URC: All the big insights for round 1
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We've rounded up some of the best stats to get you ready for the new season.
EDINBURGH V LEINSTER
Edinburgh
- Ben Healy scored more points than any other player last season, a total of 175. His goalkicking success rate was the highest among the top five point-scorers (85.2%).
- Duhan van der Merwe beat a league-high 61 defenders last season. He also made more clean breaks (17) and metres (812) than any other Edinburgh player.
- Jamie Ritchie won 22 turnovers last season - four more than any other player. 17 of these turnovers were jackals at the ruck.
Leinster
- Leinster scored a league-high average of 4.5 tries per 80 minutes last season. They scored the most tries from scrums (13) and kick return (13).
- Last season, Leinster made an average of 815 kick in play metres per 80 minutes - more than any other team. They also averaged the most 22 entries (12.2).
CARDIFF RUGBY V ZEBRE PARMA
Cardiff Rugby
- Cardiff won a league-high average of 8.4 turnovers per 80 minutes last season. Their tackle success rate was also the second-highest in the URC (82.9%).
- Cardiff averaged more kicks in play per 80 minutes than any other team in URC 3 (28.3). They also averaged the second-most kick in play metres (787).
- Cam Winnet made more defensive catches than any other player last season (86). His catch success rate was higher than any other player in the top four (82.6%).
Zebre Parma
- A higher percentage of Zebre’s ball touches were carries last season than any other team (37%). Similarly, a league-high 11.8% of their touches were kicks. A league-low 51.2% of their touches were passes.
- Zebre missed a league-high average of 24.2 tackles per 80 minutes last season.
- Last season, Zebre scored 15 tries in the opening three rounds, earning a try bonus point in each.
DRAGONS V OSPREYS
Dragons
- The Dragons made fewer carries than any other team last season, an average of 95.6 per 80 minutes. 41.5% of these were made in the wide channels - the second-highest proportion in the URC.
- The Dragons had the lowest tackle success rate in URC 3 (77.3%).
- In matches they won last season, the Dragons made an average of 913 kick in play metres per 80 minutes - 216 more than when they lost.
Ospreys
- Morgan Morris assisted more tries than any other forward last season, a total of seven. This was also more than any other Ospreys player.
- The Ospreys conceded the fewest turnovers per 80 minutes in the league last season, an average of 11.
- The Ospreys won a total of 45 scrum penalties in URC 3 - the second-most in the league and an average of 2.4 per 80 minutes.
MUNSTER V CONNACHT
Munster
- Gavin Coombes made the most carries in URC 3 (235). This accounted for 9.1% of Munster’s carries last season.
- Of all the URC teams last season, Munster made the highest proportion of their kicks in play with the left boot (26.1%). All 107 of Craig Casey’s kicks in play were made with his left boot.
- Just 37.5% of Munster’s possessions last season ended with a kick - the third-lowest proportion in the league.
Connacht
- Cathal Forde made more dominant carries last season than any other back, a total of 50. He made an average of 4.9 dominant collisions per 80 minutes - the second-most in the Connacht squad.
- Connacht played an average of 3.5 phases per possession last season - more than any other team. A league-high 58.3% of their touches were passes.
- Connacht made an average of 35.5 dominant collisions per 80 minutes in URC 3 - the second-most in the league.