For the last 18 months South Africans had to listen to boredom about the ‘boring rugby’ they play, but Super rugby statistics at the half-way stage of the competition suggests it is in fact the Antipodean teams that does most of the playing, WITHOUT the ball.
When I started out with this column the point was to highlight how a team’s attitude can be measured by looking at their defense.
It had (still has) specific bearing on the Lions team trying to establish just what type of ‘attitude’ exists in the camp and how this relates to their on-field results.
Many coaches will tell you that defense and tackling is first and foremost an attitude an individual and team has, and secondly, skills and systems.
You can coach a team and individual the latest skills and techniques in tackling, and implement the best defensive systems, but if that team or individuals in the team does not have the right attitude to go out and show some balls, it is effectively useless.
With the Lions it seems to be a thing that has been coming for a long time, who can forget Tim Lane apparently telling Lions management when asked what assistance he needed to turn the Lions season around while on tour; “Send me 15 guys that can #$%$^*@ tackle!”.
But as I browsed the defensive statistics I noticed something very strange…
A lot has been said of South African teams’ inability, or preference to play ‘without’ the ball and banking on opposition mistakes to score points.
A tell-tale sign of playing without the ball, is of course looking at how many tackles a team has to make in a game when they of course, do not have the ball.
The numbers are fascinating…
Whilst Antipodean teams are far better in their execution of defense (tackle success ratio’s), there is some daylight between the amount of tackles South African Super rugby teams are making on average per game (not having the ball in hand) compared to that of the top Antipodean teams.
This in turn suggests that South African teams, on average, have far more possession of the ball and not only possession, but ball-in-hand (running) possession given the amount of tackles the Antipodean teams make on average per game.
The exception to the rule here is the Stormers, who average there and there about with the Antipodean teams – but with that it is also interesting to note that the Stormers are known to have the best defense in the competition thus far, and actually build their play around defense and defensive structures rather than attacking rugby.
All the South African teams combined makes on average 113 tackles per game. Important to note here is that the Stormers, with an average of 129 tackles per game heavily inflates this figure.
Individual averages are;
Bulls: 101 per game
Cheetahs: 118 per game
Lions: 109 per game
Sharks: 110 per game
Stormers: 129 per game
The top Antipodean teams (Crusaders, Chiefs, Waratahs and Brumbies) in comparison make on average, a combined 134 tackles on average per game.
Individual averages are;
Crusaders: 127 per game
Waratahs: 140 per game
Brumbies: 126 per game
Chiefs: 143 per game
So why do you only see two South Africa teams at the top of the log then you might ask?
Well the answer is simpler than you think, all of the Antipodean teams on average only misses 10% of their tackles, meaning they have an A+ average or complete close to, or over 90% of their tackles successfully, whereas South African teams most successful teams (Stormers and Sharks) average an 86% completion rate and the rest, miss just about 20% of all their tackles (that is one in every 5 tackles where the Antipodean teams miss 1 in every 10)…
So even though this proves that the top Antipodean teams are better defenders than the South Africans, it also proves they have to do a hell of a lot more of it than the Saffa’s which to my mind, puts this myth of South Africans preferring playing ‘without the ball’ to rest.
(Statistics from Verusco)
@ 89
Well no, actually I have checked and it seems currently we are # 1&2 on the log…
How many of your teams played in the semi’s last year? 😆
Brumbies… puma
Wallabie…
On a serious note, do you think Giteau is a better 12 or 10?
92 – Blouste, okay.. 😎
Giteau for me a better inside centre. Just my feeling.
Going to do my picks now.
Puma
I could not seperate them so I went for home team advantage.
Chiefs have not been playing to well as of yet to give them a consistent thumbs up.
Blouste
We egg each other on…this is good.
Giteau is a far better 12 than he is at 10. Coopers year you got to pick him at 10 and Barnes can come in from bench in either 10 or 12.
95 – Walla, I feel the same buddy. Chied could easy have lost that game agains the Sharks. Only beat the Lions by 7 points. Allowed them back in the game. Then lost to the Reds at home. Though I think the Reds are playing some really good rugby. The surprise team this year. Well not for me I expected something good from them, they have a really good coach. Makes a difference.
