Sharks v Lions - The Facts

The Lions have enjoyed an armchair ride throughout the Super Rugby season having avoided a single match against New Zealand opposition. Although they locked up top spot in their conference some time ago, the number one seed is still up for grabs should the Crusaders suffer defeat at the hands of the Hurricanes.

If the Lions are to claim the number one seed, they’ll need a final round victory against the Sharks. Check out the key stats ahead of their clash this weekend.

• The Lions have beaten the Sharks in each of their last four meetings, after winning just twice in 13 meetings prior (D1, L10).
• The Sharks have won their final regular season game in each of their last seven campaigns, winning their last five such fixtures by an average margin of 24 points.
• The Lions have now won 11 games in a row since a 12-point loss to the Jaguares in Round 3, and have scored 199 points in their last three games combined.
• The Sharks rely on the penalty goal more often than any other team in the competition, slotting 3.3 penalty goals per game so far this season.
• The Lions’ Franco Mostert has stolen 13 lineouts so far this season, six more than any other player in the competition, though Sharks duo Ruan Botha (7) and Stephan Lewies (7) are each ranked equal second.

Thanks to Opta for the numbers.