Table 2.  Differences between winning and losing teams in game statistics from the Six Nations rugby tournament (seasons 2003-2006).
 

Winner

Loser

P1
Value

Variable

M

SD

Median

M

SD

Median

Variables related to points scored

             

Points scored

30.41

10.39

30.5

13.50

6.97

13.0

.000

Tries scored

3.29

2.04

3.0

1.28

1.09

1.0

.000

Successful conversions

2.33

1.55

2.0

.84

.87

1.0

.000

Penalty goal errors

.85

.76

1.0

.87

1.22

1.0

.682

Successful penalty goals

2.76

1.60

3.0

1.76

1.27

1.5

.001

Drop errors

.60

.93

.0

.31

0.54

.0

.414

Successful drops

.28

.59

.0

.17

0.42

.0

.134

Variables related to phases of play

             

Scrums won

8.09

3.07

8.0

7.97

3.10

8.0

.820

Scrums lost

.12

.33

.0

0.29

0.46

.0

.022

Line-outs won

17.46

3.76

17.5

16.75

4.32

17.0

.297

Line-outs lost

2.18

1.61

2.0

3.38

2.11

3.0

.001

Balls won in open play

62.43

19.13

57.5

66.10

19.55

62.5

.228

Balls won in the opponent's 22mts zone

17.12

11.05

15.5

17.41

13.24

14.5

.744

Balls won in the attack phases

35.55

5.53

35.0

34.62

6.44

34.5

.384

Mauls won

6.91

3.44

7.0

5.03

2.77

5.0

.001

Ruck and drive

15.57

11.12

12.0

19.02

12.72

14.0

.118

Errors made

18.69

5.25

19.0

19.40

6.54

18.5

.759

Ruck and pass

39.95

17.72

37.5

42.05

16.53

39.0

.457

Variables related to game development

             

Line breaks

6.32

4.11

6.0

4.41

4.23

3.0

.009

Penalty goals conceded

10.07

3.13

10.0

10.00

2.78

10.0

.881

Possessions kicked

131.47

42.48

130.5

131.66

36.46

125.0

.899

Possessions of kicks to touch

29.41

8.33

29.0

26.10

7.42

25.0

.021

Kicks to touch

10.80

3.82

10.0

9.82

3.58

10.0

.247

Tackles made

84.84

24.85

84.0

78.64

25.85

74.5

.169

Tackles missed

9.74

4.65

9.0

11.28

6.24

10.0

.284

Tackle completion

89.55

4.34

89.5

87.57

3.88

87.5

.025

Passed completed

131.7

39.96

133.00

123.61

38.22

121.50

.204

Turnovers won

8.28

4.20

8.0

6.45

3.51

6.0

.024

1 Mann-Whitney U.