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How the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific finalists stack up statistically

Marcel Renata of the Blues. Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP via Getty Images

The Chiefs and Blues have returned to Super Rugby Pacific’s big dance, and yet more history awaits on the famed field of Eden Park.

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It’s a grand stage only they and the Crusaders have shared since the competition’s expansion into the Pacific, and both teams take those respective final experiences, in all their sourness and growth-inspiring beauty, into a mammoth showdown on Saturday night.

The first title of a new era in Super Rugby will be witnessed by a sold-out crowd at Eden Park, no doubt with plenty of Chiefs fans making the drive north to lend their voice to the sweet Super Rugby Pacific final soundtrack.

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    Here are four areas of analysis to know ahead of the final:

    Points per game: 34.9 and 34.9

    Yes, just two total points separated the Blues (488) and the Chiefs (486) in their regular season tallies, despite the Blues claiming three more wins over that period, including one contest between these two heavyweights to end the regular season.

    The Blues got their points by leading the competition in carries (135.3 per game), keeping the ball in hand to score the most tries (5.1 per game) this season.

    Mark Tele’a was second only to Brumbies bull Rob Valetini in carries throughout the 2024 campaign (158) and Hoskins Sotutu currently shares the most tries title with Sevu Reece (12). The No. 8 also boasts the third-most try assists this year with eight.

    The Chiefs, thanks to their kicking ace Damian McKenzie, made their mark off the tee, where they took the second-most penalty attempts (1.5 per game) with the third-best accuracy in the competition (79.2%).

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    Head-to-Head

    Last 5 Meetings

    Wins
    3
    Draws
    0
    Wins
    2
    Average Points scored
    25
    14
    First try wins
    80%
    Home team wins
    60%

    Defence wins championships

    The Chiefs learnt a valuable lesson in 2023 en route to a final loss at the hands of Scott Robertson’s Crusaders, that being a regular season-best defence doesn’t necessarily translate to a playoffs-best defence.

    The Blues’ defence has been infamous in 2024. The Aucklanders held their opponents to 16.6 points per game throughout the regular season.

    The game that preceded this season’s effort was a semi-final elimination where the Aucklanders let in 52 points to the eventual champions. So far in the playoffs, they’ve conceded just 25 points in total.

    For the Chiefs, their defence hasn’t been on the same level as the Blues, but one must keep in mind the 40 points they have conceded in the playoffs to date have come against two more potent attacks. Just half a per cent separates the pair’s tackle success rate this season.

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    Dalton Papali’i leads the way for the Blues with 200 tackles on the season heading into these playoffs and just 12 misses, also boasting 12 dominant tackles.

    Papali’i’s Counterpart Luke Jacobson has had the most impact on defence for the Chiefs, with 186 tackles, 14 of which were dominant and with 18 misses. Fellow flanker Samipeni Finau also has 14 dominant hits to his name – a number of which have famously been worn by opposing first fives.

    What may separate the two is Papali’i conceding less than half the number of penalties that Jacobson has, while playing a very similar amount of minutes. Jacobson is the second-most penalised player in the competition this season.

    Situational strengths and weaknesses

    The Chiefs have found the most success attacking off turnovers, while the Blues are most lethal off counter-attacks. The Blues’ defensive strengths appear to be better suited to their opposition in this regard.

    The Blues are as likely to score after seven phases as they are on their first, while the Chiefs become incrementally less likely to score as the phases progress, scoring 40 per cent of their points on the first phase.

    The Chiefs follow a similar pattern defensively, with fewer tries scored against them when higher in the phase count. The Blues show consistency on that side of the ball.

    Both teams are very consistent when it comes to scoring throughout the game, showing a mild preference for the first and third quarters.

    Defensively, again the Blues appear to have the upper hand in that regard, with their record on the season proving they are more capable of repelling efforts in the Chiefs’ most favoured time blocks.

    Related

    Game breakers galore

    The impressive aforementioned carry statistics from Mark Tele’a only paint so much of the picture when grasping what the Blues attack has produced in 2024.

    1,380 carry metres have come from those 158 carries, with 17 linebreaks and 58 defenders beaten. Those stats fall short of the man on the other wing for the Blues, Caleb Clarke.

    Clarke’s offseason work was summarised by a headline-grabbing weight loss, projecting more pace from an already explosive athlete. In 2024, the All Black has lived up to that expectation.

    While playing fewer minutes than Tele’a and with fewer ball carries, Clarke has managed to contribute 19 linebreaks for a total of 1,441 carry metres. And yet the 16 tries between them only marginally edges the remarkable tally of the resurgent Sotutu.

