The busiest tacklers, most potent attackers, turnover kings and more from all the top leagues

With the world’s premier domestic competitions in full swing, we take a look at the top performers in the most noteworthy categories. We take a look at the best performers from the Premiership, Pro 14, top 14 and Super Rugby

Top Tacklers:
Jonny Gray of Glasgow Warriors averages  21 tackles per game. The 1.98m, 120kg second-row has been with Warriors since 2013 and has been capped 52 times for Scotland and 103 times for his club.

Super Rugby: Tom Christie (Crusaders) – 20 per game
Premiership: Tom Curry (Sale Sharks) – 17.75 per game
Top 14: Martin Puech (Pau) – 16 per game

Carries: 

Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), also representing the Pro 14 tournament, has managed the highest average of carries with 18. Henshaw plays at either centre or fullback and joined Leinster from Connacht in 2016. He currently has 43 caps for Ireland.

Premiership: Charles Piutau (Bristol) – 17.08 per game 
Top 14: Luke Whitelock (Pau) – 15.2 per game
Super Rugby: Marco van Staden (Bulls) – 14.5 per game

Metres gained: 

The Premiership’s Charles Piutau, while second overall in terms of carries, has managed to rack up the highest average of running metres out of all the leagues with 101.92. The former All Black has been in blistering form so far this season, playing at in the 15 jersey for Bristol, for whom he has appeared 11 times since joining from Ulster in 2018.

Pro 14: Garry Ringrose (Leinster) – 90 per game 
Super Rugby: Aphelele Fassi (Sharks) – 87 per game
Top 14: Ramiro Moyano (Toulon) – 76.75 per game

Lineout wins:

The Pro 14’s Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) has proved himself a solid option at lineout time, recording the highest average of lineouts won stat amongst the competitions with 7.67 per game. The 30 year-old flanker has been at his club since 2009 and boasts a massive 168 appearances for them. He also holds 76 caps for Wales and 1 for the British & Irish Lions.

Super Rugby: Mike Stolberg (Sunwolves) – 6.6 per game
Premiership: Nick Isiekwe (Saracens) – 5.92 per game
Top 14: Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier) – 5.17 per game

Lineout steals: 

Remaining within the lineout sphere, Liam Mitchell (Hurricanes) is the leading Super Rugby and overall lineout stealer, poaching an average of two opposition lineouts per game. Mitchell’s career is still in its infancy, having being called up to the Hurricanes in 2019.

Pro 14: Peter O’Mahony (Munster) – 1.5 per game 
Top 14: Charles Ollivon (Toulon) – 1.33 per game
Premiership: Adam Coleman (London Irish) – 1.13 per game

Defenders beaten:

Wasps back-rower Tom Willis has built up a massive average of 11 defenders beaten per game in the Premiership. The 21 year-old burst onto the scene in 2017, making his Premiership debut against Saracens. He has also represented England U20 at Six Nations and World Championship level.

Super Rugby: Mark Telea (Blues) – 6.83 per game 
Pro 14: Mattia Bellini (Zebre) – 6.75 per game
Top 14: Virimi Tuisova (Lyon) – 6.5 per game

Clean breaks:

Chase Tiatia (Hurricanes) has shown the cleanest pair of heels across the board, averaging 4 clean breaks per match. The Samoan hot-stepper joined the Hurricanes in 2019 and has performed well in Super Rugby.

Premiership: Jonny May (Leicester) – 3 per game
Pro 14: Garry Ringrose (Leinster) – 3 per game
Top  14: Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92) – 2.25 per game

Kicks in play:

In terms of the boot, Glasgow Warriors’ Adam Hastings has cultivated a healthy kicking game with an average of 18 per game. The Scottish flyhalf has represented his country since U16 level and has been capped 42 times by Warriors and 12 times for Bath.

Premiership: George Ford (Leicester) – 17.25 per game
Super Rugby: Otere Black (Blues) – 16 per game
Top 14: Baptiste Serin (Toulon) – 13.75 per game

   

Rebels front-ranker Fereti Sa’aga has room for improvement as far as his discipline is concerned. The 25 year-old currently is conceding an average of 3 penalties a game in Super Rugby.

Top 14: Charles Ollivon (Toulon) – 2.67 per game
Premiership: Joe Launchbury (Wasps) – 2.5 per game
Pro 14: Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 2.25 per game

Turnovers won:

Warren Gatland's influence has seen the fruition of the talents of Chiefs openside Lachlan Boshier, whose commitment on the ground has elevated him to the top of the ‘turnovers won’ stat and into the All Black conversation. Boshier has 45 caps for the Chiefs and currently averages an impressive 4 turnovers per game.

Pro 14: Stan South (Edinburgh) – 3 per game
Premiership: Jack Willis (Wasps) – 2.55 per game
Top 14: Louis Picamoles (Montpellier) – 1.5 per game