STATS: SA stars shining bright in URC

The South African teams wasted no time making their presence felt when they made their move North, with the Stormers crowned inaugural champions of the URC in 2021-22 and three of the four grand finals to date being staged in Mzanzi.

Similarly, local stars have shone since the league’s inception, and this season has been no different. Sebastian de Klerk, who’s been an absolute revelation, his Bulls teammate Jeandre Rudolph, Stormers duo Jurie Matthee and Andre-Hugo Venter, Sharks utility forward Vincent Tshituka and Lions fullback Quan Horn are all top of the pops in key categories, while they and others are also among the cream of the crop in other categories.

Their lofty placings are especially impressive considering the South African sides have only played 10 games, whereas the Glasgow Warriors, Leinster, Cardiff, Munster, Ospreys, Benetton, Dragons and Zebre have all played 11.

ATTACK:

Leading Points Scorer:

It’s not one of the big-name flyhalves who have racked up the most points, but rather a man who’s shown the value of a squad player who delivers every time he’s called upon.

Up-and-comer Jurie Matthee piloted the Stormers to a perfect start to the season before superstar Sacha Fienberg-Mngomezulu’s return and is the leading points-scorer with 78.

The Lions’ Chris Smith (62) and the Bulls’ Keagan Johannes (43) are fourth and ninth, respectively.

Top Try Scorer:

The URC has become synonymous with terrific tries and fans have been treated to some scorchers this season. Warriors utility back Jamie Dobie has been particularly lethal and tops the try-scoring charts with seven five-pointers.

Stormers back-rower Evan Roos is the leading South African-based try-scorer and joint-second overall with six, while Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Morne Brandon (Lions), Ruan Venter (Lions) and Paul de Villiers (Stormers) are joint-fourth with four dot downs.

Carries:

Every team has its danger men and battering rams – players of different stature who share a common goal of breaching opposition defences, whether it be through force or speed.

Alun Lawrence has carried Cardiff on his back this season and is in a class of his own with a whopping 157 carries.  Connacht’s Sean Jansen is a distant second on 105, with Ruan Venter (105) in third place as the only local player in the top 10.

Metres Gained:

Aka flyer miles, as outside backs dominate this division, using their speed and agility to maximum effect. No one has been better than Benetton’s Ignacio Mendy, who has rushed for 597 metres.

Sebastian de Klerk (519) is chasing the Argentine in second place, while Quan Horn (413) is fourth and Bulls speedster Stravino Jacobs (398) fifth.

Clean Breaks:

Clean breaks are the payoff for patient offence, the product of inventive vision and/or individual skill – the moments that make fans jump out of their seats.

Sebastian de Klerk has been the personification of the phrase like a hot knife through butter, making a league-leading 13 clean breaks. Three other local strike runners feature in the top 20 – the Lions duo of Angelo Davids (9) and Henco van Wyk (9), and Stravino Jacobs (8).  

Defenders Beaten:

These are the magic men, the hot steppers whose fancy footwork leaves defenders grabbing at air.

Ulster danger man Jacob Stockdale has been the most elusive player of the season, beating 36 defenders, with Sebastian de Klerk and Ignacio Mendy hot on his heels in joint-second on 35.

Henco van Wyk (20) and Stravino Jacobs (19) are also in the top 20.

Offloads:

Munster’s Tom Farrell is the main momentum man, creating tries and space for those around him with 17 offloads.

Leinster’s RG Snyman (14) is third, Lions lock Etienne Oosthuizen and teammate Henco van Wyk are joint-fifth with 12, and Sebastian de Klerk (11) is sixth.

DEFENCE:

Tackles:

Just as important as the try scorers, yet not nearly as celebrated, are the workhorses on defence – the tackling titans who put their bodies on the line week in and week out.

Cardiff’s Alun Lawrence leads the way with 145, with the Dragons’ Ben Carter (140) and the Ospreys’ Harri Deaves (130) completing an all-Welsh podium. The only local star among the top 20 is Jeandre Rudolph (97).

Turnovers Won:

Look no further than that man, Jeandre Rudolph, as the current turnover king. The journeyman is enjoying a career-best season and stands tall with 15 turnovers.

Edinburgh’s Liam McConnell (12) and Zebre’s Samuele Locatelli (11) join the Bulls loose forward on the podium of elite poachers.

KICKING:

Penalties Scored:

No one has scored more three-pointers off the tee than Benetton’s Jacob Umaga, who has 15 penalty goals to his name.

Jurie Matthee (14) and Chris Smith (10) round off the podium, with Bulls and Springbok legend Handre Pollard (5) joint-sixth. These numbers show just how attack-minded the South African sides have become.

Conversions Scored:

Conversions can sometimes incorrectly be viewed as a bonus…a cherry on top after a try has been scored. However, every kick at goal is crucial, and conversions can often prove decisive.

Take Handre Pollard, for example. The decorated sharpshooter recently won back-to-back games for the Bulls with two-pointers – the Investec Champions Cup clash against Pau (26-24) and the URC game against Edinburgh (19-17).

He’s not in the top 10, headlined by Ulster’s Nathan Doak (23), but three of his countrymen are. Chris Smith (16) is joint-fourth, while Keagan Johannes and Jurie Matthee are joint-fifth on 13.

Kicks In Play

The kicking game has become increasingly layered in the modern game.

There’s offensive kicking – i.e. contestables, crosskicks, chips and grubbers – and defensive kicking – i.e. exiting your half – with playing the percentages and 50:22s falling somewhere in the middle.   

The local star who has kicked the most is Quan Horn, who is five places below league leader and Ulsterman Nathan Doak (86) with 67. Right behind the Lions ace in seventh place is Sharks scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse (64).

Kick Metres:

Quan Horn has an educated and booming left boot that makes him a key cog in the Lions’ machine wherever they play.

However, the Highveld factor certainly helps in home games and contributes to him boasting the most kick metres with 2246. Behind him in second and third are Nathan Doak (2192) and the Dragons’ Angus O’Brien (1828).

Horn’s teammate Chris Smith (1488) is the next-best local punter in 12th, followed by Jaden Hendrikse (1408) in 14th position. 

LINEOUTS:

Lineouts Won:

The stats highlight just what a big weapon and key focus point the lineout is for the Stormers.

Andre-Hugo Venter has the most successful throw-ins with 83, with his back-up JJ Kotze joint-11th with 53.

Meanwhile, Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar (78) finds himself in third position and the Lions’ Franco Marais (58) is seventh.

Lineout Steals:

Intelligence, timing and athleticism are everything when it comes to disrupting the opposition’s lineout and poaching balls on their throw.

Interestingly, it’s not a lock who’s the leading locksmith but rather two players who primarily play in the back row – the Sharks’ Vincent Tshituka and Leinster’s Alex Soroka, who are joint-first on seven.

Fellow Sharks forward Emile van Heerden (5) is joint-second, Marvin Orie (Sharks) and Marcel Theunissen (Stormers) are joint-third with four, and Stormers duo Ben-Jason Dixon and Adre Smith are joint-third with three.