One Percenters: Lolesio opens up on re-signing as Bell praises Kepu

Fri, May 13, 2022, 12:50 AM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson
The Brumbies travelled across the ditch for a clash against the Chiefs.

With so many players and clubs doing media each day, it can be hard to keep on top of a lot of the stories coming out.

Rugby is filled with them across all levels of the game and whilst most are covered through some form of media, there are others that might have slipped off the radar as the World Cup bid and Wallabies jersey launch dominate discussions

Catch every game of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season on Stan Sport. Start your Free Sport Trial Now

One Percenters looks at everything you might have missed from the week of Rugby.

Call to stay 'purely Rugby-based' - Lolesio

Noah Lolesio has opened up after re-signing with the Brumbies, believing staying in Australia is the best place for his development despite no guarantee around Wallaby selection.

The young flyhalf signed an extension until 2024, the latest player to lock down his future with Australian Rugby.

Lolesio has found himself behind Quade Cooper and James O'Connor on the Wallabies depth chart but still believes his place remains in Australian Rugby - for now.

“This decision is purely rugby-based, on my development of course, too,” he told Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“No spot in [Brumbies] or in Wallabies is certain, is it, that’s where the competition kicks in. I feel like for me it was probably a little bit too soon to go overseas and with Bernie [Larkham] coming in next year I feel like I can really develop my game and take it to another level.

“I’m 22 at the moment so hopefully later down the track that door is still open whenever I want it.”

Stats to stun

With Rugby Australia confirming a partnership with Sportable, there has never been a time where stats have been more rich and available to clubs, coaches and fans.

As data continued to develop, take a look at some of the more interesting and unique stats heading into round 13, courtesy of Opta.

  • The Blues remain the most dangerous team with ball in hand. They not only lead the comp for tries scored (4.7 per game) but sit second for line breaks (6.2 p.g and first for offloads resulting in breaks (14)
  • Jed Holloway is still king of the lineout, leading the comp alongside Matt Philip (both 57). This is almost triple the next best from the Hurricanes (James Blackwell - 21)
  • However, the Hurricanes continue to dominate the gain-line, leading the comp for metres (505 p.g) and tackle busts (25 p.g)
  • The Melbourne Rebels have made dominant contact on 28% of their total carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the campaign and four percentage points more than the Chiefs (24%).
  • The Highlanders have enjoyed a fair amount of success against the Western Force in recent memory, winning their last four games by an average of 23 points. However, this only comes after the Force won six straight, leaving the head-to-head balanced at 50-50.
  • Both the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika (both 9 p.g) love throwing the ball around, with only the Chiefs producing more offloads per game.
  • The Brumbies will have to break a 13 year drought if they wish to cement their spot in the top two, last tasting victory in 2009.
Bell gives ultimate praise to Kepu

Waratahs prop Angus Bell has heaped praise onto legendary Wallaby Sekope Kepu after they face off on Saturday.

Bell got the better of the Moana Pasifika captain throughout the contest, however, was quick to praise his influence and character after the game.

“It was pretty awesome,” Bell reflected.

“‘Keps’ has been such a big part of the Waratahs and Wallabies so going up against him was a cool experience. I learnt so much talking to him after the game, so much respect for Keps and what he has done."

Tuliagi praises unique change to form revival

When a player experiences an up-shift in form, it is often put down to a certain change in training or diet, maybe a shift in mentality.

However, England centre Manu Tuilagi believes a change in his sleeping pattern can help him stay injury-free and on course for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

I think sleep is a big thing for me. I never used to sleep. I used to sleep really late. For an athlete you need, for me, at least seven hours,” he told reporters.

“That’s what I looked at when the latest hamstring injury happened.

“I had a chat with my wife. I was talking to her, saying to her about how I woke up 20-30 minutes before we had the walk-throughs and then you get into training and my wife is saying, you’re an athlete, you’ve got to sleep.

“As a person you have to listen to your body but as an athlete sometimes you get too excited and you just want to be out there on the field and you ignore what your body is telling you."

Social post of the week

Brumbies scrumhalf Nic White has further lifted the lid on former Wallaby-turned-Bachelor Nick Cummins, praising his character.

White spoke to RugbyPass about the former winger, detailing a wonderful story about his selflessness and how goes out of his way to help people out.

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