rhule (Cheetahs) – 5

Metres Run:

1. Francois Venter (Cheetahs) – 141 metres
2. Raymond Rhule (Cheetahs) – 141
3. Dane Haylett-Petty (Force) – 118
4. Cheslin Kolbe (Stormers) – 107
5. Warrick Gelant (Bulls) – 98

Turnovers Won:

1. CJ Velleman (Kings) – 4
2. Matias Moroni (Jaguares) – 4
3. Scott Fardy (Brumbies) – 3
4. Andrew Durutalo (Sunwolves) – 3
5. Blake Gibson (Blues) – 3

Tackles:

1. Michael Hooper (Waratahs) – 21
2. Jannes Kirsten (Bulls) – 18
3. Matt Hodgson (Force) – 17
4. Warren Whiteley (Lions) – 17
5. Dan Pryor (Highlanders) – 16