Rugby / Statbunker News

Guinness Premiership

·         Leicester Tigers took an eight top of the table finish in the top flight of English rugby since the leagues were introduced back in 1987/88 – they last took top spot in 2004/05

·         Glen Jackson finished as top points scorer for the second time in three seasons as he passed 1000 Premiership points, the first Saracens player to top the list twice 

·         New Zealand Joe Maddock was the top try scorer with 10 tries along with England International Ugo Monye; he is the second New Zealander to top the list after Bruce Reihana was joint top back in 2003/04 with Steven Hanley 

·         Harlequins achieve a best ever finish of second having previously finished third three times, the last time back in 1996/97

·         Jackson slotted 62 penalties during the season to move into joint ninth on the all time list for a season 

·         There were just three players who started all 22 Premiership matches during the season, London Irish No 8 Chris Hala’uifa, Sale Sharks fly half Charlie Hodgson and Newcastle Falcons No 8 Phil Dowson

·         Whilst Harlequins did not have any ever presents they had two players on 21 and three on 20 for the most players with 20 or more by club

·         Newcastle Falcons Adam Balding was replaced in all 17 matches he played last season 

·         Most times on the bench last season was Harlequins front row man Mark Lambert 18 times, one more than the Leicester tigers scrum half Ben Youngs 

·         Nick Easter was one of only three players to score hat tricks last season and he did it coming off the bench, the only other back row forward to achieve the same feat was Eric Peters for Bath 

·         The other two players to score hat tricks were Iain Balshaw and Andrew Higgins 

·         Sale Sharks Charlie Hodgson was the only player to score 20 points in a match twice 

·         Worcester were way ahead of anyone else when it came to giving youngsters a chance they used 15 players under 22 six more than any other side 

·         At the other end of the scale Saracens used 18 players over the age of 30, three more than Bristol

·         Bath and Quins used the fewest players under 22 – just three

·         The youngest player to appear in the Premiership this season was Sale Sharks James Gaskell aged 18 years and 178 days and was one of seven 18 year olds to play in the Premiership this season 

·         At the other end of the scale there were four 37 year olds who played with Mike Catt being the oldest at 37 years 220 days , the other three were all forwards and in fact all in the front row, prop Tom Smith (Northampton) and Stuart Turner (Sale Sharks) and hooker Mark Regan (Bristol) 

·         London Irish were the top try scorers with 64 tries two more than Leicester Tigers   

·         On the road Bath were the top try scorers with 26 tries one more than London Irish whilst at home Leicester and Harlequins led the way with 41 tries 

·         Worcester were the lowest try scorers and managed just four in the opening quarter and seven in the final quarter which were both lows in the division

·         Bath who finished four in the table and made the play offs had the third worst record for conceding late tries with 29 in the final quarter only the bottom two conceded more 

·         London Wasps hooker Rob Webber picked up the most sin bins with three

·         Only three players got red carded during the season Leicester Tigers prop Julian White, London Irish hooker David Paice and Bath centre Alex Crockett 

·         17 different nationalities were represented in the Guinness Premiership this season with England leading the way with 309 players and New Zealand next with 31

·         Northampton Saints had the fewest English players 20 out of 31