The Stats Don't Lie: Whistle dominates Sydney test

Sonny Bill Williams made the most ball carries with a total of seven for a gain of 44 metres. Photo / Getty Images

Stats guru Tracey Nelson crunches the numbers from the whistle-heavy opening Rugby Championship test where a penalty was blown on average every three minutes.

The penalty count was high in this game with 15 conceded by the All Blacks and 11 by the Wallabies. Only 10 of the 26 penalties in this match came at the breakdown, with 10 coming at set piece (scrum and lineout). Only three penalties in this test match were conceded inside the 22's or red zone (two by the All Blacks and one by the Wallabies).

David Pocock was the most penalised Wallaby conceding four - one as the tackled player, two at the ruck, and one for joining the lineout early.

Ma'a Nonu was the most penalised All Black, conceding three penalties for ruck entry, off-side at the ruck, and obstruction.

Handling errors were also high, with the Wallabies making 11 knock-ons, eight of which came in the first half. The All Blacks made four knock-ons and six passing errors, with Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam (2) both making forward passes.

The All Blacks made 108 tackles and missed just 10, while the Wallabies missed 21 of their 68 attempts.

Richie McCaw and Dan Carter were the top defenders for the All Blacks both with 12 tackles, three assists and no misses. Ma'a Nonu was the next best with 11 tackles and two assists, but also missed four tackles.

Sam Whitelock made nine tackles, but it was his two missed tackles in the All Blacks' 22 that led to the Wallabies' only try of the game.

Richie McCaw was the leading All Black for arrivals at the breakdown with a total of 25, followed by Liam Messam with 16 and Tony Woodcock with 15.

Sonny Bill Williams made the most ball carries with a total of seven for a gain of 44 metres. Laim Messam and Kieran Read both made six ball carries for 53 and 19 metres respectively.

The All Blacks made five linebreaks, with Israel Dagg making two. Dagg made a total of 98 running metres from his four runs in this game, and scored a try from his first linebreak - his first try against Australia.

Digby Ioane was the top runner in the match with 11, but only managed to make a total of 74 metres.

The All Blacks won three breakdown turnovers, going to McCaw, Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore. The All Blacks also won a counter-ruck and held the Wallabies' maul up twice.

The All Blacks won all 14 of their lineout throws, with Sam Whitelock the top jumper with eight takes, followed by McCaw with three.

Luke Romano took one take for the All Blacks and the only lineout steal of the game off Scott Higginbotham. Higginbotham was the top jumper for the Wallabies taking five throws.

The All Blacks had five set pieces (two lineouts and three scrums) in the Wallabies 22, but only converted one of these into points with Cory Jane's try coming from their sixth scrum feed of the match.