Southern winger Jeremiah Asi is chased by Zingari-Richmond winger Jacob Pollock during a Dunedin metro division 1 game at Bathgate Park on Saturday. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN The hard-working crew at Elevate Analysis have lifted the bonnet on the engine room with an interesting release of statistics this week. They have crunched the set piece numbers in the Dunedin division 1 competition, and there are some surprises. Who knew bottom-placed Alhambra-Union had the most successful scrum (96.8%) in the competition, for example? But the data also backs up what we already knew. Three of the top four teams — Taieri, Southern and University — are winning the set piece battles. Taieri are the set piece leader with an overall accuracy of 84.9%. The Eels have the strongest lineout in the competition, but their scrum has battled. It is actually the second-worst in the competition. They win their own ball just 85.3% of the time. Zingari-Richmond are at the other end of the spectrum. The Colours’ set piece has been brittle. They have the worst lineout (63%) and scrum (75.7%). Southern are the most consistent. The Magpies are in the top three for lineouts (79.1%) and scrums (93.3%). What the data does not reveal is that when seasoned prop Mike Mata-afa is on the paddock, their scrum is always rolling forward. University’s scrum has had a few wobbles, but hooker Oliver Hatch seldom misses the target in the lineout. Hatch has the highest throw success rate (87%), while Zingari-Richmond hooker A-One Lolofie has been wayward (64%). Kaikorai’s scrum (88.7%) and lineout (74.5%) are either below the competition averages or close to them at 89.8% and 74.5%, respectively. But they hunt in packs at the breakdown, bust tackles and score a lot of points, and first five Ben Miller has proven deadly with the boot. Harbour’s Preston Moananu has the most lineout wins (62) in the competition. Southern’s Lawrence Leung-Wai and Dunedin’s Ben Joseph (46) are the next two players on the list. The game, of course, is played on a field, not a spreadsheet. And round 12 should produce some good contests. Taieri have set the benchmark and will host Harbour at Peter Johnstone Park tomorrow. The Eels have put 40 or more points on their opponents in their past six games. But their only loss was a 28-15 defeat to the Hawks in round 2. Southern edged University thanks to a late drop goal by Mackenzie Palmer in round 8. The rematch is at the University Oval and the home team will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak. Dunedin dispatched Zingari-Richmond 43-17 in early May, and in a quirk of the draw will have to travel to Montecillo Park for the rematch. Alhambra-Union had their win against Zingari-Richmond in round 10 rescinded for fielding an ineligible player, so they will have extra motivation to upset Green Island at Miller Park. adrian.seconi@odt.co.nz