    That’s because this forward pack is moving as a powerful organism, swallowing defenders in tight around the ruck with rapid pick-and-go’s courtesy of physicality and execution when recycling the ball – a 97 per cent ruck success rate testifies to that.

    As the team have found a rhythm and confidence in this system, the opportunities to halt this tsunami of All Black muscle have been all but squashed, along with many, many opposing forwards.

    However, the Chiefs have been here before.

    While two tries in the opening five minutes of the semi-final gave the impression the Hurricanes were caught off guard, the team had specifically identified how the opposing loose forward trio for that game looked very different to the one they played in round 14 and posed a significant, new threat.

    So, even with that emphasis in the scouting report, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson and Wallace Sititi were able to inflict their will in the capital.

    The strength and work rate of the trio stressed what had been a Hurricanes back row without peer for much of the earlier rounds of this season, and the challenge for the pack gets no easier this time around.

    In the outsides, one mustn’t look far to find international quality, with Damian McKenzie leading the competition in total points (172) in fewer minutes played than anyone else in the top five, thanks to a competition-best individual success rate off the tee (86.4%). McKeznie has also had by far the most kicks in play this season (153).

    Etene Nanai-Seturo is second only to Tom Wright this season in metres carried, boasting 1,593, while Wallace Sititi averages the most meters per 80 minutes with 120. Nanai-Seturo and super sub Quinn Tupaea join the No. 8 in the top five there. Sititi also leads the competition for the average number of carries per game with 16.2.

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    Comments

    1 Comment
    s
    swivel 249 days ago

    Game played pretty much exactly as described

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    kumar supriya 4 minutes ago
    'This team looks underdone': Ex-Highlander questions the Blues' 2025 approach

