Super Rugby Pacific statistics: Cortez Ratima a big mover despite Chiefs defeat

David Skippers
Cortez Ratima Chiefs SRP 2023 - Alamy.jpg

Chiefs scrum-half Cortez Ratima.

After eight rounds of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, Planet Rugby takes a closer look at the players who are key to the exciting rugby on show and who leads the rest in the respective individual statistics categories.

Top try-scorers

Although the Chiefs suffered a 36-23 defeat to the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday, the Hamilton-based outfit’s exciting scrum-half Cortez Ratima crossed for his seventh try of the season.

That score was a significant one as it sees Ratima drawing level with Brumbies speed merchant Corey Toole at the top of the try-scoring charts. Toole did not add to his tally as the Brumbies had a bye.

Runners-up:

Four players are in joint second position on six tries scored and they are: Hoskins Sotutu of the Blues, Sevu Reece of the Crusaders, Matt Faessler of the Reds and Iosefo Masi of the Fijian Drua. Despite finishing on the losing side against the Waratahs, Reece was the biggest mover in this category after scoring two five-pointers in that clash.

Top points-scorer

The Chiefs’ All Blacks playmaker Damian McKenzie continues to set the pace here as his 13-point contribution – courtesy of two conversions and three penalties – in the loss to the Hurricanes means he has now amassed 95 points.

McKenzie impressive goal-kicking means he has opened an 18-point gap on his nearest rival – Waratahs fly-half Tane Edmed.

Runners-up:

While Edmed occupies second position with 77 points, he can’t be too comfortable as fellow Australian number 10s Carter Gordon (Rebels) and Noah Lolesio (Brumbies) are breathing down his neck on 73 and 72 points racked up for the season respectively.

Top tackler

No changes in this department as Crusaders openside flanker Tom Christie continues to lead the way here on a combined total of 144 tackle completions for the season.

This, after he was at the forefront of Super Rugby Pacific‘s defending champions’ defensive efforts against the Waratahs in Sydney with a team-high 17 tackles made.

Runners-up:

The 26-year-old has a healthy lead in this category as his closest rivals – Billy Harmon of the Highlanders and Carlo Tizzano of the Western Force – are in joint-second spot after making 109 tackles apiece while fellow Crusader George Bell is not far behind with 106 hits made.

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Top carrier

The Reds lost against Moana Pasifika in Whangarei on Friday, but that was not due to a lack of effort from their forward duo of Seru Uru (second-row) and Harry Wilson (number eight).

Uru is sitting pretty at the top of the ball-carrying charts with 91 carries made while Wilson is just four adrift.

Runners-up:

Meanwhile, there’s a two-way scrap behind the Reds duo as Blues flyer Mark Tele’a and Hurricanes loose forward Peter Lakai are in joint-third position with 80 carries each while another Hurricanes back-row, Brayden Iose, is next best with 76.

Most defenders beaten

The Fijian Drua were not in action during Round Eight but Masi is still leading the way in this category as he has already beaten 34 defenders for their campaign, while his team-mate, Selestino Ravutaumada, is next best just four behind Masi.

Runners-up:

He might not have played this weekend, but Blues and All Blacks star Tele’a is still in the mix here as he occupies third spot with 29 defenders beaten while Wallabies full-back Andrew Kellaway has the same after a strong attacking performance in his side’s triumph over the Highlanders.

Running metres

As expected, New Zealanders are prominent in this department as five players from that country are amongst the top 10 with the Blues’ All Blacks speedster Caleb Clarke in first position as he has already gained 558 metres.

Runners-up:

Not far behind Clarke is another All Blacks flyer, the Chiefs’ Shaun Stevenson (540) while the Brumbies’ Tom Wright (523) and the Highlanders’ Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (522) are next best.

Most clean breaks

There’s a tight tussle in this category as Josh Moorby of the table-topping Hurricanes and Chase Tiatia of the Western Force are deadlocked at the top after making 12 apiece.

Runners-up:

Not far behind that duo is Toole, who has made 11 clean breaks while Etene Nanai-Seturo (9) and the Blues’ Clarke and Drua duo of Ravutaumada and Epeli Momo are level with eight each.

Most line-outs won

This is a hotly contested category and there is a surprising leader with the Melbourne Rebels’ Josh Canham setting the pace with 34 lineout takes for the season so far.

Not far behind the young second-row is Nick Frost of the Brumbies, who has won 32 lineouts during the Canberra-based outfit’s campaign.

Runners-up:

Australians are dominant in this category as the next three position are occupied by players from that country with the Reds’ Liam Wright (31), his team-mate Ryan Smith (29) and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (29) rounding out the top five.

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Blues Cortez Ratima

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