The Stats Don't Lie: Whitelock leads the way

Sam Whitelock was the All Blacks' top jumper with four takes and was also the top tackler. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

Tracey Nelson crunches the numbers from the All Blacks' 30-22 win over England at Twickenham where lock Sam Whitelock stood out in his 50th test.

ENGLAND v ALL BLACKS (22-30)

In an uncanny repeat of last year's game Julian Savea and Kieran Read were again the try scorers for the All Blacks. Savea's second double against England has also given him the incredible record of having scored 18 tries in just 19 test matches with a career total of five braces (v England twice, Argentina, Scotland, and Italy).

Sam Whitelock showed why he has achieved 50 test caps in just four years by leading the tackle count for the All Blacks. Whitelock made 19 tackles and five assists, missing just one. He was also second equal with Wyatt Crockett for being in the first three players to the breakdown, with 17 arrivals.

Richie McCaw was again the standout for arrivals at the breakdown, being in the first three players on 32 occasions in this test. He was the third best tackler for the All Blacks with 14 tackles and two assists, and no misses.

Dan Carter only lasted 25 minutes in his 100th test, but managed to make four tackles and kick two conversions and a penalty goal before leaving the field. He now has a career total of 178 points against England, at an average of just over 16 points per game.

The All Blacks missed 17 tackles with Ma'a Nonu again missing the most with four, although he did make a total 13 tackles and two assists. The next worst culprits for missed or slipped tackles were Keven Mealamu, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, and Wyatt Crockett all with two misses.

While Read was in the sin bin the All Blacks conceded just six points. The All Blacks did not concede a penalty in the last quarter of the match, while England conceded two.

England conceded a total of nine penalties, with just one conceded in their 22. Three of their penalties were for off-side play, with the remainder all breakdown penalties.

Despite the number of breakdown penalties, where the All Blacks conceded five, they won the breakdown battle with seven turnovers won including tackle turnovers to Mealamu, Crockett, Read and McCaw.

When it came to lineouts the All Blacks had a 100 percent success rate on their own throw, winning all 10 (not counting the disallowed lineout from an incorrect quick throw by Charles Piutau). Whitelock was the All Blacks' top jumper with four takes, followed by Read with three.

England were 100 percent on their lineout throws while Dylan Hartley was on the field, but in the second half when he was replaced by Tom Youngs they lost three lineouts with steals by Crockett (two) and Brodie Retallick.

The All Blacks made seven handling errors, five knock-ons and two passes to the opposition. Savea made both passes to the opposition and also two knock-ons. England made a total of 10 knock-ons, with seven of them coming in the second half.

There was plenty of kicking from hand by both teams, the All Blacks making 30 kicks while England made 25. Only five kicks from each team were defensive clearing kicks from inside their 22s.

Owen Farrell set a new record for England in kicking five penalties goals against the All Blacks, and had a 100 percent success rate with the boot in also converting England's sole try of the game.