Papali'i v Vunipola

Billy Vunipola takes it, 6–1 on categories

Vunipola wins on tackles — the pressure player of the two. Papali'i’s case rests on missed tackles, but it isn’t enough to swing it. Whole career: Papali'i 84 matches, Vunipola 221 matches.

• Vunipola averages 6.3 tackles a match to Papali'i’s 4.5 (40% more).
• Vunipola has 30 tries (one every 6.3 matches) to Papali'i’s 11 tries (one every 7.1 matches).
• Papali'i averages 0.8 missed tackles a match to Vunipola’s 1.2.
• Winners’ edge: Vunipola’s teams won 69%, Papali'i’s teams won 48% of the matches they played.
• Longevity: Vunipola has 221 matches across 18 seasons, Papali'i 84 in 7 — the averages matter more than the totals here.
• Not every stat was recorded for every match (metres, tackles, clean breaks…): those averages use only the games that logged them.

Built only from games in our stats database. A read of the numbers, not a tip.