Photo by Hansie Linde/Speedshots.co.za
The Coronavirus has it claws deeply buried into rugby world-wide and as dates set come and past to make decisions on the when and where competitions across the world will commence again it seems that Super Rugby will only continue in 2021.
The Cell C Sharks ended at the top of the overall table with 24 points while the Brumbies and Crusaders were at 23 points with both the Brumbies and Crusader played one game less than the Sharks.
The Opta Team Of the Season: 15. Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), 14. George Bridge (Crusaders), 13. Braydon Ennor (Crusaders), 12. Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), 11. Mark Telea (Blues), 10. James O'Connor (Reds), 9. Tate McDermott, 8. Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Sharks), 7. Tom Christie (Crusaders), 6. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Reds), 5. Mike Stolberg (Sunwolves), 4. Guido Petti Pagadizabal (Jaguares), 3. Taniela Tupou (Reds), 2. Alex Mafi (Reds), 1. Steven Kitshoff (Stormers).
Opta Index: How does it work
The Opta Index allows genuine opportunities to compare and contrast both player and team strengths and weaknesses across Super Rugby, providing real insights pre-game as follows:
After every match, Opta completes a video analysis of every touch of the ball. Each action in the match is awarded a points value depending on the relative importance of the action. So for example, a try scores more points than a tackle, but a player loses points for a missed tackle.
The points are then weighted against the score at the time when the action took place (higher points if the score is closer), the time in the match (higher points at the start of the match) and the position on the pitch where it took place (higher points for actions closer to the goal line).
The player is then given a score for the match by adding up all his actions while he was on the field. The total match score is then weighted to take account of the strength of the opposition so that performances across many matches can be judged fairly.