Numbers with context.

Evidence first. Interpretation labelled.

Rugby Stats Nerd publishes original analysis drawn from dated public records, official team announcements, match statistics and historical research. Articles carry their own source lists. Team match ledgers link directly to their underlying records.

Count the same thing

A Test is not automatically the same as every match in a national jersey. A named 23 is not a national depth pool. Caps, age, club season, opposition and match date retain their own definitions. We do not combine them merely to produce a larger number.

Aggregate before rounding

Per-Test figures divide summed events by included Tests. Possession retention divides total recorded regains by total kicks, rather than averaging individual match percentages. Metres per kick divides total recorded kick metres by total kicks. All displayed rates are rounded after calculation.

What a kick means here

Kicks in play exclude goal kicks, penalty kicks, free kicks and restarts. Ordinary open-play kicks into touch remain included. Possession retained includes recorded regathers and recovered tap backs. It is not a clean aerial-catch rate. Recorded kick distance is not net territory.

Describe before explaining

Different schedules, opponents, conditions and sample sizes affect comparisons. The first edition reports descriptive measures. It does not present an opponent-adjusted team rating or imply that correlation proves a tactical cause.

Original publishing, credited sources

Our prose, charts and editorial artwork are original. Source links identify the underlying evidence; they do not imply a partnership or endorsement. Third-party logos, photographs and footage are not required to use the portal.

Open access

Every story and explorer is public, with no account or paywall. There are no advertising trackers or optional analytics scripts in this first version. Search runs in your browser. Preferences and comparison links do not require a profile.

Technical edition

Articles are pre-rendered as HTML, with interactive controls layered on top. RSS and the sitemap are public. Research updates are reviewed editions; this website does not autonomously publish breaking stories.