Okay so will go with the Brumbies.
Walla, Blues or Tahs? Tahs struggled last weekend and should have lost to the Sharks and Reds? So me thinks maybe the Blues. What you say?
Blouste 91
There are a few of your teams below 2 nd place.
Who has more wooden spoons???
😆
97 – Sorry meant. Chiefs up there.
@ 98
We like to have the most of all the types of trophies… 😆
Puma
That is the toughest one of them all?
I would say use either passion, bias, home team advantage, flip a coin, hate, gut feeling and love to determine who is going to win.
I would say Blues…my gut feeling.
blouste 100
😆
good comeback…you guys want everything!!
100 – Blouste, 😀
101 – Walla, have a feeling the Blues too. Maybe just by a few.
I am so low down on bru should not care and just put what I feel.
Going to do my picks now.
Here’s my take on the winners…
Reds
Blues
Brumbies
Canes…sorry Puma.
Bulls
Landers
Bad weekend for SA, Stormers have buy though…
105 – Blouste, No you don’t have to be sorry you being honest. I can handle that. I feel liking going with the Canes too but my heart saying Sharks..Sharks..Sharks..Sharks so will go with Sharks by a few.
Reds are playing some smart rugby now. They really are on the up. Want to go with them too. If only Brussow and Mapoe was still in the Cheetahs side. Then in Bloem anything can happen. Maybe Cheetahs can do it. Who else is injured in the Cheetahs team?
Saw somewhere that Nokwe is a doubtfull starter aswell…
Games that can realy go either way because of various reasons imo
Cheetahs/Reds
Tahs/Blues
Canes/Sharks
Can’t see Brumbies losing…Chiefs have been very lucky imo
Bulls should take it….touch wood
Landers should win
107 – Blouste if Nokwe can not start. Then who? Cheetahs don’t have enough depth.
Now maybe leaning towards Reds.
Went with the unexpected a few weeks back saying Lions. Cause they did not have a bad game against the Brumies. We have to remember that. The penalty try against them was no try. So put them down to be the Tahs, well I fell way, way down after that 🙁
So maybe should not go with the heart with Cheetahs. I tell you what though, if Cheethas had their full strength side, would not even be thinking about it. Cheetahs could have beaten Reds with their full strength side. Shame they lost so many player so quick.
@ 108
Yes unfortunatly this is the part of the tournament where the teams character and depth and gets tested…
Always have, always will be.
Hell you know what you guys have struggled with.
Bakkies have’nt even started agame for us this year.
Spies was out at some stage
Danie was out at some stage
Stegmann was out at some stage
Pretorius was out at some stage…
Got to live with it
Oh please without a doubt the canes will come out on top. Just because the sharks beat NZ’s weakest team doesn’t mean that they all of a sudden are world beaters.
I agree with blouste when saying the blues will also pull off a victory this weekend.
@ 110 Wezwp
No team has earned the right to be called world beaters at this stage imo…
@ 111 Wezwp
Like I’ve mentioned earlier, you should be chuffed…your team can’t lose this weekend 😆
When will the Streamers be flying for their over seas leg of the tourny?
……….with the exception of the stormers and bulls blouste.
109 – Blouste, Bulls have what is called [Serious Depth] 😆 NO other team in the tourney has that.
fires @ 114
monday
😆
I think the stormers depth is sufficient if you exclude De Waal. Just look how marvellously a guy like Whitehead stepped up to the big occasion. The last time i saw a center work his magic like he did was in the days of Fleck and Horan. Mark my words this boy is going places. He has the game breaking ability to slice and dice opposition defenders.
108 – Blouste, Last year Sharks toured very well. Picked up 3 wins on tour. Then the wheels come off at home.
Have to see how Bulls tour this year. I think they will do well. They play the same teams as the Stormers. If Bulls lose or win to those teams. Stormers will have a good look how to do it better. They play those teams after the Bulls have. Still think Bulls will travel well. A confident team with depth like you have will do very, very well.
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