The stats don't lie: Week five preview

Cory Jane will play his 50th Super Rugby game tomorrow night. Photo / Getty Images

Two big games this weekend with the Blues taking on the Hurricanes at Eden Park, while the battle of the south between the 1st and 2nd placed NZ teams takes place at Carisbrook as the Highlanders meet the Crusaders. The Chiefs play the unbeaten Sharks in Hamilton on Friday night.

BLUES V HURRICANES

- The Hurricanes won this game last year 34-20, but the Blues have won nine of the 15 games between the two sides

- Ma'a Nonu hasn't played since round one following his red card suspension but will become only the second Hurricanes player after Tana Umaga to make 100 appearances for the franchise.

- Tony Woodcock will notch up 100 games for the Blues while Andrew Hore will be making his 100th Super start (he first played Super Rugby for the Crusaders)

- Two further milestones see both Cory Jane and Kurtis Haiu playing in their 50th games

- The Hurricanes have the better lineout having won 87 percent of their throws to the Blues' 77 percent

- The Blues are the second most penalised NZ team behind the Highlanders, but only concede half their penalties at the breakdown. The Canes are the most penalised side at the breakdown with 70 percent of their penalties coming at the ruck or tackle situation

- Luke McAlister is running at 83 percent for his goal kicking, while Dan Kirkpatrick is sitting on 100 percent but has only had two shots at goal

- The Blues' backs average four linebreaks per game while the Hurricanes'average 3.5

- The Blues have scored nine tries and conceded nine tries, while the Hurricanes have scored two and conceded four.

HIGHLANDERS V CRUSADERS

- The Crusaders have won 12 of the 18 matches played between the two sides. The Highlanders last beat the Crusaders in 2009, keeping them scoreless in the process.

- The Highlanders' backs have made 18 linebreaks to date, while the Crusaders have made 12 but with one less game played

- Conceding an average of almost 12 penalties a game the Highlanders will need to watch their discipline with Dan Carter having kicked eight from nine attempts at goal last week

- Adam Thomson is the leading player for winning breakdown turnovers having made seven clean steals to date, but may meet his match this week with the Crusaders' loose trio having won eight between them

- Locks Brad Thorn and Sam Whitelock pair up again this weekend for the Crusaders and both are yet to lose a throw on their own lineout

- Sean Maitland is top NZ try scorer with five tries, which is one more than the total number the Highlanders have conceded in four games