Stats and facts: Stormers vs Ulster

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Get all the important stats and facts ahead of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-final between the DHL Stormers and Ulster in Cape Town on Saturday.

Powered by the Vodacom URC’s official stat providers Oval Rugby and supported by historic information from Stuart Farmer Media Services (SFMS), the URC StatMaster applies context to the data available for each match in the upcoming round.

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The Vodacom URC StatMaster isn’t just about ranking the top-scorers or tacklers, it pinpoints the metrics that provide real insight into the matchups taking place and what factors can prove influential in the winning and losing.

Performance data fields for teams and players are used and combined with reports and analysis on penalties, 22 entry data and times of scoring to provide a one-page insight report on each fixture.

The goal of the Vodacom URC StatMaster Insight Pack is to help demystify the game and make it easier to explain through simplified data.

DHL Stormers

  • The Stormers were the best-represented side in the Vodacom URC Dream Team announced this week, contributing five players
  • John Dobson’s side boast the league’s top points-scorer (Manie Libbok, 161), top try-scorer (Leolin Zas, 11) and top winner of turnovers (Deon Fourie, 25) across all URC fixtures while Evan Roos leads the way for successful carries (134) and defenders beaten (53)
  • They will be keen to avoid any costly periods in the sin bin this weekend, having been shown more yellow cards than any other side this term (13)

Ulster

  • Given the attacking threat posed by their hosts this weekend, Ulster will take some comfort in their record as the competition’s most prolific tacklers. Their total of 2,801 is the highest in the URC while their success rate of 91.36% is the best of the four remaining sides
  • Dan McFarland’s men tend to keep their noses clean in defence, having conceded the fewest defensive penalties in the URC (111)
  • When it comes to total penalties conceded, Ulster’s tally of 178 is the lowest of the teams left in the competition

Did you know?

  • The Stormers have won their last nine matches since losing to Connacht in Galway in February and have lost just once at home all season in the URC – a 37-19 defeat by the Emirates Lions in December
  • Ulster pushed the Stormers all the way when these sides met in Cape Town in March, with the hosts winning 23-20
  • The Stormers won both of their home matches against Irish opposition during the regular season, also seeing off Leinster

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

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Dylan Jack