Statistics - Play-offs

For the first time in the history of Super Rugby there was the system of play-offs to get into the semifinals, a system used in France where  it is called barrages. We give some statistics and shall discuss elsewhere a scrum penalty.

Just when you think you have seen it all, you see something new - dangerous play when there is no play and no contact between opponents.

Results, Play-offs

Blues  vs Waratahs, 26-13
Crusaders vs Sharks, 36-8

Sanctions

Nobody was yellow-carded, red-carded or cited and suspended.

Possession

(i) Blues vs Waratahs

Penalties conceded: 14

Blues: 6
Waratahs: 8

Reasons for the penalties:

Blues:
Tackle: 5 (Kaino, Saili*, Luke Braid 2, Williams)
Discipline: 1 (Rokocoko - air tackle)

Waratahs:
Tackle: 4 (Pakalani*, Waugh* 2, Dennis)
Offside: 3 (Robinson* 2, Ulugia*))
Discipline: 1 (Douglas - collapsing maul)

The Blues side missed a penalty kick at goal.

Free kicks conceded

Blues: 2 (1 mark, 1 scrum)
Waratahs: 1 (scrum)

Line-outs

Blues: 12 (1 skew, 2 quick)
Waratahs: 17 (1 lost, 3 skew, 1 quick)

Scrums

Blues: 8 (2 reset, 1 collapse, 1 free kick)
Waratahs: 4 (1 free kick)

Drop-outs

Blues: 0
Waratahs: 2

Stoppages: 62

(ii) Crusaders vs Sharks

Penalties conceded: 16

Crusaders: 6
Sharks: 10

Reasons for the penalties:

Crusaders:
Tackle: 3 (Flynn, George Whitelock*, Ellis)
Scrum: 2 (Crockett, Undetermined)
Discipline: 1 (Williams -knocking ball from hand at a free kick)

Sharks:
Tackle: 5 (Alberts*, Terblanche* 2, Van Staden, Botes*)
Offside: 2 (Mostert, Michalak & Terblanche)
Scrum: 2 (Undetermined, Van Staden*)
Discipline: 1 (Pietersen - obstruction)

The Crusaders missed two penalty kicks at goal, the Sharks one.

Free kicks conceded

Crusaders: 1 (scrum)
Sharks: 1 (scrum)

Line-outs

Crusaders: 8 (1 lost, 1 quick)
Sharks: 9 (1 lost, 1 skew)

Scrums

Crusaders: 11 (3 reset, 3 collapses, 1 lost, 2 free kicks, 1 penalty)
Sharks: 6 (2 resets, 2 penalties)

Drop-outs

Crusaders: 1
Sharks: 2

Stoppages: 60

Some Match Totals

Tries scored per match

Blues vs Waratahs, 2 + 2 = 4
Crusaders vs Sharks, 3 + 1 = 4

Penalties scored per match

Blues vs Waratahs, 4 + 1 = 5
Crusaders vs Sharks, 5 + 1 = 6

Ball in Play Time

Jan Taljaard has again provided these meticulous statistics.

The average playing time for such matches is just over 33 minutes.

Blues vs Waratahs (Pollock):
17 minutes 7 seconds + 19 minutes 37 seconds = 36 minutes 44 second

Crusaders vs Sharks (Bryce Lawrence):
13 minutes 53 seconds + 17 minutes 4 seconds = 30 minutes 57 seconds