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Calling all stats fans...all you need to know ahead of the new Top 14 season
It was only June 2 when Castres completed their unlikely run to the Top 14 crown yet it is already time for a new domestic season to get underway in France.
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The opening round of fixtures in the 2018-19 campaign pits the defending champions against Montpellier, the team they defeated to claim the title at the Stade de France (get your full RugbyPass Top 14 preview here).
Racing 92 – who lost the European Champions Cup final to Leinster in Bilbao – will be keen for domestic success, while big-spending Stade Francais have bolstered their squad by signing Argentina international Nicolas Sanchez and France duo Yoann Maestri – who backed out of a move to La Rochelle to head to Paris – and Gael Fickou, buying the latter out of the last year of his contract at Toulouse.
There are a host of new names joining the competition, including Julian Savea and Simon Zebo, while a familiar team returns after 2009 champions Perpignan sealed promotion back to the top tier.
Ahead of the first weekend, and with help from Opta, we have picked out some of the best statistics surrounding the competition.
– Montpellier and Castres meet on the opening day after facing each other in last season’s final, the third time this has happened in the Top 14 era (Stade v Clermont Auvergne in 2007 & Clermont v Perpignan in 2010).
– Castres triumphed in the play-offs last season despite ending up in sixth position in the league, the lowest finish by an eventual Top 14 champion. In fact, four of the last six champions have now finished outside the top three, while the last team to finish top of the league and win the title was Toulon in 2013-14.
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– World Cup winner Savea is set to feature in the Top 14 this season after signing for Toulon. Only Doug Howlett (49) has scored more Test tries for New Zealand than Savea (46), who impressively averaged one every 88 minutes for the All Blacks.
– Toulon scored 52 tries in the first half of games last season, the only side to reach a half-century in the opening 40 minutes of matches. Montpellier (56) and Lyon (50) were the only sides to cross for 50 or more second-half tries.
– There was an average of 53 points scored in games involving relegated Oyonnax last season, the most of any side, while matches involving Racing saw the fewest points on average (42).
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– French duo Morgan Parra (53 out of 58) and Lionel Beauxis (61 out of 67) each slotted over 91 per cent of their kicks at goal last season, making them the only players to attempt 15 or more and maintain a success rate of 90 per cent or better.
– Lyon scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud scored 10 tries and assisted a further 11, making him the only player to reach double figures in both categories.
– Chris Ashton scored 24 tries in his solitary season with Toulon, a record in a single campaign. The winger – who has returned to England with Sale Sharks – also made 41 clean breaks, eight more than any other player.
24 – @ChrisAshton1 broke the @top14rugby try scoring record in his first season in the competition (24), while he also made 41 clean breaks, 8 more than any other player. Splash. pic.twitter.com/mW5PDvy0UP
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) August 2, 2018
Comments on RugbyPass
I remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
8 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to comments