Following 11 rounds of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific, Planet Rugby takes a closer look at the players who are key to the exciting rugby on show and who leads the rest in the respective individual statistics categories.

Top try scorer

Elusive Chiefs outside back Shaun Stevenson held onto his lead at the top of the try-scoring charts after running onto a delicate chip from Daniel Rona in their clash with the Highlanders last weekend.

The try takes his tally to 10 for the season, prompting another reminder that he could well threaten the competition record of 15 if he keeps up his strike rate.

Runners-up: A Leicester Fainga’anuku brace saw the Crusader shoot up the leaderboard to second place with nine tries, whilst Western Force star Zach Kibirige remains in third with eight tries.

Top points scorer

It is no surprise to see the red-hot Damian McKenzie hold his position at the top of the points scorers list after yet another influential performance.

The playmaker guided the Chiefs to record 10 consecutive wins and took his personal points tally to 122. McKenzie is still the only player to exceed a century of points in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific.

Runners-up: The classy Richie Mo’unga is just short of a century with 97 points after the Crusaders got one over the Western Force. Meanwhile, Highlander Sam Gilbert is only two points behind in third.

Top tackler

Reds star Fraser McReight continued his relentless work rate again last weekend, notching nine tackles – a tally that is low for his standards – as the Queenslanders lost out to the Waratahs at home.

Nevertheless, the tackle haul keeps him as the competition high for tackles made at an impressive total of 136.

Runners-up: McReight has some company at the top as Rebel Brad Wilkin has made a charge up the leaderboard and is only six tackles short of the lead with 130. Crusader Tom Christie is also in the mix with 128.

Top carrier

It will take some effort to dethrone the rampant Wallaby Harry Wilson from the lead of carries made as the number eight continuously puts in a boatload of carries week in and week out.

Wilson notched up 16 carries against the ‘Tahs taking his total for the season to 150, a full 46 more than the nearest player.

Runners-up: Rebels star Monty Ioane took his total over the century mark this weekend and sits on 104 carries, whilst Hoskins Sotutu and Tom Wright have also exceeded 100 carries.

Most defenders beaten

The robust running Levi Aumua seems to be making himself at home atop of the defenders beaten category with another week as the leader in the competition.

A quiet week for his ever-improving standards the Moana Pasifika star only beat four defenders but maintained the lead with a total of 56 defenders beaten this season.

Runners-up: Still within touching distance is Aumua’s team-mate Timoci Tavatavanawai with a total of 51, equal with Blues flyer Mark Telea.

Metres carried

Brumbies star man Tom Wright becomes the first player this season to run over a kilometre with ball in hand after consistently notching up more than 100 metres carried per game.

The Wallaby’s total for the season is a whopping 1,126 metres carried, and is the only player to pass the 1,000 metre mark.

Runners-up: Highlanders star Sam Gilbert is in second place with a total of 979 metres.

Line-outs won

Waratahs second-row Jed Holloway continues his time at the top of the category after another sound performance in the set-piece against the Reds.

He took an impressive 10 line-outs in the Australian derby to take his total to 63 for the season so far.

Runners-up: For the first time this season there is no Brumbies player in the top two as Jeremy Williams of the Western Force moves into second spot with a total of 45 line-outs completed.

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