Stats time!
One of Cheika's big focuses is on repeat involvements. Players making a tackle and then getting off their arse to get involved again.
ForceFan used to spend a lot of time counting ruck involvements which provided really good context.
There's nothing I've seen elsewhere that counts ruck and maul involvement.
So I've looked at a player's involvement, relative to minutes played, in terms of tackle efforts (tackles made and tackles attempted), runs and then a combination of the two (with turnovers added in for good effect).
I'm only looking at starting performances (no work done as a reserve) and removed anyone who only started one game (Lachie Swinton put in a good effort last week, for instance).
So let's go through the motions and look at
Minutes per Tackle -basically how often these players are making tackles.
To be expected it's dominated by backrowers which makes the efforts of Les Makin (across 2 games) and Harry Johnson-Holmes (across 6 games) very impressive. Oh and Feao Fotuaika for a former fatty making his first run in Super Rugby is doing damn well too.
Michael Hooper shouldn't be a surprise at the top but it's always a good reminder of why he is held in such high regard by Cheika and co. Luke Jones's work is exceptional too with 3 starts at BS and 2 at lock. He's firming as a definite Wallaby squad member.
Bernard Foley doing a lot of work too, which is interesting considering he's generally 'hidden'.
Looking now at Minutes per Run, which is self evident but looks at who are making the most run efforts.
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No surprises around Samu by any means. In fact not many surprises anywhere there. Naisirani showing his chops as a runner, with LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)'s workrate also impressive. Hooper still very busy and Foley's again on the list.
Ok, so if I was to define INVOLVEMENTS as the tackles efforts (tackles plus missed tackles), runs and turnovers we can look at a broader Minutes per Involvement. I did originally have in passes and kicks, but it skews it too far to scrumhalves.
So in the top five you've got probably our 4 main backrow candidates (perhaps add Dempsey who is towards the bottom of this list).
Again, tremendous work by HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) with ASY (Angus Scott-Young) also working hard (as you'd expect with a backrower).
Foley is high but his Tackle Efforts include a lot of missed tackles.
Without trashing anyone, I'm going to start a new post with the opposite end of the spectrum.