JWC 2011: Match day one statistics

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We bring you some interesting statistics from day one of the IRB Junior World Championship 2011 in Italy.

- Defending champions New Zealand, England, Australia, France, Wales and South Africa got off to winning starts.

- Full back Charles Piutau had the honour of scoring New Zealand’s 100th try in JWC history with their opening try against Italy in Treviso. The Baby Blacks took their overall tally to 108 in the 64-7 win.

- Piutau’s teammate, fly half Gareth Anscombe, was the top points scorer, notching 22 (one try, seven conversions and one penalty). Wales fly half Matthew Morgan was next best with 19 (one try, four conversions and two penalties). France’s Pierre Bernard holds the record for the most points in a single JWC match, having grabbed 33 against Wales in Japan in 2009.

- Four players scored a brace of tries: Piutau (NZL), Liam Williams (WAL), Arno Botha (RSA) and Francois Venter (RSA). Four players share the record for the most tries (4) in a single JWC match: Australia trio Dane Haylett Petty, Kurtley Beale and Richard Kingi, and New Zealand’s Julian Savea.

- New Zealand were the top points scorer (64) and notched the most tries (nine). Australia was next best with 54 points and eight tries. England, South Africa and Wales all ran in four tries to collect a try bonus point.

- Australia and South Africa look set to join New Zealand in passing the 700 points and 100 tries milestones in JWC history. Australia is on 673 points and 98 tries and South Africa on 669 and 91 tries.

- New Zealand converted eight of their nine tries, Australia seven of their eight.

- A total of 301 points were scored across the three venues for an average of 50.17 per match – 27.50 in the first half and 22.67 in the second.

- A total of 36 tries were scored on the opening day.

- Twenty-nine, or just over 80 percent, of these tries were converted.

- An average of six tries were scored in each match, just under five conversions and 3.50 penalties.

- Thirty-one players crossed the try-line for their respective countries.

Scotland, who lost to South Africa, and Fiji, beaten by France, were the only teams not to cross the try-line.

- The Scots was in fact the only team who failed to score a point on day one.

- Only two yellow cards were issued, to Ireland replacement Shane Buckley and New Zealand prop Gregory Pleasants-Tate.

- No drop goals or red cards were recorded.