Italy
D.
Ireland
C.
Scotland
B.
England
A.
Which team had the longest average passing distance?
Question 1 of 10
Take this quiz based on data from the Guinness Six Nations 2023.
All insights are from the Sage sponsored Smart Ball used in the Guinness Six Nations 2023.
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Correct! The answer is Scotland, who had an average passing distance of 7.5m
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This was almost entirely due to the brilliance and vision of fly half Finn Russell whose range and quality of passing is second to none. Using either the pop pass or the long cut out pass, Russell is a master of his craft and crucial to Scotland’s expansive style of rugby.
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Wrong! The answer is Scotland, who had an average passing distance of 7.5m
Question: Which team had the longest average passing distance? Correct answer: Scotland
Who had the highest average territory gain from kicks?
Question 2 of 10
Leigh Halfpenny
Stuart Hogg
Romain Ntamack
Freddie Steward
Correct! The answer is Leigh Halfpenny who had an average territory gain of 46.7m per kick
Halfpenny has long been a master of kicking from hand, be it from a penalty to the touch line or to secure territorial advantage for his side. Accuracy and distance can create an effective attacking platform and is a vital part of today’s game.
Wrong! The answer is Leigh Halfpenny who had an average territory gain of 46.7m per kick
Which team had the biggest average kicking distance?
Question 3 of 10
Wales
France
Correct! The answer is England, who had an average kicking distance of 1,048m
No one should be surprised by this. Under arch pragmatist Steve Borthwick, England became the team that kicks the most in any game, through Owen Farrell or with George Ford at fly half or Freddie Steward at fullback or with the scrum half box kick. Through the kick chase England hope to create chaos and benefit from any mistakes by the opposition. They also play a territorial game based on kicking from hand.
Wrong! The answer is England, who had an average kicking distance of 1,048m
Which team had the shortest average lineout throw?
Question 4 of 10
Correct! The answer is England, who had an average lineout throw of 7.3m
The lineout is where Steve Borthwick is most at home. There is no better practitioner. Throwing to the front of the lineout minimises the prospect of a lost ball, the chances of which are greater when thrown to the middle or back of the line out, where opponents have a better chance of disrupting the play. Throwing short also enables a team to utilise the driven maul, a tactic that England frequently like to deploy as an attacking weapon.
Wrong! The answer is England, who had an average lineout throw of 7.3m
Who had the longest single kick in the tournament?
Question 5 of 10
James Lowe
Paolo Garbisi
Correct! Freddie Steward kicked it 63.1m in the England v France game last year
Steward has all the attributes at full back. His kick returns and his chasing are important components of his game and his ability under the high ball as the last line of defence does not need elaborating upon. He is one of the world’s best. His boot means he can clear the lines effectively and release pressure when needed.
Wrong! Freddie Steward kicked it 63.1m in the England v France game last year
Which team had the fastest average pass speed?
Question 6 of 10
Correct! The answer is Scotland, who had an average passing speed of 22.2mph
Finn Russell is an integral part of explaining this statistic. But full-back Blair Kinghorn is also renowned for the speed and accuracy of his passing. Both players can spin pass a ball at 40 mph and with a spiral efficiency of 95 per cent or more. This means the ball travels through the air with the minimum of resistance.
Wrong! The answer is Scotland, who had an average passing speed of 22.2mph
Whose average box kick hangtime was longest?
Question 7 of 10
Jamison Gibson-Park
Stephen Varney
Antoine Dupont
Ben Youngs
Correct! The answer is Jamison Gibson-Park who had an average box kick hangtime of 4.2 secs
The box kick has become de rigueur in rugby nowadays. The sight of the caterpillar at a ruck gives the attacking scrum half more time to launch his repertoire of box kicks, and the longer the hang time the better the chance of a successful chase – and thus of putting the opposition under pressure in the competition for the ball and to win territory.
Wrong! The answer is Jamison Gibson-Park who had an average box kick hangtime of 4.2 secs
Which fly-half had the longest average pass distance?
Question 8 of 10
Owen Williams
Finn Russell
Tommy Allan
Marcus Smith
Correct! Finn Russell had an average pass distance of 9.1m
Russell is without peer in terms of his prowess as a handler and passer of the ball. He is the heartbeat of a Scotland side that under coach Gregor Townsend espouses an attacking philosophy and plays to individual strengths. Scotland were the only Guinness Six Nations side to average more than 1,000 passing metres per game in 2023. And Russell was the fulcrum.
Wrong! Finn Russell had an average pass distance of 9.1m
Which hooker had the greatest line-out throw spin rate?
Question 9 of 10
Gaëtan Barlot
Fraser Brown
Bradley Roberts
Rónan Kelleher
Correct! The answer is Gaëtan Barlot who had an average line-out throw spin rate of 386 rpm
Gaëten Barlot is a newish name in the French international side. His ability to throw at such a rate is a real skill. It is difficult to execute because the hooker is isolated when throwing in. This and the pressure to throw successfully can add stress on the hooker and in turn impact the quality of his throw. That Barlot has mastered the technique is testament to his temperament and the result of a consistent pre-throw routine.
Wrong! The answer is Gaëtan Barlot who had an average line-out throw spin rate of 386 rpm
Who took the longest goal kick?
Question 10 of 10
Owen Farrell
Thomas Ramos
Correct! Thomas Ramos kicked for goal from 48.4m in France’s match against Ireland
Ramos has quickly become France’s most reliable goal kicker for many years. His accuracy and distance off the tee, for a player who is barely 13-and-a-half stone – has to be seen to be believed. A mainstay for years to come, although he won’t want reminding that Cheslin Kolbe charged down his conversion attempt at the World Cup, which made all the difference to the result.
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Wrong! Thomas Ramos kicked for goal from 48.4m in France’s match against Ireland
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