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Jonny Gray's career tackling success percentage has been calculated and it's ridiculous
Glasgow secondrow Jonny Gray is very good at tackling it has emerged.
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Just how good he is at tackling, however, is really quite remarkable.
Yesterday it was confirmed the 6’6, 120kg lock had put pen to paper on a deal which will see him play his rugby at Scotstoun until at least May 2020, ending speculation that he would sign a lucrative deal with a Top14 club or Premiership Club.
Gray is a one if not the hardest working locks in European Rugby. Other statistics concerning carries, ruck success, distance covered, all bear this out. Yet his tackling is statistically mindboggling.
The 23-year-old has played 79 times for Glasgow since making his debut against Edinburgh in 2012 and in that he ha has missed just 30 tackles.
That’s 30 tackles out of 1433. That’s a tackle success rate of 97.9 per cent.
30 – Since his Glasgow debut, Jonny Gray has missed just 3⃣0⃣ of 1433 attempted tackles for club and country in all competitions. Warrior. pic.twitter.com/s6gj86O0xi
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) December 20, 2017
It’s no wonder they were so keen to keep the youngster.
A product of the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy and a recipient of the Macphail scholarship in New Zealand in 2012, Gray signed his first professional contract the same year he made his Scotland debut back in 2013.
He has since gone on to pull on the thistle 38 times, most recently in the Autumn Internationals where he scored in the games against New Zealand and Australia.
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Part of Dave Rennie’s leadership group at Scotstoun, Gray spent two seasons as Club Captain under Gregor Townsend.
Speaking upon penning a new contract, Gray said: “With the new coaches coming in it has been a very exciting time. Glasgow are a really ambitious club and have been for a few years and I’m delighted to be a part of it.
“When you run out at Scotstoun you represent more than yourself, you represent your club and your city. The supporters follow us all over and we all want to make them proud.
“There are huge benefits of staying in Scotland and I really appreciate the support from Scottish Rugby in helping me stay with the Warriors for another two years.”
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Glasgow Warriors Head Coach, Dave Rennie added: “We’re rapt. Jonny has achieved an enormous amount for a guy of 23. He has 38 caps for Scotland and is playing his 80th game for Glasgow this weekend.
“He’s part of the leadership group here, he’s captained the side before and is a massive contributor about the place week in, week out.
“It’s massive for us, he’s a phenomenal player with a massive work ethic and the boys love him, so we’re rapt he’s going to be here for two more years at least.”
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
37 Go to comments