Greetings. The playoffs of the 2025 Nile Special Rugby Premiership have presented an opportunity to expand the data collected for the rugby games. Fewer games means we can include extensive coverage on the set pieces, and examine the efficiency of forward play. The Friday game between Victoria Sharks and Heathens presented the first opportunity to do so.
Lineouts were observed on whether the team in possession of the ball retained possession (success) or lost possession. For teams that retained possession, the next action was recorded; whether the ball was released to the scrumhalf (releases), the receiving player opted to carry/ruck or the player opted to form a maul.
For scrums, the observations centred on whether the ball was released from the scrum, and whether the feeding team maintained possession after the ball was released. Penalty scrums conceded were also noted.
The penalty count tallied how many penalties/free kicks each team conceded during the course of the game.
In all these observations the location of the action on pitch was taken into consideration. There are five zones to make the comparison easier; Own 22, Own Half (that is from the 22m line to the halfway line), the halfway line, Opp Half, and Opp 22.
Hippos will take a 9-point advantage into their home leg of the quarterfinal series against Rhinos. Hippos had a 9/10 retention on their own scrum feeds, however, they conceded a scrum penalty as the feeding team. Rhinos on the other hand never lost a scrum feed, including forcing a penalty on their opponents. In lineout play, the feeding team only retained possession on 7 of 16 throws (43.75%).
From the USRA Schools Final, King's College Budo weathered the Namilyango storm and emerged victorious, 29-17. Despite having less possession, Budo conceded less penalties than their opponents. Both teams performed in an identical fashion in the lineout and scrum play.
Ceteris. Paribus.
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