With a break in proceedings it’s time to look at the stats as a whole and see where London Scottish stack up against the rest of the league. How have things progressed throughout the season and what are the key markers for success going into the final crucial block of games.
London Scottish are one of the most proficient kicking sides in the league this season. Ranking 2nd for kicks in player per game with 26.2 and 3rd for kick metres per game with over 700m. This coupled with the Exiles ranking 13th for the amount of carries per game with fewer than 100 it shows that the Scots are looking to play without the ball and strike when they need to rather than waste energy in possession.
Interestingly, over the last five game block this reliance on a kicking game has balanced out showing Scottish as kicking the 8th most out of any team and carrying the 8th most as well.
Scottish’s breakdown has also been an area of great improvement across the season they ranked 7th in efficiency but in the last five games that has jumped up to 4th across the league with over 88% of breakdowns being won.
Discipline has also been a key improvement, across the season Scottish has lead the league in penalties given away, however, over the last block they were 7th showing a key development of this side.
One area the Scots have improved hugely is in their post contact metres, in the last five games they rank 10th in the league but prior to this their season average had them in 14th, showing the growth in a key area.
Defensively, Scottish have been one of the most hard working teams, making the 6th most tackles of any side the league, averaging over 125 per game. However, they have failed to turn those into dominant tackles and a high tackle percentage ranking 13th and 12th respectively for both those two categories.
The set piece has been solid without being spectacular this season for the Exiles. At line out time Scottish have averaged 83% on their own ball. However, this is also an area of improvement winning 86% over the last five games and becoming the 4th most proficient line out in the league. Scottish have also stolen the 6th most ball from opposition line outs this season.
Scrum percentage has sat around the 90% mark all season with a slight improvement in recent weeks making them the 9th best scrum in the league winning 93% of their ball. However, the Scots do sit 10th in the most amount of scrum penalties won per game, an area they will need to improve going into the final rounds of the season.
Only one player has appeared in every Champ game this season and that is winger Noah Ferdinand. He is one of four men to have racked up over 1000 minutes for the Club this season. Tom Marshall tops that chart shortly followed by Ferdinand, then Matt Wilkinson then captain Bailey Ransom.
Hayden Hyde leads the try scoring charts with nine to date shortly followed by fellow winger Noah Ferdinand. However, no one holds a candle to Josh Bellamy when it comes to assists with eight to his name, five more than anyone else.
Bellamy also leads the team in defenders beaten with 41, averaging more than four a game. He is out done by Ferdinand and Hyde when it comes to metres made with the former racking up over 700 in his appearances so far.
When it comes to the workhorses of the team there are a few familiar names. Matt Wilkinson leads the carry charts with 139 to his name, closely followed by Tom Marshall. Marshall leads his time in tackles made, just shy of 200 this season, with Harry Clayton racking up 190 so far as well.
In terms of rucks hit, it is Marshall once again who leads the way with 296 this season, closely followed by Vaughan Bentley who has hit over 270, showing his work rate from loosehead.
