Rugby
Rugby statistics and match metrics
How to read common Rugby Union match statistics for scoring, ball carrying, defence, set piece, possession and territory.
Scoring and attacking output
Tries, conversions, penalty goals and drop goals show where points came from. Carries, metres carried, clean breaks and defenders beaten describe how often and how effectively a team or player advanced with the ball.
Tackles and turnovers
Tackles made, tackles missed and tackle success describe defensive workload and execution. Turnovers won count possessions recovered from the opposition, but the route to a turnover can differ between breakdown pressure, a handling error, a lineout steal or another event.
Scrum and lineout statistics
Scrum and lineout numbers often show wins or success rates on a team’s own feed or throw. They indicate how reliably possession was secured at set piece, but they do not by themselves explain what happened in the phases that followed.
Possession, territory and context
Possession estimates control of the ball, while territory estimates where play took place. World Rugby analysis also uses measures such as entries into the opposition 22 and kick metres. Read these numbers with the score, discipline and phase outcomes rather than treating one percentage as a complete performance grade.