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The absurd Gloucester lineout stat they take into this weekend

By Kim Ekin
PA

It’s no secret that tries from lineout mauls – for good or for ill – have never been more popular in professional rugby union.

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When executed well, they are nearly impossible to stop, and while as a spectacle they’re less than attractive to all but the most hardening purist, the practice has reached epidemic proportions.

One startling stat that illustrates the phenomenon in the Gallagher Premiership belongs to Gloucester.

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The Cherry and Whites have scored 79 per cent of their tries this season following a lineout, the highest such ratio of any team in the Premiership in 2021/22.

Basically speaking, four in five tries Gloucester scores are from lineouts.

George Skivington’s men have scored an average of 2.4 tries per game in that fashion, a joint-high in the league this term, which they share with Leicester Tigers and Saracens [number 1 and 2 on the Premiership standings currently).

It’s a remarkable if slightly depressing statistic and one that speaks to the lack of tries scored from running rugby in the modern game. That’s not to have a pop at Gloucester per say, who can’t be blamed for using a technique that works for them. Rather it’s a criticism of a game that is rewarding so heavily that particular setpiece.

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The flip side of that of course is that if you nullify their lineout maul, you’ve effectively eliminated their primary source of points.

Gloucester are doing other things excellently. Back row duo Lewis Ludlow (120) and Freddie Clarke (117) rank first and second respectively for successful tackles this season to date.  They are two of just four players to have made 100+ tackles this campaign [Ben Earl, 107; and Tom Willis, 100; also broke a century of tackles].

Struggling Bristol, on the other hand, have been showing what can be achieved with running rugby. The Bears have run an average of 799 metres per game with the ball, the most of any team in the Premiership in 2021/22; only Exeter Chiefs (134) and London Irish (126) have made more carries per game than the Bears in the league this season (114).

Pat Lam’s men have made the second-most passes per game in the league this season (177.5), while only Exeter Chiefs have made more than them (178.4); Bears have made the most offloads per game of any team in the league this term (12.3).

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Bristol do have a significant edge in recent games between the two teams. The Bears have won their last five Premiership games against Gloucester, this after the Cherry and Whites had won seven of the previous eight meetings between the sides.

Opta Stats

 

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Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

9 Go to comments
T
Trevor 4 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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