Amlin Opta Index:
European club rugby semi-final preview
Comparative analysis of player performance in the Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup, officially licensed by ERC
Amlin Opta Index
Top Ten forwards of the season
Name
Sean O’Brien
Schalk Brits
Phil Dowson
Joe Van Niekerk
Thomas Waldrom
Tom Wood
Hendre Fourie
Denis Leamy
Craig Newby
Richardt Straus
Amlin Opta Index
Top Ten backs of the season:
Name
Jonathan Sexton
David Skrela
Ian Humphreys
Doug Howlett
Joe Simpson
Ronan O’Gara
Nick Evans
Raphael Lagarde
Julien Caminati
Maxime Medard
Sean O’Brien continued his imperious form in
Europe this season by helping Leinster overcome
Leicester in the quarter-finals. The back-rowforward has now amassed 2,581 AOI points thanks to a competition high 98 carries for a gain
of 380 metres (the most by any forward). His
all-round game is exemplified by the fact that he is
the leading attacking player on the index and the
3rd best defensive player. Only Joe Worsley (90),
who is no longer in European action, has made
more tackles than O’Brien (77) this season.
In the lineout, Dylan Hartley has been the
standout player this season. The Northampton
hooker has thrown 87 successful throws, 25
more than any other player, with only eight throws
failing to find a team mate. This has helped
Hartley achieve an Amlin Opta Index score of
603, only one other player has broken 500 in this
facet of the game, Johann Muller, who was on the
losing side for Ulster in the quarter-final against
Saints.
Hartley’s team mates, Phil Dowson and Tom
Wood, both make it into the top ten forwards of
the season based on the AOI. O’Brien is the only
player left in the competition to have made more
carries than Dowson (74) and no player left in
European action has made more tackles than
Wood (77).
In the backs Jonathan Sexton has led the way.
The Leinster and Ireland fly-half has 2,206 AOI
points, the 2nd most of any player, with 951 of
these coming through his boot. He has slotted 14
conversions and 15 penalties so far as well as
crossing for three tries to give him a points total
of 88 in Europe this season.
Sexton will go head to head with David Skrela in
the semi-finals, the Frenchman is currently the 2nd
ranked back in Europe this season, with 781 AOI
points coming thanks to his kicking. The 32-yearold has notched up 84 points in the Heineken Cup this season thanks to 12 conversions, 19
penalties and one drop-goal.
Elsewhere in the backs Doug Howlett and Ronan
O’Gara both feature for Munster. Howlett has
1,338 points in attack which is the 2nd best score
of any player, he has made 54 carries for a gain
of 289 metres (including 102 metres v Brive in
the quarter-finals), going past 16 defenders and
making eight clean breaks along the way.
O’Gara is 3rd on the list of kickers this season
with an AOI score of 758, he has accrued 75
points for Munster in Europe this season thanks to
18 conversions and 13 penalties, including a 17
point haul in the quarter-final victory over Brive.
http://www.ercrugby.com/downloads/PreviewBulletin-Semi-finals.pdf
Sean O’Brien has
been far and away the leading player in Europe this
season, and his overall game is remarkable. He is
Leinster’s leading attacking and defensive player this
season, having made a competition high 98 carries
for 380 metres as well as 77 tackles, the 2nd
most by any player.
http://www.ercrugby.com/downloads/AOI-LeinstervToulouse.pdf
European club rugby semi-final preview
Comparative analysis of player performance in the Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup, officially licensed by ERC
Amlin Opta Index
Top Ten forwards of the season
Name
Sean O’Brien
Schalk Brits
Phil Dowson
Joe Van Niekerk
Thomas Waldrom
Tom Wood
Hendre Fourie
Denis Leamy
Craig Newby
Richardt Straus
Amlin Opta Index
Top Ten backs of the season:
Name
Jonathan Sexton
David Skrela
Ian Humphreys
Doug Howlett
Joe Simpson
Ronan O’Gara
Nick Evans
Raphael Lagarde
Julien Caminati
Maxime Medard
Sean O’Brien continued his imperious form in
Europe this season by helping Leinster overcome
Leicester in the quarter-finals. The back-rowforward has now amassed 2,581 AOI points thanks to a competition high 98 carries for a gain
of 380 metres (the most by any forward). His
all-round game is exemplified by the fact that he is
the leading attacking player on the index and the
3rd best defensive player. Only Joe Worsley (90),
who is no longer in European action, has made
more tackles than O’Brien (77) this season.
In the lineout, Dylan Hartley has been the
standout player this season. The Northampton
hooker has thrown 87 successful throws, 25
more than any other player, with only eight throws
failing to find a team mate. This has helped
Hartley achieve an Amlin Opta Index score of
603, only one other player has broken 500 in this
facet of the game, Johann Muller, who was on the
losing side for Ulster in the quarter-final against
Saints.
Hartley’s team mates, Phil Dowson and Tom
Wood, both make it into the top ten forwards of
the season based on the AOI. O’Brien is the only
player left in the competition to have made more
carries than Dowson (74) and no player left in
European action has made more tackles than
Wood (77).
In the backs Jonathan Sexton has led the way.
The Leinster and Ireland fly-half has 2,206 AOI
points, the 2nd most of any player, with 951 of
these coming through his boot. He has slotted 14
conversions and 15 penalties so far as well as
crossing for three tries to give him a points total
of 88 in Europe this season.
Sexton will go head to head with David Skrela in
the semi-finals, the Frenchman is currently the 2nd
ranked back in Europe this season, with 781 AOI
points coming thanks to his kicking. The 32-yearold has notched up 84 points in the Heineken Cup this season thanks to 12 conversions, 19
penalties and one drop-goal.
Elsewhere in the backs Doug Howlett and Ronan
O’Gara both feature for Munster. Howlett has
1,338 points in attack which is the 2nd best score
of any player, he has made 54 carries for a gain
of 289 metres (including 102 metres v Brive in
the quarter-finals), going past 16 defenders and
making eight clean breaks along the way.
O’Gara is 3rd on the list of kickers this season
with an AOI score of 758, he has accrued 75
points for Munster in Europe this season thanks to
18 conversions and 13 penalties, including a 17
point haul in the quarter-final victory over Brive.
http://www.ercrugby.com/downloads/PreviewBulletin-Semi-finals.pdf
Sean O’Brien has
been far and away the leading player in Europe this
season, and his overall game is remarkable. He is
Leinster’s leading attacking and defensive player this
season, having made a competition high 98 carries
for 380 metres as well as 77 tackles, the 2nd
most by any player.
http://www.ercrugby.com/downloads/AOI-LeinstervToulouse.pdf
