Once again it’s time to take look through the Opta Rugby Rankings from the weekend’s Premiership action. While the round didn’t quite reach the try scoring heights of the opening weekend it did deliver us with some enthralling rugby... Friday night largely excluded from that statement!
The top metre makers all had huge influences on their sides’ respective outings with Alex Goode topping the standings ahead of Semesa Rokoduguni and Tom Collins. At The Recreation Ground Saracens' full-back made 190 metres, beat ten defenders and made 18 carries. As Eddie Jones prepares to name his training squad for a camp in Oxford followed by his squad for the Old Mutual Wealth Series I expect that the calls for the 29-year-old’s inclusion to grow once again. Of course Mike Brown is still performing well for Harlequins and Anthony Watson is also showing just how effective he can be with 15 on his back. In short competition is as strong as ever which will push all the greater heights on the field and at the end of the day we all know that it's the head coach's call.
Elsewhere Luke Hamilton and Sione Kalamafoni made 42 tackles between them at Franklin’s Gardens while Calum Green and Mark Wilson were highly industrious on that wet Friday night in Salford. When it comes to totting up the tackles made in Rounds 1 and 2 then Lewis Ludlow actually tops the charts with 40. He’s followed by Sione Kalamafoni on 33 and behind the Leicester No. 8 four players have each made 31 tackles over two rounds; Mike Coman, Maro Itoje, Will Welch and Sam Simmonds.
Switching back to the statistics going forward then it would be remiss of me to finish this analysis without going back and focusing specifically on Semesa Rokoduguni and Tom Collins. On Saturday afternoon the Fijian pushed what I like to call the ‘Roko button’ on and showed his sensational prowess going forward to secure victory for Bath. He leads the way in terms of metres made this season with 249 and has beaten eight defenders thus far. Meanwhile back at Franklin’s Gardens Tom Collins continued his own electric start to the season. It was tough to shine in Round 1 but he did and as the side upped their physicality it gave the winger even more opportunities to work with in Round 2. After such a difficult time with injuries it’s great to see him thriving and tearing up the field again. He's beaten 11 defenders over the course of the two matches and has notched up a cool 186 metres.
Tackles Made
Luke Hamilton - 21
Sione Kalamafoni - 21
Calum Green - 17
Mark Wilson - 17
Tom Dunn & Dom Barrow - 16
Carries
Schalk Brits - 19
Alex Goode - 18
Tom Collins - 17
Mike Brown - 17
Courtney Lawes & Jackson Wray - 16
Metres Made
Alex Goode - 190
Semesa Rokoduguni - 156
Tom Collins - 127
Olly Woodburn - 127
James Marshall - 111
Defenders Beaten
Alex Goode - 10
Anthony Watson - 7
Jack Nowell - 7
Marland Yarde - 7
Byron McGuigan & Ellis Genge - 6