The following was issued yesterday as a press release by SANZAR after the 2012 Super Rugby season.
The 2012 Super Rugby season came to an end last weekend, and from a game perspective SANZAR Game Manager Lyndon Bray said “this had to be one of the most successful seasons we have seen in regards to how the game was played throughout a campaign.”
“The statistics indicate a good shape to the game, helping Super Rugby to be a better spectacle for the fans while being fun to play and referee.”
The main statistics of interest are as follows:
(Stats per game averages):
“The penalty count is less, while ball in play time is a strong 17 minutes plus per half, up on a few years ago, when we were lucky to get 14 minutes per half,” Bray said.
There was a major focus at scrum time this year, to try and improve the success rate of scrums on the first hit. The percentage in 2011 saw only 45% of scrums getting the ball cleared. In 2012, 60% indicates very strong progress towards improving the scrum.
Bray was not entirely happy.
“I am really pleased with the efforts of both the referees and the teams, but there is still work to do around the attitude & technique at scrum time,” he said.
“When you break the stats down at scrum time, we still have an issue in terms of how many scrums collapse (go to ground), and there are also still too many instances of teams breaking the engage call and going early into the hit.”
These two areas will create a focus for the review meetings about to start, across all three countries.
The tackle has also highlighted some interesting statistics:
“We know that approximately 58% of the penalties at the tackle are awarded to the attacking team,” Bray said.
“A concern to consider, is that the ball carrier is still penalised a lot, the aim is to create quicker ball and opportunity for attack, while at the same time ensuring there is still a contest at the tackle, and that will be a major emphasis of the review with the coaches – that is, are we getting the balance right?”
It was interesting to note that two of the most successful attacking sides made it to the Final.
“Both the Chiefs and the Sharks headed the table in terms of clean breaks and offloads,” Bray said.
“I guess it is nice to see these really positive attacking stats get rewarded in terms of their place on the ladder.”
“At the same time, the Stormers had the best defensive record by a large margin, which was rewarded by the fact that they finished the highest on the ladder in the Regular Season, but the more successful attacking team beat them in the Super Rugby semi-final, as it turns out.”
The hard work starts now, in preparation for the 2013 competition.
“We start the review process immediately, while the competition is fresh in the minds of the coaches and the referees,” Bray said.
“We put the facts in front of the coaches and referees, in each country, and get them to workshop what the stats are telling us: the good and the bad. The aim is to come away with some really strong messages, for us to work on with both the teams and the referees, as we head into the build up to 2013.”
Invictus
Guest
Fine. Stream it live over the internet and tell the TV stations to bugger off! Back to the real world - I don't think they are as inflexible as you make out. Better product = more viewers = higher advertising revenue. Make the case based on $$$ and anything is possible. If necessary, come up with new advertising opportunities during play (like the cricket used to - logo/slogan scrolling across the bottom of the screen).
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
No, the schedule can't be changed. That's the reality of television. Always has been, always will be. The pre- and post-match drivel is usually just that but, for FTA and pay-TV, it's the zone of maximum commercial opportunity. We're stuck with it, even if we don't watch it.
Invictus
Guest
The schedule can be changed! Besides, I would rather see more rugby and less pre & post match drivel anyway. The schedule also currently allows for 2hrs to telecast 90mins. I don't see the suggested change adding 30mins to a game. Not if the officials are instructed that the game is to restart as quicly as possible
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
Next season's "Crouch, touch, set" sequence might improve things. Occasionally, a law change actually improves things.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
If only it were that simple. Even pay-TV wouldn't go for that, and commercial FTA TV would laugh at the suggestion. The schedule comes first. The schedule is everything.
kovana
Guest
Just no. This aint NFL.
Invictus
Guest
The ball in play stat is verging on criminal. Fans are shelling out to watch 80 mins and they are getting less than half that. The clock must stop when the ball is not in playy. If more time must be allowed for each telecast to achieve this, then so be it.
SpenceyNZ
Guest
What about consistency of timing in calling the scrums? Both scrums are primed for the hit and if the referee timed the calls rather than long inconsistent pauses between the calls the ball should get cleared from the first hit. This should negate one team 'jumping the gun' because they have a better idea of when the 'engage' call is going to come. The result - hopefully even more ball in play time But Lyndon Bray is right - a great super rugby season and, of course, good for the NZ rugby fan And - go the ABs - can't wait to watch them take on the Aussies, Boks and Argies. Should be a great series as well.
matthew
Guest
Tell you what, the rugby in the NZ conference was as good as it gets. A far higher standard than the other conferences in terms of speed, skill and pure exhilarating exhibition rugby. SA conference was OK, skills werent great but it was brutally physical. Aussie Conference was just poor; no wonder the NRL is so popular when the Aussie SR conference games are of such a low quality.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
Rugby's paymasters, the television companies, might not want open-ended rugby matches, Terry. Especially not when one live broadcast follows directly after another.
Vic
Guest
Would like to see the introduction of quarters and clock stoppages. Reduce the quarters to 15 minutes. The game would actually run longer if you stopped the clocks in anycase. Makes the game more attractive to tv and allows for more ad breaks.
Terry Tavita
Roar Pro
to increase play time, they should stop the clock when a try is scored/awarded and restart at kick off..at least 3 minutes is wasted between try time and kickoff as kicker lines up shot at goal..if 7 tries are scored in a game..that's at least 21 non-playing minutes..