Author

Will Carpenter writes

Posted Wednesday, November 3rd 2021 @bristolsportwkc

Number Crunch: The way of the Warriors

Wednesday, November 3rd 2021

All of the key player, team and form statistics ahead of Saturday's round eight Gallagher Premiership clash at Ashton Gate.

THE FORM

Bristol Bears doubled their tally of victories in Gallagher Premiership Rugby this season with their 45-33 victory at London Irish on Saturday. Bristol’s two home games at Ashton Gate this season ended in defeat to Saracens in Round 1 and victory over Bath in Round 3.

Worcester Warriors 27-14 win at home to Sale on Saturday was their second this campaign after their opening weekend success at home to London Irish. The Warriors have not won away from home in any competition since September 2020, a 40-25 victory over London Irish at the Twickenham Stoop in Premiership Rugby.

Bristol have won their last four fixtures against Worcester since the Warriors 27-25 victory at Ashton Gate in March 2019. Worcester’s only other victory at Ashton Gate was by a single point of the first leg of the RFU Championship Final in May 2015.

THE NUMBERS

Bristol Bears have won each of their last four league games against Worcester – they previously hadn’t won more than two in a row against the Warriors in the Premiership; Bristol’s last three wins in that run have all come with a try bonus point.
Bristol won their last league match, against London Irish, claiming their first try bonus point of the season in the process; the Bears will be aiming to record back-to-back wins in the Premiership for the first time since May.
Worcester recorded a victory against Sale in Round 7 to end a run of five straight league defeats; they will be aiming to record consecutive wins in the Premiership for the first time since winning three in a row between September and November 2020.
Worcester have lost their last 14 away league games, including a 56-point defeat in their last outing on the road – their second heaviest Premiership loss; it’s their worst run away from home since losing 17 on the bounce between April 2016 and October 2017.
Worcester Warriors have averaged just 6.6 entries into the opposition 22 per game in the league this season, fewer than any other side, although Bristol have averaged the fewest points per 22 entry in this Premiership campaign (1.6).

Bristol have averaged 10.8 offloads per game in the Premiership this season, more than any other team, while Worcester have averaged the fewest (4.0); the Bears have averaged exactly one line break assist per game from their offloads, only Bath and Exeter (both 1.3) have created more breaks from their offloads this campaign.
Bristol have scored just one try this season in the final quarter of the game, the fewest of any side, although Worcester have conceded 12 in the same period, the most of any team.
Bristol duo Callum Sheedy and Piers O’Conor have each made five passes that have led to a clean break in the Premiership this season, no player has made more in 2021/22 (level with Tom De Glanville, Danny Care, Tyrone Green and George Ford).
Kyle Hatherell (Worcester Warriors) and Dan Thomas (Bristol Bears) have each made five dominant tackles in the Premiership this season, a tally bettered only by Lewis Ludlow (8) and Jono Ross (7).
No player has hit more defensive rucks than Worcester duo Matt Kvesic (49) and Sam Lewis (48) in the Premiership this season, Lewis is also one of just seven players to have made 75+ tackles in the league in 2021/22 (79).