Opta’s European Rugby Team of the Week: 20-22 September

With the three major European leagues now underway, we pick our data-led team of the week and take a look at some of the top performers from the weekend.

The Premiership and United Rugby Championship both kicked off at the weekend, meaning that – along with the TOP 14 – the three major European club competitions are all underway.

The weekend saw plenty of standout performances and using the Opta Index, our rugby data experts at OptaJonny have picked out their team of the week.

Eleven different teams are represented this week, with Munster and Saracens boasting two players apiece, as do Connacht and Glasgow Warriors who narrowly missed out on picking up opening-round victories.

Star Player

According to the Opta Index, Louis Bielle-Biarrey was the top player across Europe over the weekend. Although both Bielle-Biarrey and his Bordeaux teammate Damian Penaud crossed for a hat-trick of tries, it was the former who got the nod for our team.

In addition to his hat-trick, the 21-year-old also assisted a joint-round-high two tries in the TOP 14 at the weekend as UBB put over 50 points on Racing 92. No player made more line breaks than him either (3), as he gained 70 metres – more than any of his teammates.

The Best of the Rest

The Opta Index gives each player an overall ranking as well as a ranking specifically for attack and defence. In the latter category Rory Darge was head and shoulders above everyone else.

Not only were his 39 tackles at least 10 more than any other player in Europe at the weekend, he was also the only player in the URC to hit 40+ rucks (45), a tally that included a round-high 19 defensive rucks.

This season, Vannes are playing in the TOP 14 for the first time and they bolstered their squad over the summer with some impressive signings, but it is one of their slightly lesser-known acquisitions who has arguably made the biggest impact so far.

Salesi Rayasi starred in Vannes first win of the season at the weekend, making 16 carries – the most of any back in the TOP 14 – and recording a joint-round-high three line breaks.

Most importantly, he both scored and assisted at the weekend, the second week in a row he’s managed that – only one other player in the TOP 14 has scored and assisted in multiple games this campaign (Nicolas Depoortère for Bordeaux-Begles).

Gregor Townsend will have been happy watching the performances of his back row options with the Autumn Nations Series on the horizon. In addition to Darge’s effort against Ulster, international teammate Andy Christie also put in an all-action performance.

He was one of just six players in the Premiership to hit double figures for both carries (14) and tackles (13) and one of just three to manage that alongside hitting 20+ rucks (20). His work rate was rewarded with a couple of turnovers, no player won more in the Premiership.

However, the icing on the cake came in the form of two tries – no other forward managed to get their name on the scoresheet more than once in the English top flight at the weekend.

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