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The key stats separating the European player of the year award contenders
Voting is now open for the European player of the year and it contains four Heineken Champions Cup finalists as Exeter Chiefs duo Sam Simmonds and Stuart Hogg have made the final five while fellow finalists Racing 92 are represented by Finn Russell and Virimi Vakatawa. Meanwhile, Challenge Cup finalists Bristol Bears also have a nomination for their centre Semi Radradra.
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There is very little to separate the contenders this year, with all five making European finals, so sports analytics company Opta have provided useful stats about each player and what has made them stand out this season. From Racing, the most noticeable figure is that outside centre Vakatawa has beaten 48 defenders in the Champions Cup this season, 19 more than any other player.
In order for a player to have such impressive stats in the wider channels of the field, there is usually a creative force inside them, which is undoubtedly Russell in this case.
Unsurprisingly, the Scottish fly-half has assisted the most tries in the tournament, with seven. Russell and Vakatawa worked in tandem perfectly for the only try of the semi-final against Saracens, although it was Juan Imhoff who went over.
From Exeter, Simmonds is the leading try scorer in the competition, with seven. He added another one in their semi-final victory over Toulouse at the weekend, scoring what has become a typical Exeter try from close range. The loose forward also ranks in the top three forwards for carries (92), metres (290) and defenders beaten (23).
Radradra, finally, has the most carries of any back in the Challenge Cup with 71, and also has the most assists for any player outside of the half-backs, with five. It is worth noting that the Fijian moved from Bordeaux to Bristol Bears midway through the season, but has been sensational since moving to Ashton Gate.
The winner of the award will be announced on October 17 after the Champions Cup final.
https://twitter.com/optajonny/status/1310945439668109314?s=21
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7 – Finn Russell has assisted seven tries in the @ChampionsCup this season, more than any other player, while Racing 92 have retained possession from 30% of Russell's kicks from hand in the competition this season (20/66), the best rate of any player to make 20+ kicks. Spark. pic.twitter.com/ifEP1qERf5
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) September 29, 2020
71 – Semi Radradra has made 71 carries in the @ERChallengeCup this season, the most of any back, including a competition-high 32 in the knockout stages; he's also assisted 5 tries, the most of any non-half back and the second most of any player overall (B Serin – 7). Recognition. pic.twitter.com/3bgzPDu3gd
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) September 29, 2020
7 – Sam Simmonds is the top try scorer in the @ChampionsCup this season, crossing the try line on seven occasions for @ExeterChiefs; he also ranks in the top three forwards for carries (92), metres (290) and defenders beaten (23) in the competition in 2019/20. Nomination. pic.twitter.com/TCBr6sdyNM
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) September 29, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’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.
33 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
33 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
33 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.
33 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. 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.
33 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.
33 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.
1 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.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
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