We bring you some interesting statistics after day four of the IRB Junior World Championship 2012 in South Africa.
- New Zealand have appeared in every IRB Junior World Championship final to date, but the 2012 title decider will feature South Africa for the first time.
- The two finalists have very similar averages for the tournament with South Africa averaging 33.50 points and 4.24 tries per match in comparison to New Zealand’s 33.00 points and 4.75 tries.
- Both finalists have conceded just two tries in four matches at JWC 2012. New Zealand have scored the most tries in reaching the final with 19, two more than the next best South Africa and Wales.
- In their semi final victories, New Zealand became the first side to pass through 1,100 points with South Africa becoming the second to break through 1,000 points in JWC history.
- Despite the heartbreak of losing their semi finals, Wales and Argentina can still record their best ever finishes in JWC history.
- Ireland are guaranteed their best ever finish whatever happens against France in the fifth place play-off, but England and Australia will record their lowest rankings in JWC history.
- Whoever loses the 11th place play-off between Italy and Fiji will be relegated to the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in 2013, their place being taken by the winner of JWRT 2012, which kicks off in Salt Lake City, USA, on Monday.
- A total of 140 tries have been scored at JWC 2012.
- Just under 66 per cent of tries have been turned into seven pointers at JWC 2012.
- In the 164 JWC matches to date, a total of 1,037 tries have been scored.
- Samoa had not scored a try in the pool stages, but scored four tries to beat Fiji and confirm their place at JWC 2013.
- Ninety-nine players have scored a try at JWC 2012.
- A total of 1,082 points have been scored at JWC 2012 going into the final day, bringing the cumulative total to 8,249 across the five tournaments.
- South Africa are the top point scorers at JWC 2012 with 134, albeit only just from Wales (133) and New Zealand (132). England and Ireland are the only other sides into three figures.
- Two tries in Scotland’s win over Italy on day four has lifted wing Jamie Farndale to the top of the try-scoring charts with four. Six players have scored three tries at JWC 2012 - Mitch Eadie (SCO), Jason Emery (NZL), Milford Keresoma (NZL), Samu Kerevi (FJI), Jan Serfontein (RSA) and Aca Simolo (FJI).
- Wales wing Tom Prydie is still the leading point scorer at JWC 2012 with 41, six more than French scrum half Eric Escande and Ireland fly half JJ Hanrahan. This is still some why short of the record for a single tournament, set by New Zealand fly half Gareth Anscombe in 2011.
- A total of 63 penalties have been kicked at JWC 2012.
- France have kicked the most penalties at JWC 2012 with 11, nine of them by scrum half Eric Escande.
- South Africa fly half Handre Pollard has kicked the most conversions at JWC 2012 with 12, two more than New Zealand’s Ihaia West.
- Two drop goals were kicked on day four, John Apperley for Italy in their loss to Scotland and Thomas Laranjeira’s match winner for France against Australia. Ireland fly half JJ Hanrahan kicked on in their opening day win over hosts South Africa.
- Eighteen yellow cards have been brandished at JWC 2012, four of them to England players. This takes the total to 160 in JWC history.
- New Zealand, Wales, South Africa and Italy are the only sides not to have received a yellow card as JWC 2012.
- The average points per match at JWC 2012 has dropped slightly to 45.08 after day four. This breaks down into 20.42 in the first half and 24.67 in the second.
- The tournament average of tries per match at JWC 2012 is also down slightly to 5.83. More tries continue to be scored in the second half than the first.
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