    MY NAME IS SUPRIYA KUMAR FROM INDIA PLEASE FIND TIME TO READ THIS CAREFULLY.              AS WE ALL KNOW INDIA IS NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF MAGIC SO DO NOT IGNORE THIS. BE CAREFUL HERE, NOBODY CAN HELP YOU FROM AFRICA OR EVEN SUGGEST HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR EX OR LOVE BACK, ANY TESTIMONIES OF MOST SPELL CASTER FROM AFRICA HERE MUST BE IGNORED, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE SCAM I MEAN REAL SCAM AND FROM AFRICA WHICH I WAS A VICTIM AND I GOT RIPPED OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE I WAS SO ANXIOUS TO GET MY HUSBAND JOHN BACK AFTER HE LEFT ME FOR OVER 2YEARS WITH MY 3YEARS OLD SON JERRY,I HAVE APPLIED TO 7 DIFFERENT SPELL CASTER HERE I MET ON THIS BLOG AND ALL TO NO AVAIL THEY ALL ASK FOR SAME THING SEND YOUR NAME YOUR EX NAME ADDRESS AND PICTURE PHONE NUMBER ETC WHICH I DID OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND MOST OF THEM WERE FROM AFRICA, I WAS SO CONFUSED AND I WAS ALWAYS SICK BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND I WAS SO DESPERATE TO HAVE JOHN BACK TO ME I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND COULD DIE FOR HIM. UNTIL A FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS THE GREATEST SPELL TEMPLE, (templeofdreams1@gmail.com) TEMPLE OF BLACK AND WHITE (GOOD AND EVIL) IN INDIA, AND I DECIDED TO SEND A MAIL TO THE TEMPLE. THE SECRETARY TOLD ME THAT ALL MY PROBLEM ARE OVER SINCE I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT INDIA FOR HELP, HE TOLD ME TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN ME AND MY EX HUSBAND JOHN AND I DID, I TOLD HIM ALL THAT HAPPENED FROM THE BEGINNING. AND HE SAID TO ME MY CHILD WHAT YOU JUST EXPLAINED TO ME NOW IS A LITTLE PROBLEM TO HANDLE COMPARE TO SERIOUS PROBLEMS THE TEMPLE HAS HANDLED, I WAS SO SHOCKED AND I SAID TO MY SELF WHAT PROBLEM COULD BE MORE SERIOUS THAN THIS. HE TOLD ME WHAT I NEEDED TO DO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT WHAT HE SAID LOOK SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE HEARD IN THE PAST(THAT I WAS TO PAY FOR THE ITEMS NEEDED), I WAS HAVING DOUBT ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF PAST EXPERIENCE, BUT I DECIDED TO TRY SINCE THE TEMPLE IS LOCATED IN INDIA (ASIA) AND NOT AFRICA (NIGERIA AND SOUTH AFRICA) THEY COULD BE REAL AND DIFFERENT. SO I GAVE THEM 50% OF MY TRUST. THIS WAS LIKE A MAGIC AND DREAM COME TRUE TO ME, AFTER TWO DAYS WHEN THE SPELL HAS BEEN CASTEED, JOHN BEEPED MY PHONE AT ABOUT 9:PM I COULD NOT SLEEP THAT NIGHT BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE JOHN AND WANT HIM BACK. BY 7:AM THE NEXT MORNING HE GAVE ME ANOTHER  MISSED CALL I DECIDED NOT TO CALL BACK AS I WAS STILL ON SHOCK,   AT ABOUT 10:AM THAT MORNING HE CALLED AND I PICKED HE SAID CAN WE SEE AFTER WORK TODAY I SAID YES SO HE ENDED THE CALL IMMEDIATELY I GOT OFF WORK HE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME WERE TO MEET HIM, I WAS STILL ON SHOCK, BEHOLD WHEN I GOT THERE I SAW JOHN CRYING WITH TEARS ALL OVER HIS EYES, AND HE SAID TO ME MY WIFE, I AM SO SORRY IMMEDIATELY I HUGGED HIM AND KISSED HIM WHICH I HAVE MISSED ALL THIS YEARS. ALL THANK TO TEMPLE OF DREAMS. IF YOU ARE A MAN OR A WOMAN READING THIS AND YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH SIMILAR PROBLEMS LIKE MINE, DO NOT FAIL TO CONTACT THIS GREAT TEMPLE. HE IS REALLY INDEED A REAL SPELL CASTER.           THE WORST OF ALL IS THAT I DON’T KNOW THE PARTICULAR DOCTOR THAT HELPED ME AS I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 300 SPELL CASTERS WORKING IN THE TEMPLE, UNLIKE THE SINGLE SCAM DOCTORS IN AFRICA. I AM NO LONGER AFRAID OF THE SPELL CASTERS IN AFRICA BECAUSE THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS ASSURED AND GAVE ME HUNDRED PERCENT PROTECTION AND ALSO HELPED ME RECOVER 50% OF MY MONEY THAT I PAYED TO SCAMS FROM AFRICA SOME SERVICES RENDERED IN THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS (1) If you want your ex back. (2) To cure HIV/AID or related illness (3) You want to be promoted in your office. (4) You want women/men to run after you. (5) If you want a child. (6) Are you a contractor and you want to win contract (7) You want to tie your husband/wife to be yours forever. (8) If you need help spiritually. (9) How you been scammed and you want to recover you lost money.     (10)Stop Divorce (11)Invoking of Money Ritual (12)To verify if your online lover is real (13)To verify if your online loan is real (14)To be very brilliant (15)If you are looking for a good job (16)If you are old and want to look young (17) If you want to be free from threats of spell caster in AFRICA And many more.. Email... templeofdreams1@gmail.com  

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    k
    kumar supriya 7 minutes ago
    Waratahs plotting unprecedented 29-season Super Rugby first in 2025

