Crusaders – Fijian Drua

20 May 2022

• This will be the first Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and Fijian Drua; the Crusaders have won their last four matches in the competition when facing a team for the first time on the day, as many as they won in all their 15 such fixtures prior in the competition (W4, D2, L9).
• The Crusaders have lost two of their last three Super Rugby Pacific games on home turf (W1), as many as they had lost in their 45 Super Rugby home games prior (W42, D1).
• The Crusaders have lost only one of their last 20 Super Rugby games against teams from outside New Zealand (W17, D2), restricting their opposition to fewer than 30 points in every one of those games.
• The Fijian Drua will be looking to log back-to-back wins in Super Rugby Pacific for the first time after a 34-19 win over Moana Pasifika in Round 13 of this season; it was their most points scored and fewest conceded in a game in the competition thus far.
• The Fijian Drua were defeated 67-5 by the Hurricanes in their last Super Rugby Pacific game in New Zealand (8 May 2022); it was the joint-tenth biggest defeat by any team in Super Rugby history and the biggest since June 2019 (Crusaders def. Melbourne Rebels, 66-0).
• The Fijian Drua have retained possession on 15% of their total kicks in play (24/162) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-highest rate of any team in the competition (also Western Force – 15%).
• The Crusaders have gained 205 metres from mauls this Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition; the Fijian Drua (37) are ranked last in this category.
• The Fijian Drua have made 106 offloads in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the second most by any team (Chiefs – 123) and 15 more than the Crusaders (91).
• Will Jordan (Crusaders) has gained 1,014 metres in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition; the Fijian Drua’s best Vinaya Habosi (845) is ranked third in this category (Manasa Mataele – 908 for Western Force).
• Apisalome Vota (Fijian Drua) has made seven tackles resulting in a turnover won this Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition; no Crusaders player has logged more than two in this category.

Queensland Reds – Moana Pasifika

20 May 2022

• This will be the first Super Rugby match between the Queensland Reds and Moana Pasifika; the Reds have won six of their last seven matches in the competition when facing a team for the first time (L1), including each of their last two – their only defeat in that span was a 22-8 loss to the Jaguares (25 March 2017).
• The Queensland Reds have lost their last four consecutive Super Rugby Pacific games; the last time they lost more in succession in Super Rugby competitions was a five-game stretch from May to June in 2018.
• The Queensland Reds have lost their last two games at home in Super Rugby Pacific and will be looking to avoid a third straight home loss for the first time since March 2016.
• Moana Pasifika have lost their last eight consecutive Super Rugby Pacific games; though, they have scored 20+ points in a game twice in their last three games after doing so only once in their eight games prior.
• Moana Pasifika have gained 21% of their total metres from kick returns (888/4286) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the second highest rate of any team in the competition (Crusaders – 22%).
• The Queensland Reds have received 11 yellow cards in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition; Moana Pasifika (7) have received the joint-second most by any side in the campaign.
• Moana Pasifika have a scrum success rate of 84% this Super Rugby Pacific season, the lowest of any team in the competition; the Queensland Reds (92%) have logged the highest rate of any Australian team in this category.
• Only the NSW Waratahs (13) have conceded more penalties per game than Moana Pasifika (12) and the Queensland Reds (12) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
• Harry Wilson (Queensland Reds) has crossed the gainline on 95 carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition and 26 more than Moana Pasifika’s best Henry Stowers (69).
• Timoci Tavatavanawai (Moana Pasifika) has made 56 tackle breaks in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition and 29 more than the Queensland Reds’ best Jordan Petaia (27).

Chiefs – Western Force

21 May 2022

• The Chiefs have won eight of their last nine Super Rugby matches against the Western Force (L1), including their last four in succession; their only defeat in that span was a 18-15 loss in March 2014.
• The Chiefs have won all five of their previous home games against the Western Force in Super Rugby competitions, including a 53-10 win when they last hosted them (26 March 2016) – the biggest win in the history of this fixture.
• The Chiefs have lost three of their last four Super Rugby Pacific games at home (W1), including a 10-point defeat to the Brumbies in their last home game in the competition (38-28 – 7 May 2022); they had won five consecutive home games prior to that five-game stretch.
• The Western Force have lost 15 of their last 17 Super Rugby games including their last six in succession and have conceded 50+ points in their last two games; only once in Super Rugby history has any team conceded 50+ points in three consecutive games (Sunwolves in Round 14-16, 2016).
• The Western Force’s last Super Rugby win against a New Zealand outfit was an 18-15 win against the Chiefs in Round 6, 2014; they have since logged 24 consecutive defeats to New Zealand teams.
• The Chiefs have an 82% goalkicking accuracy on place kicks (53/65) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points higher than the Western Force (70%).
• The Western Force have made 20 lineout steals in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition and six more than the Chiefs (14).
• The Chiefs have scored nine tries starting possession from a kick return this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the competition (also Crusaders – 9) and six more than the Western Force (3).
• Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) has made dominant contact on 38 carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition and nine more than Western Force’ best Manasa Mataele (29).
• Santiago Medrano (Western Force) has conceded 19 penalties in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition and nine more than any Chiefs player (Quinn Tupaea – 10).

