The Top 14 In Numbers: The Season So Far
Once the season starts, it doesn’t take long for the old rugby stats machine to go into overdrive. Two weeks into the Top 14 season some interesting figures are starting to emerge.
1
Already, Toulouse are the only Top 14 side to boast a perfect record – though they have had the advantage of two home matches to kick off their campaign. We’ll have to see how they go when they hit the road for the first time next weekend. It won’t exactly be easy: they’re at defending champions Racing 92. For the record, three teams – Clermont, Toulouse and Racing – had two wins from two at this stage last season.
2
The number of matches the previously almost permanently injured Leigh Halfpenny has managed faultless kicking performances. He landed five from five on the opening weekend for Toulon, and six from six on Saturday.
3
The unusually high number of drawn matches in the first two rounds of the season. The opening weekend saw top-flight returnees Lyon draw 15-15 at home to Brive, while La Rochelle and Clermont could not be separated in a 60-point six-try encounter. Bayonne and Castres then drew 12-12 in a brutal battle of the defences on the second weekend.
3 (again)
Rocking-horse deposits, hens’ teeth and politicians with a conscience are more common than away wins in the Top 14, so accepted knowledge has it. And, the first weekend appeared to bear that out, with no wins on the road – but sides are starting to play catch-up. There were three away wins last weekend, to La Rochelle, Clermont and Toulon.
7
Super Rugby fans complained mightily about changes to the bonus-points system introduced at the start of last season, but Top 14 watchers are well used to the three-tries-ahead idea, while losing BPs are only awarded if teams finish within five points of each other. So far, defences are ruling the roost: five defensive BPs have been won in close encounters, compared to just two attacking BPs.
8
Starting the season with two losses is bad enough, but Grenoble’s losing streak in the Top 14 extends back another six games last season. Their defeat at home to La Rochelle on Saturday was their eighth on the bounce. Their last win was at Oyonnax on April 2.
13
The number of French players in the Montpellier matchday squad over the opening two weekends. It would have been 12, but Marvin O’Connor – who is properly French despite his name and Australian heritage – was a late addition to the teamsheet on the opening weekend after Cypriot Demitri Catrakilis was forced to withdraw.
14
The number of French players the LNR says should be in EVERY Top 14 matchday squad.
15
The number of South African players in the Montpellier matchday squad over the opening two weekends.
26
The number of times referees have brandished a card (of either colour) so far this season. A total 24 yellows have been issued, and two reds. Castres’ Rory Kockott holds the dubious honour of picking up the first red of the season, for stamping 18 minutes into the opening match against Pau. Brive managed to lose four players to the sin bin in 10 minutes of madness against Stade on Saturday, but still held on to win.
40
The number of points scored by Brive’s points machine Gaetan Germain. The man who has topped the Top 14 points table over the past two seasons notched up 25 points in the weekend’s 28-20 win over Stade Francais, including six penalties and a try – which he also converted for good measure. That’s on top of the five penalties he knocked over on the opening weekend. He tops the points table, one ahead of Stade’s Jules Plisson, who scored 10 of their 20 points, to go with the 29 he racked up against Grenoble the previous week.
44
Unlike away wins, tries have been hard to come by, with just 44 scored in the first 14 matches. You have to hope that figure rises quickly as players and teams remember that scoring tries is what they’re supposed to do. So far, three matches have ended try-less, which is hardly a ringing endorsement of the richest league in rugby.
518
That would be the number of days between wins on the road for La Rochelle. Their 22-18 win at Grenoble in the second round was their first away victory since they squeaked home 22-21 at Bordeaux on March 28, 2015.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments