Scrolling through the statistics from Opta, we pick out the standout players from Round 12 of Super Rugby 2017.
Top tackler – Dillon Hunt (Highlanders)
Filling the number seven role normally belonging to Elliot Dixon in recent weeks, 22-year-old Otago product Hunt has excelled in recent matches and was at the heart of the Highlanders’ defensive shift on a miserable afternoon weather-wise at Loftus. Hunt tops the tackle count for this week with an impressive 19, missing just one. He finished one ahead of George Smith of the Reds.
Top carrier – Bill Meakes (Force)
Saturday’s win over the Jaguares was all about the hard yards and Meakes more than played his part for the Force, trucking up regularly in midfield as the former Gloucester back racked up a total of 16 carries. Meakes’ persistence paid off, ending the game also with a try assist as the Force stunned the Buenos Aires crowd.
Most metres made and Most defenders beaten – Samu Kerevi (Reds)
Up against the Chiefs in Round 11, Wallabies centre Kerevi had an unusually quiet outing for a player we have become used to seeing breaking the gain-line at will. He bounced back in style, running riot against the Rebels as Kerevi finished with the most metres of anybody in Round 12 on 150. On top of that he also comfortably beat the most defenders, nine in total, to boost his selection claims for the upcoming June Tests with Australia.
Most clean breaks – Kerevi, Scott Higginbotham (Reds) and Alshaun Bock (Kings)
Kerevi also featured here along with Reds team-mate Higginbotham and the Kings star player against the Sharks, Bock. All three players finished with four clean breaks to their name, the fact that Kerevi and Higginbotham combined for eight between the two of them proving how brittle the Rebels’ defence was. Bock, 34, and his performance at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was one of the surprises of the season.
Top points-scorer – Lionel Cronjé (Kings)
Aside from Beauden Barrett and Curwin Bosch, Cronjé has been one of the best number tens going this year in Super Rugby, often dragging the Kings into competitive positions and a big part of their three wins in their last three matches too. Against the Sharks he came away with 20 points, five penalties plus his try, as the Kings sprung a surprise.
Top try-scorer – Rieko Ioane (Blues), Elandré Huggett (Cheetahs), Kerevi and Bock
Four players from Round 12 who finished with two tries apiece, with Ioane showing off his speed to add to his tally for the season against the Cheetahs. Huggett benefited from the power of the Cheetahs’ maul, who had already sent Torsten van Jaarsveld over for a score, when he grabbed two tries coming off the bench. Kerevi opened the scoring in Melbourne early on, while Bock’s speed was truly eye-catching as he also grabbed a brace.
Top lineout performer – Teboho Mohoje (Cheetahs)
Not the result the Cheetahs captain would have been hoping for in Auckland against the Blues, but the Springbok back-row was full of energy as ever for his side. Mohoje was the clear winner in this category from Round 12, making an impressive seven takes at the lineout as the Cheetahs used their maul to good effect, plus one lineout steal too.
Most turnovers – George Smith (Reds) and Curtis Rona (Force)
The veteran Wallaby may have narrowly missed out on the tackle count but there was no one better over the ball at the breakdown in Round 12 than Smith, who in a tough season for the Reds has continued to produce consistently brilliant performances at the age of 36. Smith came away from the win over the Rebels with four turnovers under his belt, and he wasn’t alone, with the Force centre Curtis Rona also finishing with four turnovers in that morale-boosting win over the Jaguares.
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