Chistera
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Very insightful article from intheloose, drawing upon university research.
Ranking last year's 6 Nations teams by average kicks per game results in the actual final rankings: Ireland, England, Wales, France, Scotland, Italy. Ireland having kicked the most (27.4 kicks/game), Italy the least (17.4).
Also data from this season's Premiership shows that the winning team kicked the ball 18.1 times per game on average, the losing team only 15.5 times. These findings would also apply to Super Rugby, so this isn't a northern hemisphere exclusive thing, as we could easily think.
Of course, kicking isn't a lone factor in deciding the outcomes of games, but these stats seem to clearly emphasize the advantages of keeping the opponent under pressure and playing in the opponent's half, to the detriment of playing ambitious and attacking rugby ball in hand.
Is this the definitive advent of a realistic kicking approach to rugby or will other rugby playing styles remain a plausible way to win?
Ranking last year's 6 Nations teams by average kicks per game results in the actual final rankings: Ireland, England, Wales, France, Scotland, Italy. Ireland having kicked the most (27.4 kicks/game), Italy the least (17.4).
Also data from this season's Premiership shows that the winning team kicked the ball 18.1 times per game on average, the losing team only 15.5 times. These findings would also apply to Super Rugby, so this isn't a northern hemisphere exclusive thing, as we could easily think.
Of course, kicking isn't a lone factor in deciding the outcomes of games, but these stats seem to clearly emphasize the advantages of keeping the opponent under pressure and playing in the opponent's half, to the detriment of playing ambitious and attacking rugby ball in hand.
Is this the definitive advent of a realistic kicking approach to rugby or will other rugby playing styles remain a plausible way to win?