Hurricanes – Melbourne Rebels

21 May 2022

• The Hurricanes have won eight of their nine Super Rugby matches against the Melbourne Rebels (L1) and have won their last eight meetings on the bounce; they have scored 44 points per game in those wins.
• The Hurricanes have won all five of their previous home games against the Melbourne Rebels by an average margin of 33 points per game; indeed, only once in that period have they conceded 20 points or more in a game.
• The Hurricanes have won their last three consecutive home games in Super Rugby Pacific by a combined score of 150-34, including a 67-5 win in their last home game – their second biggest ever home win in a Super Rugby game.
• The Hurricanes have won their last 13 consecutive home games against Australian teams in Super Rugby; in fact, their last defeat in such a fixture came in Round 10, 2015.
• The Melbourne Rebels have lost their last eight straight Super Rugby games against New Zealand teams by an average of 24 points per game; their last win against a New Zealand team came away to the Highlanders in Round 5, 2020.
• The Hurricanes (28%) and Melbourne Rebels (27%) have made dominant contact on a higher percentage of their total carries than any other teams in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.
• The Hurricanes have made 15 offloads resulting in a break this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the competition (also Blues – 15); the Melbourne Rebels (11) have logged the most by any Australian team in the campaign.
• The Melbourne Rebels have a tackle success rate of 71% in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the lowest of any team in the competition and six percentage points fewer than the Hurricanes (77%).
• Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes) has made 129 carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any back and the second most of any player overall (Harry Wilson – 156 for Queensland Reds).
• Reece Hodge (Melbourne Rebels) has conceded 22 turnovers this Super Rugby Pacific season; only the Hurricanes’ Jordie Barrett (24) and Crusaders’ Will Jordan (24) have logged more in the campaign.

Brumbies – Blues

21 May 2022

• The Blues have won four of their last five Super Rugby matches against the Brumbies (L1), more than they won across their six meetings prior in the competition (W2, L4).
• The Brumbies won their most recent Super Rugby home match against the Blues (26-21, 4 May 2019); they will be aiming for back-to-back wins against the Blues at home for just the second time in the history of the competition (February 2004).
• The Brumbies will be out to avoid back-to-back home losses in Super Rugby for the first time since May 2018 after succumbing to an 11-point loss to the Crusaders in their last home game.
• The Brumbies have won three of their four games against New Zealand teams in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season; the last time they won more games against New Zealand teams in a single campaign was in 2004 when they won four of their five regular season games against them and then logged two more wins in the post-season.
• The Blues have won 18 of their last 19 Super Rugby games including their last 11 on the bounce; a 12^th consecutive win would equal their longest ever winning streak in the competition set back in the 1997 campaign.
• The Blues have won their last nine straight games against Australian teams in Super Rugby competitions and have scored 124 points across their last two such fixtures; their last defeat to an Australian outfit came in Round 17, 2019 against the Queensland Reds.
• The Blues have crossed the gainline on 67% of their total carries this Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and eight percentage points more than the Brumbies (59%).
• The Brumbies (32) and Blues (32) have scored more tries starting possession from a lineout (inc. steals) than any other teams this Super Rugby Pacific season.
• Nick Frost (Brumbies) has made six lineout steals in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the second most by any player in the competition (Izack Rodda – 9 for Western Force).
• Rieko Ioane (Blues) has made four offloads resulting in a break this Super Rugby Pacific season, the second most by any player in the competition (Jordie Barrett – 5 for Hurricanes).

Highlanders – NSW Waratahs

22 May 2022

• The Highlanders have won five of their last six Super Rugby matches in the regular season against the NSW Waratahs (L1), including each of their last two; they had won only five of all their 18 such fixtures in the competition prior to that span (L13).
• The Highlanders have won their last six Super Rugby home matches on the bounce against the NSW Waratahs and have scored 40+ points in each of the last three games in that span.
• The Highlanders have won 16 of their last 18 Super Rugby games on home turf against Australian squads, including a 61-10 win over the Western Force in their last such fixture (Round 13, 2022 Super Rugby Pacific).
• The NSW Waratahs have won three of their last four Super Rugby Pacific games away from home, including a 26-20 win over Moana Pasifika in their last game on the road (Round 12, 2022); they had won only two of their 16 away games prior to that four-game stretch.
• The NSW Waratahs have won only one of their last 13 Super Rugby games against New Zealand opposition and haven’t won away to a New Zealand club since a 29-24 win over the Hurricanes in Round 10, 2015.
• The Highlanders have a 91% accuracy on their lineout throws (136/150) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and five percentage points higher than the NSW Waratahs (86%).
• The NSW Waratahs have scored seven tries from mauls in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition and two more than the Highlanders (5).
• Only the Chiefs (12) have scored more tries starting possession from a scrum than the Highlanders (8) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign; the NSW Waratahs have scored seven tries via this method.
• Highlanders’ duo Sam Gilbert (8/8 – 100%) and Marty Banks (11/12 – 92%) have the best goalkicking accuracies on place kicks of any players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season (min. 4 attempts).
• Jed Holloway (NSW Waratahs) has won 63 lineouts (inc. 5 steals) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any player in the campaign and 26 more than the Highlanders’ best Josh Dickson (37).