French sides top key team stats in the Champions Cup
- 2009
The next fortnight of Champions Cup action will decide who reaches the knockout stages of the Champions Cup with Leinster having already secured their place in the quarter-finals.
While Leinster stormed into the quarter-finals quicker than any other side before them, they haven't necessarily dominated the stats with the French sides topping some of the key team statistics after four rounds of action.
There are just two team averages that Leinster does top. Those two statistics are average tries scored (5) and least lineout lost on average per game (0.8), totals which they share with Clermont and Gloucester respectively.
Clermont have been in fine form during the Champions Cup after winning the Challenge Cup last season and despite losing to Ulster in round two they still average the most points scored per game edging Leinster's impressive 34.8 points per game by 3.2.
Toulouse's lineout has been key to their success in the Champions Cup with only Leinster maintaining a better lineout success than Toulouse's 92.31% but no side even comes close to the French club's average lineout steals per game of 2.3.
While Toulouse have been successful at the set pieces and Clermont at converting chances into points, Racing 92 have been the biggest attacking threat in the competition.
The Parisian club average more clean breaks (16.3), defenders beaten (32.5), offloads (11.3) and running metres (512) than any other side in the competition. Gloucester are the only non-French side that come close to posting similar attacking numbers to that of Racing 92 with Toulouse right on their tail.
Finally, Montpellier and Lyon have been the kings of the breakdown this season averaging 8 and 7.5 turnovers per game this Champions Cup season with Montpellier also post the second-best ruck success just 0.01% behind Ulster on 97.68%