    MY NAME IS SUPRIYA KUMAR FROM INDIA PLEASE FIND TIME TO READ THIS CAREFULLY.              AS WE ALL KNOW INDIA IS NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF MAGIC SO DO NOT IGNORE THIS. BE CAREFUL HERE, NOBODY CAN HELP YOU FROM AFRICA OR EVEN SUGGEST HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR EX OR LOVE BACK, ANY TESTIMONIES OF MOST SPELL CASTER FROM AFRICA HERE MUST BE IGNORED, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE SCAM I MEAN REAL SCAM AND FROM AFRICA WHICH I WAS A VICTIM AND I GOT RIPPED OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE I WAS SO ANXIOUS TO GET MY HUSBAND JOHN BACK AFTER HE LEFT ME FOR OVER 2YEARS WITH MY 3YEARS OLD SON JERRY,I HAVE APPLIED TO 7 DIFFERENT SPELL CASTER HERE I MET ON THIS BLOG AND ALL TO NO AVAIL THEY ALL ASK FOR SAME THING SEND YOUR NAME YOUR EX NAME ADDRESS AND PICTURE PHONE NUMBER ETC WHICH I DID OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND MOST OF THEM WERE FROM AFRICA, I WAS SO CONFUSED AND I WAS ALWAYS SICK BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND I WAS SO DESPERATE TO HAVE JOHN BACK TO ME I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND COULD DIE FOR HIM. UNTIL A FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS THE GREATEST SPELL TEMPLE, (templeofdreams1@gmail.com) TEMPLE OF BLACK AND WHITE (GOOD AND EVIL) IN INDIA, AND I DECIDED TO SEND A MAIL TO THE TEMPLE. THE SECRETARY TOLD ME THAT ALL MY PROBLEM ARE OVER SINCE I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT INDIA FOR HELP, HE TOLD ME TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN ME AND MY EX HUSBAND JOHN AND I DID, I TOLD HIM ALL THAT HAPPENED FROM THE BEGINNING. AND HE SAID TO ME MY CHILD WHAT YOU JUST EXPLAINED TO ME NOW IS A LITTLE PROBLEM TO HANDLE COMPARE TO SERIOUS PROBLEMS THE TEMPLE HAS HANDLED, I WAS SO SHOCKED AND I SAID TO MY SELF WHAT PROBLEM COULD BE MORE SERIOUS THAN THIS. HE TOLD ME WHAT I NEEDED TO DO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT WHAT HE SAID LOOK SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE HEARD IN THE PAST(THAT I WAS TO PAY FOR THE ITEMS NEEDED), I WAS HAVING DOUBT ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF PAST EXPERIENCE, BUT I DECIDED TO TRY SINCE THE TEMPLE IS LOCATED IN INDIA (ASIA) AND NOT AFRICA (NIGERIA AND SOUTH AFRICA) THEY COULD BE REAL AND DIFFERENT. SO I GAVE THEM 50% OF MY TRUST. THIS WAS LIKE A MAGIC AND DREAM COME TRUE TO ME, AFTER TWO DAYS WHEN THE SPELL HAS BEEN CASTEED, JOHN BEEPED MY PHONE AT ABOUT 9:PM I COULD NOT SLEEP THAT NIGHT BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE JOHN AND WANT HIM BACK. BY 7:AM THE NEXT MORNING HE GAVE ME ANOTHER  MISSED CALL I DECIDED NOT TO CALL BACK AS I WAS STILL ON SHOCK,   AT ABOUT 10:AM THAT MORNING HE CALLED AND I PICKED HE SAID CAN WE SEE AFTER WORK TODAY I SAID YES SO HE ENDED THE CALL IMMEDIATELY I GOT OFF WORK HE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME WERE TO MEET HIM, I WAS STILL ON SHOCK, BEHOLD WHEN I GOT THERE I SAW JOHN CRYING WITH TEARS ALL OVER HIS EYES, AND HE SAID TO ME MY WIFE, I AM SO SORRY IMMEDIATELY I HUGGED HIM AND KISSED HIM WHICH I HAVE MISSED ALL THIS YEARS. ALL THANK TO TEMPLE OF DREAMS. IF YOU ARE A MAN OR A WOMAN READING THIS AND YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH SIMILAR PROBLEMS LIKE MINE, DO NOT FAIL TO CONTACT THIS GREAT TEMPLE. HE IS REALLY INDEED A REAL SPELL CASTER.           THE WORST OF ALL IS THAT I DON’T KNOW THE PARTICULAR DOCTOR THAT HELPED ME AS I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 300 SPELL CASTERS WORKING IN THE TEMPLE, UNLIKE THE SINGLE SCAM DOCTORS IN AFRICA. I AM NO LONGER AFRAID OF THE SPELL CASTERS IN AFRICA BECAUSE THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS ASSURED AND GAVE ME HUNDRED PERCENT PROTECTION AND ALSO HELPED ME RECOVER 50% OF MY MONEY THAT I PAYED TO SCAMS FROM AFRICA SOME SERVICES RENDERED IN THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS (1) If you want your ex back. (2) To cure HIV/AID or related illness (3) You want to be promoted in your office. (4) You want women/men to run after you. (5) If you want a child. (6) Are you a contractor and you want to win contract (7) You want to tie your husband/wife to be yours forever. (8) If you need help spiritually. (9) How you been scammed and you want to recover you lost money.     (10)Stop Divorce (11)Invoking of Money Ritual (12)To verify if your online lover is real (13)To verify if your online loan is real (14)To be very brilliant (15)If you are looking for a good job (16)If you are old and want to look young (17) If you want to be free from threats of spell caster in AFRICA And many more.. Email... templeofdreams1@gmail.com  

    2 Go to comments
    R
    RegineIsaksen 2 hours ago
    Ollie Lawrence determined to show his 'true self' for England

    Sometimes life gives you signs-you just got to be paying attention. One night, deep in an Uber ride, I struck up a conversation with the driver. The topic of Bitcoin came up, and he mentioned that he once lost his wallet containing $50,000.

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