Highlanders boast best tackle success

THE statistics never lie.

Well, sometimes they do but in the Highlanders’ case they could not be more accurate.

The side is doing plenty of tackling but is pretty good at it.

Statistics provided by Sanzaar show the Highlanders have the best tackle success of all 15 teams in the Super Rugby competition.

The side has a tackling success rate of 85.6%.

There is not much among the 15 teams with the Rebels the worst team at 80.1%.

This week’s opponent, the Lions, have a tackle success of 82.1%, 13thbest in the competition.

The Lions though know their way to the tryline and are the top tryscorers, having scored 54 tries, compared to 33 by the Highlanders.

The Lions have played two more games than the Highlanders.

The Highlanders this year have been a side which has not dominated any game through possession or territory.

Perhaps only the game against the Stormers in March was a match in which the Highlanders have had a fair share of the ball and good field position throughout the game.

The side has had to win its matches through its defence and also taking opportunities when they come along.

The defence has been outstanding at times and the players have worked well together when not having much ball.

The Highlanders have four players in the top 10 tacklers in the competition.

Flanker Dillon Hunt is on top, having made 139 tackles in nine games while Luke Whitelock is only just behind him, on 137 tackles made.

Those two are averaging more than 15 tackles a game, which is high for any game at any level, let alone Super Rugby.

In fourth place in the tackling stakes is lock Tom Franklin, who has made 120 tackles, while his locking partner for most of the season, Jackson Hemopo, has made 99 tackles.

The Highlanders are averaging more than 150 tackles a game, the highest for any side.

There is no other New Zealand player in the top 10 for tackling.

Meanwhile, Otago prop Donald Brighouse has linked again with the Crusaders as the defending champion is hurt by injuries in the front row.

Brighouse flew to Argentina last month and came off the bench in the Crusaders’ win over the Jaguares.